PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Jr Silva (ranked 8647 p4p, 391 weight class) and Ezekiel Ithamar (ranked 9923 p4p, 437 weight class). Ithamar has chosen Yamma Ensemble Psalms 104 as his entrance music. Pablo Jr Silva had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Jr Silva
vs
Ithamar

169 cm
28
143 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

176 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pablo Jr Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ezekiel Ithamar!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Luis Engracia and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.

Ithamar shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Silva manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ithamar throwing strikes from guard but Silva blocks nicely.
Ithamar sitting in guard here, content to control.
Ithamar postures up.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Ithamar wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ithamar wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Ithamar slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Silva seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ithamar is one step ahead there.
Ithamar content to stall in guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ithamar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Ithamar shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Silva is trying to defend but Ithamar finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Ithamar wants to pass the guard but Silva is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Ithamar is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Ithamar's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ithamar not doing much here.
Silva trying to control but Ithamar postures up.
Silva won't allow Ithamar to pass to mount.
Well, if Ithamar is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ithamar is thwarting Silva's attempts to control the position.
Ithamar performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Silva trying to control from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ithamar fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Silva leaves Ithamar with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Pablo Jr Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ezekiel Ithamar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Ithamar fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Good standup being displayed there by Ithamar as he connects with a hook.

Ithamar moves into the clinch.

Ithamar has hold of one of Silva's legs. Silva is fighting the takedown attempt but Ithamar gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Silva is looking for a triangle but Ithamar pushes his legs off easily.

Silva looking for a guillotine here but Ithamar defends easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Silva is trying to control the position but Ithamar postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezekiel Ithamar dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ithamar changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Silva tries to avoid it but Ithamar manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Silva to the ground. Silva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ithamar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silva misses with a series of wild punches.

Ithamar pushes Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Ithamar is working for takedown but Silva is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ithamar has Silva pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Silva manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Pablo Jr Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ezekiel Ithamar.
Ithamar changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Silva fights it off and pushes away nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ithamar doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Still in half guard, Silva seems content to control.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Ithamar is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ithamar wants to get back to full guard.
Ithamar trying to control from the bottom.
Ithamar works his way to full guard. Good work.
Silva wants to control from the top but Ithamar keeps moving.
Ithamar wants to sweep here but Silva controlling him for the moment.
Ithamar pulls Silva in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Silva drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ithamar looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Silva puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ithamar is trying to control but can't.
Ithamar is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ithamar keeping control of the position.
Ithamar moves into full guard.
Silva trying to control but Ithamar is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ithamar is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Ithamar is continuing to stall.
Ithamar not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Ithamar pushes Silva off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Silva fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva fails in his attempt to clinch.

Ithamar has Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Ithamar wants to take the fight to the mat but Silva manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Silva gets underhooks to prevent Ithamar's takedown attempt.
Ithamar tries for a takedown. No joy.

Silva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Ithamar closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Ithamar is very close to passing his half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Silva tries to roll over but Ithamar keeps him under control.
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 Pablo Jr Silva will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ithamar.

Ithamar manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Silva on his heels. He'll look to pass Silva's guard now, I'm sure.
Silva keeping full guard, as Ithamar tries to pass.
Ithamar trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva is looking to sweep but instead, Ithamar has passed into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Silva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva.
Ithamar trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ithamar's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Silva has control of Ithamar's left arm, preventing Ithamar from doing any damage.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Ithamar is proving a slippery customer.
Ithamar's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Ithamar got a little sloppy there for a moment and Silva has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ithamar has managed to get both his arms back between Silva's legs - danger averted.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ithamar stays in close to Silva's body and controls the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two 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.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Ithamar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ithamar drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Silva defends it well.
Silva wants to land a leg kick but Ithamar is out of range.
Silva fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ithamar as he avoids it easily.
Silva goes for a double leg but Ithamar avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ithamar continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pablo Jr Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ithamar rushes Silva and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ithamar is working for takedown but Silva is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ithamar taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ithamar displaying some good clinch control by pressing Silva up against the cage.
Silva is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Ithamar is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking for a takedown.

Ithamar gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Ithamar trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
Ithamar prevents Silva from improving his position.
Silva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Ithamar from controlling successfully.
Ithamar controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Silva working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ithamar controls the pace.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.
Ithamar has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ithamar showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Ithamar drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Silva gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ithamar trying to mount his opponent but Silva defends it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ezekiel Ithamar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ithamar has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ezekiel Ithamar!
Ezekiel Ithamar made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws, of which I said, "Whoever obeys them will live by them," and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.'.