PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Johan Marco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pepe Silvia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pepe Silvia will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Marco
vs
Silvia

165 cm
22
139 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
141 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Gifts of the Rainforest
S.W.A.T.

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Johan Marco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Pepe Silvia!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silvia moves into the clinch successfully.
Silvia tries a knee to the head but Marco blocks it.
Silvia throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Marco blocks it with crossed arms.

Marco breaks the clinch.

Silvia takes the fight into the clinch.
Silvia with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silvia blocking some punches.
Silvia misses with some punches.
Come on Marco - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Silvia tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Silvia throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Marco blocks it with crossed arms.
Silvia tries to land a knee to the head but Marco blocks with his arms.

Marco lands a takedown into guard.
Marco loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Marco slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sloppy strikes there by Marco.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Silvia can do anything to dispel that myth.

Marco tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Marco has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Marco wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Silvia, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silvia being controlled for a moment.
Silvia is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Marco has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Silvia regains half guard, as Marco was trying to land strikes.

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.
Marco is just content to waste time from the top position. Silvia takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Silvia keeping moving, preventing Marco from controlling successfully.
Marco stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silvia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Marco is looking to advance position but Silvia has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Marco tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marco tries to improve his position but instead Silvia has taken his back!
I would not like to be Marco right now.
Silvia doesn't have the hooks in and Marco manages to turn into his guard.
Marco seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Marco makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Silvia utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Marco trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Marco throws and elbow that misses. Silvia uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Marco's guard. Nice move by Silvia!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silvia slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Marco.
Marco tries to roll over but Silvia keeps him under control.

Silvia decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Marco is breathing heavily.
Marco takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Silvia tries to keep at a distance but Marco has taken the fight into the clinch.
Silvia connects with a nasty looking knee right to Marco's face.
Silvia lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Silvia misses with a knee to the head.
A bit of stalling here from Marco.
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 Johan Marco will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Silvia takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Silvia slips a straight right by Marco.

Silvia darts in and clinches Marco up against the cage.
Silvia tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Silvia tries to land knees in the clinch but Marco avoids the damage to the body.
Silvia trying to land knees to the body.
Silvia tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Marco breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silvia looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Marco closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Marco postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Marco is chipping away with strikes.
Marco cracks Silvia with a big right hand but Silvia just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Marco in side control, throwing shots but Silvia defends.
Marco wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silvia keeps working.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marco just content to control the position.
Silvia avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Marco.
The strikes coming from Marco are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Marco laying and praying for a moment but Silvia takes advantage and regains half guard.
Marco wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silvia keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Marco avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Marco drives through and clinches with Silvia against the cage.
Silvia connects with a knee to the head.
Silvia tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nice body punch from Marco - that landed with a thud.
Silvia tries a knee to the head but Marco blocks it.

Marco is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Silvia can't fight it off and eventually Marco manages to take the fight to the floor. Silvia looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Silvia wants to stand up but Marco is controlling him.
Marco content to stall in guard here.
Silvia wants to get back to his feet but Marco is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marco tries to free his leg and advance position but Silvia is retaining full guard.
Marco is looking to work some ground and pound but Silvia has wrist control.
Marco missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Marco trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Silvia wants to stand up but Marco is controlling him.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Marco takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Johan Marco has been cut.
Silvia tries to clinch up but Marco circles away and keeps his distance.

Silvia rushes Marco and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Silvia misses with a knee to the head.
Silvia with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silvia lands a right hand that snaps the head of Marco backwards.

Marco tightens his grip and picks Silvia up, before dumping him to the ground. Silvia manages to land in guard.
Marco won't allow Silvia to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silvia keeping full guard, as Marco tries to pass.
Marco trying to control the position from guard on top but Silvia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Marco is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Silvia is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Silvia has escaped and now he's on top!
Silvia must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Silvia won't allow Marco to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Marco dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Johan Marco's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Silvia throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Marco avoids a punch combination nicely.

Marco changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Silvia looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
An elbow from Marco crashes against the mat.
Silvia parries the strikes from Marco easily there. Marco is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Silvia to escape.
The strikes coming from Marco are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Marco tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Marco has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Silvia is working to avoid the ground and pound but Marco connects with a decent elbow.
Marco landing strikes.
Silvia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marco misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Silvia is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Marco has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Marco tries to score with some ground and pound. Silvia controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Silvia wants to get back to his feet.
An elbow from Marco crashes against the mat.
Marco in side control, throwing shots but Silvia defends.
Silvia is not content to let Marco control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Marco has Silvia up against the cage in a clinch.
Marco missing with knees to the body.
Marco tries to work over Silvia's body with a swooping hook but it's wide of the mark. Not good footwork there.
Marco throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silvia.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Marco is looking to clinch.
Marco is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silvia tries to clinch there but Marco circles away.

Marco closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Marco lands in his opponent's guard.
Marco has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Marco with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Marco passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Marco swings around for an armbar but Silvia sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Marco's guard.
Silvia wanted to stand there but Marco had control of the position.

Marco had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Silvia is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Marco Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Silvia's back instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silvia has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Marco.
Marco missing with strikes from the back.
Marco throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Marco missing with strikes from the back.
Silvia manages to escape to a better position under a series of strikes. Marco is now in side control.
Marco wants to control for a moment but Silvia uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Marco wants to improve his position but Silvia is controlling well.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Marco is looking to clinch but Silvia is avoiding it.
Marco wants to clinch.
Silvia fails with an attempt to clinch.
Marco tries to clinch but Silvia moves away
and Silvia counters with a nice low kick that buckles Marco's knee momentarily.
Marco tries to clinch but Silvia moves out of range.
Marco darts in trying to clinch
and Silvia counters with a two punch combo.
Pepe Silvia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marco tries to clinch up but Silvia circles away and keeps his distance.
Marco tries to clinch up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johan Marco showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Marco, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johan Marco!