PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mitchel Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Vakhula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Silva
vs
Vakhula

202 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mitchel Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Igor Vakhula!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vakhula avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silva fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Silva tries to clinch but Vakhula is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Vakhula shoots in but no luck this time.
Silva feinted with a counter takedown.
Silva tries to clinch but Vakhula is having none of it.
Vakhula is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva closes the distance but Vakhula moves to the side
and Vakhula counters with a stiff right hand.
Silva with a jab.
Vakhula shoots for a double leg takedown but Silva sprawls well. He's pushed Vakhula's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Silva appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Silva ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vakhula moves away.
As Silva backs off Vakhula throws a huge counter combo but Silva manages to avoid it all.
Vakhula tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva is looking to clinch but Vakhula is avoiding it.
Vakhula unleashes a big counter combination but Silva bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Silva looks to land a combination but Vakhula avoids it well.
Silva tries to clinch up but Vakhula circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva is looking to clinch.
Vakhula throws a counter combo.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Vakhula.
Mitchel Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Vakhula.
Silva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Vakhula counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva pulls Vakhula in to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva controls Vakhula momentarily but Vakhula frees himself.
Silva wants to stand but Vakhula is controlling the position.
Vakhula seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Let's hope that Vakhula has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Vakhula wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Silva falls off balance throwing a combination
and Vakhula counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.
Silva misses with a jab, cross combination.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Vakhula avoids the head kick by Silva.
Vakhula throws a counter combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mitchel Silva will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Vakhula circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva throws a right and a left that Vakhula avoids nicely.
Vakhula is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Vakhula tries to score a power double leg takedown but Silva sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Vakhula somewhat.
Silva drops down looking for a counter takedown but Vakhula sprawls and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Vakhula changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Silva looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Silva is looking to get back to his feet here but Vakhula is keeping cool and he's managed to take Silva's back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva trying to control the position but Vakhula manages to sink in the hooks.

Vakhula looking for the choke but no joy.

Silva fending off the submission attempt from Vakhula.
Silva manages to reverse the position and now he's in Vakhula's guard. Nice work there by Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vakhula has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Vakhula looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Silva keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Vakhula's head.
Silva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Vakhula keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vakhula trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Silva stands up over Vakhula, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Vakhula has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Vakhula working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silva.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Vakhula is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva preventing the sweep.
Vakhula utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Mitchel Silva is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Mitchel Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva looks to land a combination but Vakhula avoids it well.

Vakhula closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Vakhula lands in his opponent's guard.
Vakhula is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mitchel Silva will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Vakhula shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Silva but Silva pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Silva tries to counter with a takedown but Vakhula is quick to defend against it.
Silva throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vakhula swings for the body but Silva moves out of range.
Silva misses with a double jab
and Vakhula counters with a straight right hand.
Mitchel Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Vakhula pushes him off.
Silva swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Vakhula moves into the clinch successfully.

Vakhula lands a takedown into guard.
Silva being controlled here, momentarily.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Vakhula from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to keep Vakhula in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Silva throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Vakhula showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Silva trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Vakhula from controlling successfully.
Vakhula sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Silva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Vakhula moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Vakhula is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Vakhula drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Vakhula scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Vakhula is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Vakhula scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vakhula controlling from the top position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Vakhula is continuing to stall.

And that's the end of the fight!
Igor Vakhula comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mitchel Silva!