PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Starling Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phil Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Pantera - Mouth For War kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Silva
vs
Taylor

191 cm
23
192 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

186 cm
23
195 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Victory! Sports Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Starling Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Phil Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Taylor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.
Taylor throws a head kick but Silva moves out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Silva on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva throws a big shot that misses.
Silva throws out a loose jab but Taylor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Silva throws a leg kick

and Taylor counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Taylor.
Taylor must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva controlling the position.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva controlling the position.
Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taylor.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Taylor might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Silva haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Taylor looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Silva is fending him off so far but Taylor persists. Nope, Silva circles away and we're back to standing.
Silva tried to counter with a leg kick but Taylor avoided it.
Taylor moves away from the strike by Silva.
Silva stuffs the takedown attempt from Taylor. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet.
Taylor tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Silva looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Silva throws an off balance right hand
and Taylor connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Silva takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Taylor is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Silva with a body shot.
Silva thuds his shin into the meat of Taylor's side.
Silva gets cracked there but stands up to it.
A slow jab from Silva misses its intended target.
Silva misses the shot to the body.
Taylor throws a quick inside leg kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Silva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taylor appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Silva misses with a kick to the body.
Silva moves out of range of the body kick from Taylor.
An attempted straight right counter from Silva misses the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Taylor's hands.
Silva takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Silva's corner calls for a 1-2. Silva obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Silva lands with an uppercut that bounces Taylor off the cage and back into range.
Taylor scoring well with a low kick there.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.
Starling Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Phil Taylor.
Silva takes a swing at Taylor's ribcage but misses.
Silva tries to clinch up but Taylor circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva wants to clinch up but Taylor keeps it at a distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silva. Taylor does a little dance to reset his feet.
Silva looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Taylor, right into the meat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a right hand
and Taylor counters with a one-two to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva looks to throw a body kick
and Taylor counters with a stiff right hand.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.
Silva lands an elbow that stopped Taylor in his tracks for a moment.
Taylor blocks the elbow strike.
Silva misses with a hook to the ribs.
Taylor is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Silva tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Silva creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Taylor's defenses.
Silva is working Taylor over against the cage.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike from Silva.
Silva prevents Taylor from breaking the clinch.
Silva lands an elbow inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Phil Taylor will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A swing and a miss from Silva.

It looks like Phil Taylor has been cut.

Silva gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Silva creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Taylor avoids the elbow strike from Silva, against the cage.
Silva misses with some punches.
Silva looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Silva misses with an elbow over the top.
Silva has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Silva pushes Taylor back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike.
Silva goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice left hand lands by Silva.
Silva tries to work over Taylor's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Silva misses with a punch to the body.
Silva looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike.
Silva misses with a punch on the inside.
Silva throws an elbow but it misses.
Silva misses with a shot to the kidneys.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Silva just misses with a elbow thrown towards Taylor's brow.
Silva struggles to land a body shot inside as Taylor controls his hands.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Taylor.
Silva lands a nice elbow.
Silva misses with an elbow over the top.
Silva makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Silva can't find room to land a body shot as Taylor controls the action.
Silva throws an elbow but it misses.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike from Silva.
Taylor stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Taylor is looking to break free of the clinch but Silva has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor stalling against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Silva throws an elbow but misses.
Silva misses with a short punch on the inside.

Taylor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Silva takes a kick to the side of the head.
Taylor misses the shot to the body.
Phil Taylor seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Taylor connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva misses with an attempted mid kick.
Silva is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Taylor can do to turn this around?
Silva thows a left - swing and a miss!
Taylor looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Silva cracks Taylor with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks to land a left hand but Taylor moved out of range nicely.
Taylor comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Taylor. That snapped Silva's head back.
Nice cross by Silva.
A big right from Silva misses.
Taylor is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Silva tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Taylor manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor cracks Silva with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Taylor throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Silva stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Silva throws a hook but Taylor avoids it easily.
Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Silva takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Nice body kick from Taylor.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.
Taylor walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Starling Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silva slips under a jab from Taylor.
Taylor displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Silva throws out the jab.
Silva throws a leg kick that misses.
A jab from Silva misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Taylor misses.
Taylor lands a nice looking body shot.
Taylor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Starling Silva dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Phil Taylor's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Silva looks to land a right hand but Taylor moved out of range.
Taylor is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Silva throws a low kick but it's checked well by Taylor.
Silva pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Taylor takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Taylor ducks under a wild hook from Silva.
Taylor is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Silva with a body shot.
Taylor throws a body shot but no joy.
Silva looks to land a body kick but Taylor moved away.
Some wild striking there from Taylor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor scores with a head kick.
Starling Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
A swing and a miss from Silva.
Taylor now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Taylor lands a body shot.
Taylor throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Silva lands a body shot.
Taylor goes for a double leg but Silva avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Silva continues to drive forward.
Taylor scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Silva doesn't seem bothered though.
Taylor misses the shot to the body.
Good work by Silva as he checks the leg kick.
Taylor throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
A big left from Silva misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taylor misses with an uppercut
and Silva counters with a stiff right hand.
Silva moves out of range of the body kick.
Taylor misses with a head kick.
Taylor throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva looks to score with a jab to the body but Taylor is just out of range.
Taylor lands with a cross.
Taylor moves away from the strike by Silva.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Taylor. Silva shrugs it off though.
Silva misses with a straight left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor slips a straight right by Silva.
Silva has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Taylor.
Silva swings for the body but Taylor moves out of range.
Taylor digs a good hook to Silva's body.
Silva lands with a nice body punch.
Silva takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Silva takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Silva scores with a jab. Taylor acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Taylor misses the shot to the body.
Taylor looks to score with a jab to the body but Silva is just out of range.
Taylor ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A left lands for Silva.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Silva ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Taylor moves away.
A head kick misses from Taylor.
Taylor on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Taylor is rocked!
Taylor ducks into an uppercut from Silva and that's knocked him out cold! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Starling Silva!