PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Silas Holden (ranked 10283 p4p, 0 weight class) and Callum McMallum (ranked 6270 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Holden
vs
McMallum

208 cm
24
162 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

180 cm
23
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

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 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Silas Holden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Callum McMallum !
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Phil Schofield and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McMallum looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Holden desperately trying to maintain half guard.
McMallum seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Holden does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
McMallum throwing shots but Holden is blocking nicely.
Holden really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
McMallum wants to control but Holden is keeping him busy.
McMallum working Holden over with strikes.
Holden desperately trying to maintain half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McMallum is trying to control the action in half guard but Holden is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
McMallum not landing any meaningful shots this time.
McMallum wants to control but Holden is keeping him busy.
Holden keeps control of the position for the meantime.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McMallum misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

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.

McMallum has Holden up against the cage in a clinch.
Holden is pressed up against the cage. McMallum has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Holden down to the mat. Holden avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A big right from Holden misses.
McMallum tries a head kick but it misses.
McMallum throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Holden tries to counter with a takedown but McMallum is quick to defend against it.

McMallum takes the fight into the clinch.
McMallum is trying to pull guard but Holden turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
McMallum is trying to pull guard but Holden has him pressed against the cage.
Silas Holden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Callum McMallum .

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on McMallum 's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Holden is looking for a takedown.
McMallum has Holden pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Holden manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Holden breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Holden drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Holden decides to stand back up. Holden steps back and let's McMallum get back to his feet.
No luck for McMallum with that takedown attempt.
Holden feinted with a counter takedown.
McMallum looks winded!
Holden with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McMallum tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
McMallum with a poor takedown
enabling Holden to counter with a crisp jab.

Holden closes the distance and clinches.

Holden escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A lazy body kick from McMallum

and Holden counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
McMallum throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Holden manages to pass to side control.
Holden is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down McMallum 's shoulder. That is not cool.

Holden is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but McMallum is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
McMallum tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Holden wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
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 Silas Holden will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

McMallum misses with a leg kick

so Holden counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Holden is standing up over McMallum . McMallum looks to escape but Holden dives into side control.

Holden stands up.
McMallum lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Holden connects with the punch.
Horrible takedown attempt by McMallum or perhaps it was just good defense by Holden, which made it look bad.
Holden half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Holden is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

McMallum gets a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holden holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Holden's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

McMallum has managed to clinch.
McMallum is looking to take this one to the mat.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
McMallum fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Silas Holden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Callum McMallum .
McMallum looking for a takedown.
McMallum is breathing heavily.

Holden manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holden is pulling down on McMallum 's head to control his posture.
Holden doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Holden seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Silas Holden overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
McMallum throwing strikes from guard but Holden blocks nicely.
McMallum is fighting to break Holden's control of his arms but Holden is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holden bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in McMallum 's guard.

Holden scoring with punches to the head and body.
Holden landing with the ground and pound.
McMallum can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Holden controls the pace.
McMallum has momentary wrist control but Holden slips an elbow through the middle.
Holden working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Holden controlling from the top position.
Holden lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holden postures up and lands a big shot to McMallum 's brow.

Holden decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Callum McMallum seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

McMallum closes the distance and pushes Holden back into the cage.
McMallum wants a takedown but no success here.
McMallum keeps control of Holden as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holden blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Holden breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Silas Holden dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

McMallum clinches.

McMallum gets a trip takedown into half guard.

McMallum is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Holden is just riding it out for now. McMallum eventually gives up the hold.
Holden is trying is best to control the position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McMallum thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Holden slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Holden pulls McMallum in close to his closed guard and prevents McMallum from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holden working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. McMallum doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. McMallum manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
McMallum wants to stand and escape but instead Holden has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Holden stands up and waves to McMallum to follow him.

McMallum drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holden has his hands on McMallum 's head, controlling the position.
McMallum looking to sit in guard and control but Holden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Holden scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Holden drops back, looking for a kneebar! McMallum looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. McMallum looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from McMallum !

Holden has one of McMallum 's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holden is trying to control McMallum 's posture but McMallum avoids it.
McMallum trying to control the action but Holden is working from the bottom.
Holden holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

McMallum is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Holden has escaped the position, nice work there.
McMallum takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

McMallum tries for a kimura but Holden is defending well.
The ground and pound from McMallum seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Holden is holding McMallum down, trying to stall.
Holden manages to get back to half guard.
Callum McMallum has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silas Holden is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Holden gets back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Callum McMallum comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Holden 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Silas Holden!