PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Holli Irvi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Irvi
vs
Silva

195 cm
22
273 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

195 cm
23
257 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Holli Irvi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mark Silva!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Irvi lands a jab to the nose.

It looks like Mark Silva has been cut.
Irvi throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Silva stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
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!

Irvi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Silva to the mat! Silva manages to get full guard.
Irvi passes Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ground and pound from Irvi.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Silva looks gassed!
Irvi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Irvi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Irvi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Irvi working over Silva with some ground and pound. Silva looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Irvi connects with a nice short shot to Silva's temple.
Irvi slows the pace down in half guard.
Irvi seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Silva for as long as he can get away with.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irvi is nestled in close to Silva, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Silva looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Irvi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Irvi has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Irvi drops an elbow to the side of Silva's head.
Irvi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Irvi passes the guard and advances to mount!
Irvi lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irvi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Silva hang on?
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Irvi in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Irvi has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Silva's face.
Irvi is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Irvi working Silva over with strikes here.
Silva takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Irvi landing shots from mount.
Irvi controlling his opponent.
The referee warns Silva that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Silva is desperately trying to improve his position but Irvi has a good base and remains in mount.
Irvi trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irvi lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Irvi trying to control but Silva is having none of it.
Irvi working Silva over with strikes here.
Irvi lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Silva can't escape the position.
Irvi looking to finish Silva with some ground and pound. This is bad for Silva!
Silva manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Irvi is nestled in close to Silva, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Irvi sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva landing strikes from the bottom.
Silva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Silva taking some punishment here, with Irvi in his half guard.
Silva gets back to full guard.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Irvi is one step ahead there.
Irvi wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Irvi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holli Irvi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mark Silva's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Holli Irvi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Irvi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Irvi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Silva is looking to clinch.
Mark Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva blocks a jab.
Silva wants to clinch up but Irvi keeps it at a distance.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Irvi pushes him off.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Irvi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Irvi connects with a right hand. Silva shakes it off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Irvi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Irvi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Irvi looks to land a combination but Silva avoids it well.
Irvi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irvi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Irvi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Irvi counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.
Irvi connects with a couple of short punches.
Irvi working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Silva tries to strike from the bottom.
Irvi stands up over Silva, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Irvi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Silva trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irvi wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Irvi postures up.
Silva is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Irvi tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Irvi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Irvi is trying to control but can't.
Irvi is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irvi punching from the bottom.

Silva is working for a submission of some sort.
Irvi trying to control here.
Silva throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva wants to clinch but Irvi slips to the side

and Irvi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Silva's guard.
Irvi working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Silva's head.
Irvi throws a big right hand that misses.

Silva working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Irvi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Irvi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irvi wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

Silva throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Irvi lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Irvi working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Silva working a defensive guard here.

Silva working for a triangle but Irvi defends it easily.
Irvi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holli Irvi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mark Silva's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Silva tries to clinch

and Irvi counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Silva's guard now.

Silva has his foot on Irvi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Irvi works his way back into a safe position though.
Irvi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Irvi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Irvi connects with a couple of short punches.
Irvi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Silva's guard.

Silva looking for submissions off his back.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Irvi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Irvi is pressing down on Silva's thigh, looking to free his foot. Silva is holding on for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva is staying active underneath Irvi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irvi is really struggling to control Silva but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Irvi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Irvi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Silva pushes Irvi up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section. Irvi lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Silva lands an elbow that stopped Irvi in his tracks for a moment.
Irvi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Silva lands a knee to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Silva scores with a knee to the head.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but Irvi blocks with his arms.
Irvi can't find room to land a body shot as Silva controls the action.
Irvi has had enough of the clinch but Silva keeps him there for the moment.
Irvi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Silva's elbow.
Silva with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Irvi pushes Silva back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Silva scores with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Silva has Irvi pushed against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Irvi.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Irvi is blocking nicely.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Silva creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Irvi's defenses.
Silva landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Irvi tries to score a body lock takedown but Silva shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Silva is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section. Irvi lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Irvi is blocking nicely.
Silva scores with a knee to the head.
Irvi lands a shot to the body.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Irvi works on Silva's body with a couple of short punches.
Silva with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Silva trying to stall but Irvi improves his position.
A right handed body shot lands from Irvi.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section. Irvi lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Silva with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Irvi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Irvi takes a knee right on the jaw!
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Silva lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irvi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Silva walks away with a smile on his face. Irvi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Irvi counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Irvi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Silva is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Irvi sits in half guard.
Silva has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Irvi is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irvi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Irvi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Irvi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Silva defending well though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva tries to clinch up
and Irvi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Mark Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Irvi misses with a double jab.
Irvi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Holli Irvi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva is looking to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Holli Irvi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Irvi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight for Holli Irvi!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Holli Irvi!
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight for Holli Irvi!

Holli Irvi wins by unanimous decision!