PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ulysses Ratliff (ranked 5881 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daley Silver (ranked 5858 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ratliff
vs
Silver

186 cm
23
279 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ulysses Ratliff!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Daley Silver!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Franklyn Lucas and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ratliff is looking to clinch but Silver is avoiding it.
Silver feints the counter takedown.
Silver tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ratliff sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Silver somewhat.
Silver connects with a leg kick. Ratliff looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silver fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ratliff tries to counter with a takedown but Silver is quick to defend against it.
Silver has a takedown stuffed.
Ulysses Ratliff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daley Silver.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silver shoots in looking for a takedown but Ratliff manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Silver's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Silver fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Silver looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ratliff half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Silver throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ratliff's waist but Ratliff gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Silver off to one side.
Ratliff stuffs the takedown.
No luck for Silver with that takedown attempt.
Silver shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ratliff as he jumps to the side.
Silver looks winded!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silver has a takedown stuffed.
Ratliff keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Silver.
Silver closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ratliff circles away.

Ratliff closes the distance and clinches.
Silver has Ratliff pressed against the cage, preventing Ratliff from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ratliff prevents Silver from breaking the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ratliff really is a fat lump.
Ratliff tries for a takedown but Silver manages to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ratliff is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Silver is defending well for now.

Silver pulls guard effortlessly.
Ratliff wanted to stand there but Silver had control of the position.
Ratliff content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ratliff postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ratliff lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Silver is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ratliff lands a couple of elbows.
Ratliff working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Silver's head.
Ratliff connects with a couple of short punches.
Ratliff has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ratliff trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ratliff missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ratliff throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Silver works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ratliff postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ratliff with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ratliff missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ratliff wants to get up but he can't break Silver's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ratliff accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ratliff chips away with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ratliff accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Ratliff stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Silver has Ratliff up against the cage in a clinch.
Ratliff working hard to break the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ratliff breaks from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silver avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silver feints the counter takedown.

Ratliff moves into range and clinches up with Silver.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ulysses Ratliff dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

The fight stays on the outside here - Silver looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silver just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromRatliff.
Ulysses Ratliff is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Silver clinches.
Silver is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Ratliff is defending well.
Silver tries for a takedown. No joy.
Silver drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ratliff gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ulysses Ratliff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daley Silver.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ratliff gets underhooks to prevent Silver's takedown attempt.
Silver on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Silver has Ratliff pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ratliff manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ratliff tries to break free but Silver pushes him back against the cage.
Ratliff tries to score a body lock takedown but Silver shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Silver jumps guard.
Ratliff is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silver can do to turn this around?
Ratliff wants to get up but he can't break Silver's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ratliff postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ratliff throws an elbow that misses. Silver uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ratliff's guard. Nice move by Silver!

Silver is breathing heavily.
Silver missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Ratliff is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silver defends well.
Silver wants to control from the top but Ratliff keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silver throwing strikes but missing.
Silver content to stall in guard here.
Silver wants to control from the top but Ratliff keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Silver manages to work his way to half guard, despite Ratliff's best efforts.
Silver trying to control but Ratliff postures up.
Silver is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ratliff's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ratliff's back!
Silver trying to control momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ratliff is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Ratliff defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Ratliff covering up well and avoiding damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Silver controlling from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daley Silver showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Silver changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ratliff tries to avoid it but Silver manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ratliff to the ground. Ratliff escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Horrible takedown attempt by Silver or perhaps it was just good defense by Ratliff, which made it look bad.

Silver gets a takedown into half guard.
Silver is keen to just control but Ratliff is a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silver prevents Ratliff from improving his position.

Silver is working for a kimura but Ratliff is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ratliff is looking to improve his position.
Ratliff is pressing down on Silver's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ulysses Ratliff overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ratliff keeping moving, preventing Silver from controlling successfully.
Silver slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's two 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.
Silver missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silver forces his way into half guard.
Silver wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ratliff keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ratliff blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silver.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ratliff tries to close the distance and clinch but Silver swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Daley Silver seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silver displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ratliff.
Silver changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ratliff tries to avoid it but Silver manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ratliff to the ground. Ratliff escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ratliff is looking to counter with head kicks.
Ulysses Ratliff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daley Silver.
Silver fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Silver takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four 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.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Silver tries to pull guard but Ratliff holds him up against the cage and eventually Silver drops back down to his feet.
Ratliff wants a takedown but no success here.
Ratliff wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ratliff - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ratliff is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Silver is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ratliff gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Daley Silver.
I think Silver 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daley Silver!