PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mirko Pezzulla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Silvan Wiltord (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Mirko Pezzulla has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Pezzulla
vs
Wiltord

182 cm
21
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
21
183 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Experienced

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mirko Pezzulla!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Silvan Wiltord!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wiltord tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pezzulla swivels and escapes.
Wiltord steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Pezzulla.
Pezzulla throws a leg kick which misses Wiltord's front leg but catches the back leg as Wiltord tries to avoid it.
Wiltord fails with a takedown attempt.
Pezzulla fires out a quick counter leg kick but Wiltord just manages to avoid it.
Wiltord swats away the attempt to clinch by Pezzulla.
Silvan Wiltord seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pezzulla throws a leg kick

and Wiltord counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Pezzulla is holding on to half guard well.

Wiltord is trying to work for a kimura but Pezzulla is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Wiltord is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wiltord looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Wiltord is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Pezzulla defends it well.
Pezzulla wants to control but Wiltord is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Wiltord is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Pezzulla has managed to free his arm - good work.
Wiltord content to control rather than advance.
Wiltord trying to control the action but Pezzulla is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Wiltord seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pezzulla is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Wiltord is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Pezzulla has managed to free his arm - good work.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Wiltord wants to work for an arm triangle but Pezzulla is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Wiltord is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Pezzulla has managed to free his arm - good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pezzulla makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Pezzulla.

Wiltord drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Wiltord jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wiltord passes Pezzulla's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Pezzulla wants to get back to full guard.

Wiltord is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Wiltord is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Wiltord is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Pezzulla has managed to free his arm - good work.
Pezzulla is refusing to be controlled, as Wiltord sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pezzulla wants to get back to his feet.

Pezzulla is defending against the submission attempts here by Wiltord.
Pezzulla is looking for a sweep. Wiltord is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Wiltord moves into full mount! Pezzulla won't be happy about that!
Pezzulla keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Wiltord jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Pezzulla manages to avoid the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Silvan Wiltord dominated that round.
That's time! Pezzulla's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Wiltord tries for a takedown but Pezzulla circles away easily
and Pezzulla counters with a nice low kick that buckles Wiltord's knee momentarily.
Wiltord tries for a takedown but Pezzulla circles away easily
and Pezzulla counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Wiltord's coach down at Soul Supremacy Rio was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Wiltord's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Pezzulla shoots in looking for a takedown but Wiltord manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Pezzulla's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Pezzulla throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

Wiltord throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Pezzulla was covering up waiting for the punch and Wiltord finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Wiltord trying to control the position from guard on top but Pezzulla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pezzulla looking to hit a scissor sweep but Wiltord is one step ahead there.

Wiltord is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Pezzulla is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Pezzulla has escaped and now he's on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wiltord is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Wiltord throws his legs up looking for a submission but Pezzulla uses it to pass to side control.
Wiltord is looking for a sweep.
Wiltord manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Wiltord is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wiltord passes to full mount!

Wiltord goes for an armbar but Pezzulla turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Pezzulla.

Wiltord is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Wiltord wants to hit a switch here but Pezzulla passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Wiltord there!
Silvan Wiltord has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pezzulla throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wiltord is working to get back to half guard.
Wiltord regains half guard.
Pezzulla takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Wiltord moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Wiltord is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pezzulla stops Wiltord from standing up.
Pezzulla has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Wiltord looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Wiltord keeping moving, preventing Pezzulla from controlling successfully.
Wiltord looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pezzulla is one step ahead there.

Wiltord escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pezzulla gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wiltord trying to control the position.
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 Mirko Pezzulla will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Wiltord tries for a takedown but Pezzulla sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Wiltord on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Wiltord fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pezzulla slaps away a takedown attempt from Wiltord, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mirko Pezzulla has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Silvan Wiltord.
Pezzulla throws a nice inside leg kick.
Wiltord shoots in but no luck this time.

Wiltord shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Wiltord was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pezzulla is trying to get back to half guard.
Pezzulla is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pezzulla gets full guard.
Pezzulla being controlled here, momentarily.
Wiltord pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pezzulla is keeping the position for now.
Wiltord preventing the sweep.
Wiltord looking to pass the guard.

Wiltord drops back looking for a leg! Pezzulla is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pezzulla manages to kick Wiltord off! Wiltord jumps back into Pezzulla's guard.
Pezzulla is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pezzulla not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Wiltord advances to half guard.

Wiltord is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Pezzulla doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Wiltord.

Wiltord is working for a submission of some sort.
Pezzulla is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pezzulla slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Pezzulla tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Pezzulla has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Wiltord can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Wiltord is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Pezzulla is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Pezzulla has escaped and now he's on top!

Wiltord keeping full guard, as Pezzulla tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wiltord is looking for a triangle here but Pezzulla uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Wiltord can't do much from the bottom here.
Wiltord stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Wiltord wants to control but Pezzulla postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Wiltord tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pezzulla wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Wiltord gets back to half guard.

Wiltord looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mirko Pezzulla showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Pezzulla 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mirko Pezzulla!