PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vitor Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Lawlor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Silva
vs
Lawlor

182 cm
25
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
185 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vitor Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Lawlor!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Lou da Vinci and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawlor blocks a low kick nicely.
Vitor Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lawlor checks the leg kick nicely there.
Silva pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Silva with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Silva lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like John Lawlor has been cut.
Silva lands a lovely overhand right.
Silva on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Lawlor. Lawlor obviously looking to wear him down.

Silva gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Lawlor to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lawlor tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Lawlor from controlling successfully.
Lawlor pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lawlor is looking to work some ground and pound but Silva has wrist control.
Lawlor trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lawlor has gone for a leg lock! Silva slips out almost immediately though and dives into Lawlor's guard.

Lawlor is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva preventing the sweep.

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

Lawlor clinches.
Silva is pressed up against the cage. Lawlor has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Silva down to the mat. Silva avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva misses with a head kick.
No luck for Lawlor with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a low kick.
Lawlor tries to clinch up.
Lawlor connects with a good right hand that stumbles Silva. Silva circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A solid leg kick lands there for Silva.
A bone on bone clash there as Lawlor blocks the leg kick.
Silva scores with a crisp jab that stopped Lawlor in his tracks.
Silva misses with a body shot.
Silva throws a leg kick

and Lawlor counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Lawlor throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Lawlor is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawlor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silva trying to control the position.
Lawlor tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Lawlor drops back looking for a leg! Silva is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Silva manages to kick Lawlor off! Lawlor jumps back into Silva's guard.
Lawlor is looking to work some ground and pound but Silva has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lawlor dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Lawlor's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lawlor shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Silva defends it nicely.
Lawlor avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A chopping leg kick lands by Silva.
Silva tries to work over Lawlor's front leg with a kick but Lawlor checks it.

Lawlor closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Silva to the mat! Silva manages to get full guard.
Lawlor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lawlor scoring with punches to the head and body.
Lawlor postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lawlor trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
John Lawlor has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawlor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lawlor trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lawlor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lawlor wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by John Lawlor.
Lawlor bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silva throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Lawlor counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.
Lawlor looking to sit in guard and control but Silva gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lawlor on the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawlor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lawlor has his hands on Silva's head, controlling the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. John Lawlor wasn't active enough on the ground.
A decent looking cross lands there for Silva.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a series of punches but Lawlor avoids them all with ease.
Lawlor blocks a leg kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Silva misses the target.
Vitor Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.
Silva tries to bum rush Lawlor with a series of wild strikes but Lawlor uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lawlor tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.

Lawlor closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lawlor wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Lawlor wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Silva, who protects the arm well.
A lull in the action here as Lawlor stalls from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lawlor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Lawlor's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Silva shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
No luck for Lawlor with that takedown attempt.
Silva wants to land a leg kick but Lawlor is out of range.
Lawlor takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Silva pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Silva throws a head kick that misses.
Silva lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Lawlor at a distance.
Silva misses with a body shot.
Silva clobbers Lawlor with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva misses with a head kick.

Silva fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Lawlor to the ground. Silva is now in Lawlor's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva throws an elbow that misses. Lawlor uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Silva's guard. Nice move by Lawlor!
Lawlor chips away with some ground and pound.

Lawlor thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Lawlor is looking to work some ground and pound but Silva has wrist control.
Lawlor loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lawlor throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawlor is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Lawlor loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lawlor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lawlor trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lawlor tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.

Lawlor thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawlor throws a big right hand that misses.
Lawlor is looking to work some ground and pound but Silva has wrist control.
Lawlor wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Lawlor working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lawlor throws a big right hand that misses.
Lawlor tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Lawlor trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Lawlor lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Vitor Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lawlor wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lawlor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lawlor throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lawlor looking to pass the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Lawlor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lawlor winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Lawlor!