PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nori Voluspa (ranked 1215 p4p, 1758 weight class) and Manuel Silva (ranked 163 p4p, 235 weight class). Nori Voluspa is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Voluspa
vs
Silva

150 cm
28
170
12 - 9 - 1

176 cm
36
172
23 - 20 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

NARCOS
© Trap House

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 12 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nori Voluspa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 20 - 0, fighting out of New York, Manuel Silva!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Voluspa gets a clinch.

Voluspa jumps guard and drags Silva to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Silva working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Voluspa's head.
Voluspa looking for a sweep. Not yet Voluspa, not yet.
Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Voluspa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Silva content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Voluspa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Voluspa is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.
Voluspa managing to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Voluspa doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva trying to control but Voluspa is working from the bottom.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but Voluspa blocks nicely.
Voluspa will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Silva working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Silva with a flurry of punches that miss.
Voluspa has momentary wrist control but Silva slips an elbow through the middle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Voluspa is retaining full guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Voluspa keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Voluspa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Voluspa shoots in but no luck this time.

Silva shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Silva showed some decent athleticism there.
Voluspa is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Voluspa might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

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 thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Voluspa's head.
Voluspa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Silva.
Silva looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Voluspa with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Voluspa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Voluspa missing with punches from the bottom.
Voluspa moves into full guard.
Voluspa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Voluspa 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.
Voluspa is striking but Silva is not phased and passes to half guard.
Silva working the head and body with strikes.
Voluspa flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Voluspa punching from the bottom.
Voluspa wants to control but Silva is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Silva works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva prevents Voluspa from getting the reversal.
Voluspa manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Voluspa is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Silva looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Voluspa is trying to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Silva slips a nice elbow through Voluspa's hands, connecting with Voluspa's forehead.
Voluspa moves into full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Manuel 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 displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Voluspa.

Voluspa shoots in and bounces Silva off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Voluspa forces his way into half guard.
We've been hearing that Voluspa has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Silva on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Voluspa slips a nice elbow through Silva's hands, connecting with Silva's forehead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Voluspa looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Voluspa prevents Silva from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Voluspa is looking for a kimura but Silva is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Voluspa to get the leverage.

Voluspa is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Manuel Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Silva is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Voluspa's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Voluspa's back!
Silva punches Voluspa on the ear.
Voluspa trying to control the position but Silva manages to sink in the hooks.
Silva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Silva is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Silva gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Silva gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Silva apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Voluspa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Silva defends it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Voluspa fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Silva to the ground. Voluspa is now in Silva's guard.
Voluspa distracts Silva with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Voluspa from controlling successfully.
Voluspa stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Voluspa controls from within his opponent's guard.
Silva 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.
Voluspa trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Voluspa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Voluspa scoring with punches to the head and body.
Voluspa wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva looking to control.
Silva has control of Voluspa's left arm, preventing Voluspa from doing any damage.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Voluspa is one step ahead there.
Silva is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to control the action in half guard but Voluspa is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Voluspa tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Voluspa trying to control but Silva postures up.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Silva connects with a nice short shot to Voluspa's temple.
Voluspa punching from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Voluspa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silva.
Silva is thwarting Voluspa's attempts to control the position.
Silva has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Silva prevents Voluspa from improving his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nori Voluspa will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Voluspa fails with a takedown attempt.

Voluspa 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 wants to sweep here but Voluspa controlling him for the moment.
Voluspa trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Voluspa throws a big right hand that misses.
Voluspa postures up in Silva's guard and throws a big left but Silva blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Voluspa sitting in guard here, content to control.
Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Voluspa.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Voluspa is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Voluspa postures up.
Voluspa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Voluspa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Voluspa throwing strikes from guard but Silva blocks nicely.
Voluspa lands a couple of elbows.
Voluspa postures up and lands a big shot to Silva's brow.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Voluspa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Silva looking to control.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Voluspa from controlling successfully.
Silva is trying to keep Voluspa in close.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Voluspa shoots for a double leg takedown but Silva sprawls well. He's pushed Voluspa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Voluspa shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nori Voluspa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Voluspa fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Voluspa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silva shoots in looking for a takedown but Voluspa manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Silva's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Voluspa shoots in and bounces Silva off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Voluspa from controlling successfully.
Voluspa throwing strikes from guard but Silva blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva pulls Voluspa in close to prevent any damage.
Voluspa trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Voluspa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Silva holds on and takes a little breather.
Voluspa pushes down on Silva's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Voluspa is looking to stall here but Silva recovers full guard.

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.
Voluspa preventing the sweep.
Voluspa landing some decent shots from guard.
Voluspa with a nice head shot there.
Voluspa wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Voluspa postures up and lands a big shot to Silva's brow.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Voluspa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Voluspa showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nori Voluspa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Voluspa 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Nori Voluspa!
Nori Voluspa thanked the fans post fight for their support.