PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Urijah Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mr Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Ward's choice of entrance music: Everything in its right place- Radio Head. Urijah Silva could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Mr Ward's chin.

Silva
vs
Ward

169 cm
21
140 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

150 cm
22
142 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Urijah Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mr Ward!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Trevor Gratis and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ward sprawls well initially but Silva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ward on the ground.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Ward is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ward is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva works his way into full mount!
Silva raining down shots from the mount!
Silva trying to control but Ward is having none of it.
Ward tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Silva perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Ward wants to get back to full guard.

Ward actively working from the bottom here.
Ward is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Silva tries to pass to full mount but Ward defends it.
Silva will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Silva stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Silva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Silva with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Ward looking for submissions off his back.
Silva tries to stand but can't do so whilst Ward controls his leg.
Still in half guard, Silva seems content to control.

Ward looking for submissions off his back.
Ward looks gassed!
Ward wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
Ward wants to get back to full guard but Silva has mounted him!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Silva lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Silva wants to control the pace but Ward is squirming around nicely.
Ward keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Silva with the ground and pound from mount.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ward is looking to improve his position but Silva isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Silva landing shots from mount.
Ward keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Silva is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Ward can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Ward takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Silva prevents Ward from getting the reversal.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Ward's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urijah Silva dominated that round.
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.

Silva shoots in and bounces Ward off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Ward is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
Silva slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Silva trying to control but Ward is working from the bottom.
Silva is really struggling to control Ward but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Ward throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Silva working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ward is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva content to stall in guard here.

Ward throws his legs up looking for a submission but Silva uses it to pass to side control.
Silva gets to mount! Ward was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Ward is working to get back to half guard.
Silva putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Ward tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Silva tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

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.
Ward regains half guard.
Ward is trying to get back to full guard.
Silva is controlling the pace.
Silva moves into full mount! Ward won't be happy about that!
Ward is desperately trying to improve his position but Silva has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ward is trying to escape the mount.

Silva is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Ward can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Ward manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ward does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ward manages to get to full 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.

Ward looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Ward isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Silva stacks Ward on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Silva!
Silva trying to control the position but Ward is working away.
Silva taking a breather here.

Silva decides to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mr Ward will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Ward fails with the takedown

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch.
Ward jumps guard but Silva stands there with Ward around his waist. Ward gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Silva leaning against his opponent.
Silva prevents the takedown attempt.
Urijah Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mr Ward.
Ward tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ward tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch.
Ward tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ward tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Silva.

Silva lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Ward is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Silva's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Silva's back!
Silva holding both Ward 's hands and preventing any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ward has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Silva has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ward is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Silva has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
I really don't envy Silva right now.
Silva manages to reverse the position and now he's in Ward's guard. Nice work there by Silva.

Ward has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ward working for submissions but it's allowed Silva to get to half guard.

Ward looking for submissions off his back.
Silva looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ward with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ward tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.

Ward looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Silva landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is keen to just control but Ward is a slippery customer.
Silva is pressing down on Ward's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ward is holding on for now.
Ward is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

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

Ward feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Silva keeping full guard, as Ward tries to pass.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward is trying to improve his position.
Ward is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Silva's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Ward actively working from the bottom here.
It looks like Silva is going to stand back up.

Ward looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Silva performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Silva thows a huge punch but Ward dodges it nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mr Ward.
I think Ward 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mr Ward!