PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sully Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Markku Sikanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva comes to the cage accompanied by Can't Believe. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Silva
vs
Sikanen

187 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sully Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Markku Sikanen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sikanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva throws a low kick but Sikanen avoids it.
Silva tries to clinch up but Sikanen circles away and keeps his distance.
Sikanen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Silva is looking to clinch but Sikanen is avoiding it.
Silva shoots in and drives through. Sikanen sprawls well.
Silva wants to clinch.
Silva changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sikanen tries to avoid it but Silva manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sikanen to the ground. Sikanen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Sikanen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sikanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.

Silva 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 controls from within his opponent's guard.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wanted to stand there but Sikanen had control of the position.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sikanen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva postures up in Sikanen's guard and throws a big left but Sikanen blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sikanen looking for a sweep. Not yet Sikanen, not yet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.

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.
Sikanen closes the distance looking to clinch

and Silva counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sikanen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva controlling from the top position.
Silva wants to stand but Sikanen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control from the top but Sikanen keeps moving.
Silva pushing down on Sikanen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sikanen is refusing to be controlled, as Silva sits in half guard.
Silva prevents Sikanen from standing back up.
Sikanen tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Silva wants to control but Sikanen is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
A big left from Sikanen misses.
Sikanen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Silva wants to clinch
and Sikanen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
A jab lands there for Sikanen.
Silva tries to clinch but Sikanen moves away
and Sikanen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Markku Sikanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silva misses the shot to the body.
Silva tries to score with a low kick but Sikanen moves his leg out of the way.
Silva tries for a takedown but Sikanen circles away easily
and Sikanen counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sully Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sikanen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sikanen dips to his left and cracks Silva with an uppercut!
Sully Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva rushes Sikanen and presses him up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sully 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 for a double leg but Sikanen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Silva shoots in but Sikanen avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sikanen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Silva tries to clinch up
and Sikanen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Silva throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sikanen counters with a left and a right that stings Silva.
Sikanen closes the distance but Silva moves to the side

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sikanen keeps working.
Silva frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Silva trying to control but Sikanen is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sikanen in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Silva goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Sikanen is on top in guard.

Silva looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sikanen wants to get up but he can't break Silva's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Silva is trying to keep Sikanen in close.
Sikanen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sikanen is pushing down on Silva's leg trying to pass to half guard. Silva is fighting to maintain full guard but Sikanen has managed to sneak the leg through.
Silva misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Silva is controlling Sikanen's trapped leg to prevent Sikanen from advancing to side control.
Silva tries to roll over but Sikanen keeps him under control.
Silva throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Sikanen manages to pass to side control.
You can see the frustration on Silva's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to improve position but can't.
Sikanen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sikanen counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sully Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sikanen is leaning against Silva and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Silva shoots in and drives through. Sikanen sprawls well.
Sikanen has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Silva finds it's way round the side to connect with Sikanen's head.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.
Silva stalling.

Silva manages to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Silva wriggles free and stands up.
Silva throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sikanen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Silva moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sikanen misses with a low kick.

Silva gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Silva taking a breather.
Silva seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sikanen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Sikanen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Silva.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva looking for a takedown.
Sikanen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Silva wants a takedown but no success here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sully Silva dominated that second round.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Sikanen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Sikanen closes the distance and clinches.
Silva has Sikanen pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sikanen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Silva drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sikanen gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Silva wants the takedown. Sikanen is fighting it off but Silva persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Sikanen's guard against the cage.
Sikanen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Silva postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Sikanen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Silva, into his guard.
Sikanen tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Sikanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sikanen stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sikanen swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sully Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sikanen throws a combination that misses

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Silva wants to stand and escape but instead Sikanen has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Silva is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Silva has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sikanen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
Sully Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva controlling Sikanen's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Sikanen is proving a slippery customer.

Silva looking for a guillotine here but Sikanen defends easily.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Sikanen is proving a slippery customer.
Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Markku Sikanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Silva lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sikanen!
Silva raining down shots from the mount!
Silva lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Silva can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sikanen is looking to escape.
Silva lands with some strikes.
Silva dominating with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Sikanen has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Sikanen!

Silva has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sikanen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Silva working for a triangle but Sikanen defends it easily.
Silva throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sully Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Silva, 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sully Silva!