PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Manuel Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arbi Minasian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Silva
vs
Minasian

191 cm
30
215 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
216 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Manuel Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Arbi Minasian!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Radbod Blank and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Manuel Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva is breathing heavily.

Minasian takes the fight into the clinch.
Silva has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Minasian escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Minasian clinches.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Minasian pulls Silva into guard.
Minasian is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Silva won't allow Minasian to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minasian is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Arbi Minasian.

Minasian clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the cage.
Silva wants to break free but Minasian has control.
Silva avoids the elbow strike from Minasian, against the cage.
Minasian throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Minasian pressing his opponent against the cage.
Minasian misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Minasian wants a takedown but no success here.

Minasian lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Minasian decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Silva gets tackled into the cage by Minasian. Minasian maintains the clinch.
Minasian lands a right hand that snaps the head of Silva backwards.
Minasian stalling in the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Minasian drags the fight down to the ground.
Silva won't allow Minasian to get back to his feet.
Minasian 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.

Minasian is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Silva is looking to break free of the clinch but Minasian has double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Silva's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Minasian pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva lands with a nice body punch.
Silva misses with a hook.

Minasian scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Minasian 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.
Minasian staying calm.
Minasian throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Minasian staying calm.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Silva gets tackled into the cage by Minasian. Minasian maintains the clinch.
Minasian has Silva pressed against the cage.
Minasian pushes off an throws an elbow but Silva leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Minasian keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Minasian tries to pull guard but Silva holds him up against the cage and eventually Minasian drops back down to his feet.
Minasian trying to land knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Minasian breaks the clinch.

Minasian moves into range and clinches up with Silva.
Come on Minasian - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Minasian's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sloppy strikes from Silva. Those never looked like landing.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Minasian.
A lull in the action here.

Minasian stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Minasian forces Silva back against the cage and clinches.

Minasian jumps guard.
Minasian working a defensive guard here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva won't allow Minasian to sweep him here.

Minasian wriggles free and stands up.

Minasian clinches with his opponent.
Minasian throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Silva tries to circle away but Minasian has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva blocks the elbow strike.
Minasian keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Minasian throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Minasian is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Silva is defending well for now.
Silva wants to get back to striking at distance but Minasian won't allow it.
Minasian with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Minasian with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Minasian effectively controlling the action here.
Minasian is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Silva to keep the fight standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Minasian landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Minasian breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arbi Minasian showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Minasian fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Silva to the ground. Minasian is now in Silva's guard.
Minasian must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Minasian showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Minasian decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Silva, up you get!

Minasian has managed to clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Minasian.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Minasian has Silva pressed against the cage, preventing Silva from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva is fighting off a takedown attempt but Minasian is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Silva to the mat. Silva regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Minasian stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Silva throws a series of punches but Minasian avoids them all with ease.

Minasian moves into the clinch.
Minasian tries to pull guard but Silva holds him up against the cage and eventually Minasian drops back down to his feet.
Minasian throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Silvas head.

Minasian turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Minasian manages to end up in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva dodges the ground and pound from Minasian.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Minasian has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Minasian decides to stand back up.
Silva misses with a hook
and Minasian counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Minasian drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Minasian controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Minasian postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Minasian gets to his feet. Silva looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Minasian closes the distance and clinches.

Minasian decides to pull guard.
Minasian bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.
Minasian 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.

Minasian decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Minasian instigates a clinch.
Minasian misses with a knee strike.
Minasian is pushing Silva up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Silva blocks an elbow strike from Minasian.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Minasian is controlling the position.
The referee calls for Minasian to work.
Silva can't break the clinch.

Minasian breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Manuel Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Arbi Minasian is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Minasian has taken the fight to the clinch.
Minasian blocks an elbow strike from Silva.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arbi Minasian comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Minasian has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arbi Minasian!