PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gray Maddox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Silo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Maddox
vs
Silo

170 cm
22
155 lbs
3 - 25 - 0

177 cm
25
152 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gray Maddox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Craig Silo!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, George Francis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silo gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Maddox to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Silo wriggles free and stands up.
We've been told by Maddox's head coaches at Cozad MMA Las Vegas that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Maddox looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Silo moves away from the strike by Maddox.
Maddox shoots in but no luck this time.
Maddox fails with the takedown
and Silo counters with a right hand to the body.
Maddox is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Silo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silo scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Maddox swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Silo counters with a right hand to the body.
Silo throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Silo is looking to score with low kicks.
Maddox on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silo forces Maddox back against the cage and clinches.
Silo missing with knees to the body.
Silo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Maddox backwards.
Maddox displaying some good clinch control by pressing Silo up against the cage.
Silo taking a breather.
Silo just leaning against Maddox, taking a breather.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Maddox is trying to drag Silo to the mat but Silo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Maddox. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Maddox pulls guard effortlessly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maddox looking for a sweep. Not yet Maddox, not yet.
Silo has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Better Alternative ($300 per week). Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Silo wants to control from the top but Maddox keeps moving.
Maddox avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Maddox avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Maddox working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silo.
Silo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Silo stopping the sweep attempt from Maddox.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Silo throws a combination. Maddox tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maddox tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silo swivels and escapes.
Maddox tries to score a power double leg takedown but Silo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Maddox somewhat.

Silo moves into the clinch.

Maddox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Silo moves in looking to clinch but Maddox pushes him off.
Maddox avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maddox fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Silo checks it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maddox manages to avoid it.
Silo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maddox dives in and grabs Silo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Silo pushes down on Maddox's head and hops out.
Some wild striking there from Silo.
Craig Silo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Maddox was well out of range. Poor timing from Silo.
Maddox throws a body punch but Silo moves out of range.

Maddox closes the distance and pushes Silo back into the cage.
Silo working hard to break the clinch.
Maddox wants a takedown.
Maddox tries to pull guard but Silo forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Silo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Maddox clinches up with Silo and pushes him back against the cage.
Silo scores with a nice hook to the head.
Maddox looking for a takedown.
Silo is looking to break free of the clinch but Maddox has double underhooks.
Silo lands a nice uppercut.
Silo lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Silo lands a hook to the side of the head.

Maddox manages to break the clinch.
Silo lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Maddox backs up against the cage.
Silo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Maddox rather than just go for the knockout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Silo has taken the fight to the clinch.
Silo displaying some good clinch control by pressing Maddox up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silo lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Maddox backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Silo.
Silo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Maddox.
A frustrated look appears on Silo's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Silo lands with a light punch inside.
Maddox keeps control of Silo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Maddox successfully pulls guard.

Maddox is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Silo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Silo controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maddox throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Silo throws a strike but Maddox rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Silo keeping moving, preventing Maddox from controlling successfully.
Silo wants to stand but Maddox is controlling the position.
Silo wants to improve his position but instead Maddox has moved into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maddox wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silo keeps working.
Silo is looking to control Maddox's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Silo avoid being mounted?
Maddox is trying to control the action in half guard but Silo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Maddox missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Maddox trying to control from half guard but Silo is working away.

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.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Silo is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Maddox jumps into side control!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Silo can do anything to dispel that myth.

Maddox stands up and beckons Silo to his feet.
Craig Silo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silo walks forward, straight into a front kick from Maddox.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Silo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maddox.
Maddox tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Silo manages to circle out of the way.
Silo stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Maddox. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Maddox manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Silo on his heels. He'll look to pass Silo's guard now, I'm sure.
Silo wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Maddox manages to pass to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gray Maddox will probably get the nod.
That's time! Maddox's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Silo digs a good body shot into Maddox's ribs.
Maddox takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A head kick by Maddox misses
and Silo counters with a right hand to the body.
Silo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Maddox seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Silo looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Silo thuds a left hand into Maddox's body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maddox takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maddox shoots in for a takedown but Silo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Silo misses with a wild body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silo. Maddox does a little dance to reset his feet.
Craig Silo seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maddox shoots for a double leg takedown but Silo sprawls well. He's pushed Maddox's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Silo lands a right hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silo. Maddox does a little dance to reset his feet.
Maddox keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Silo has managed to clinch.
Silo misses with the head strike.
Maddox tries to pull guard but Silo forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Maddox. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silo lands with a light punch inside.
Silo missing with knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Silo fails to land.
Maddox keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Silo's efforts to push away.
Maddox is trying to pull guard but Silo has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silo pushes Maddox back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Silo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Maddox jumps guard.
Silo throws a strike but Maddox rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Silo pulls Maddox in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silo is looking to sweep but instead, Maddox has passed into half guard.
Gray Maddox overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Maddox is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Maddox thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Silo's head.
Maddox takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Maddox is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Silo tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Maddox has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Maddox wants to control the pace but Silo is squirming around nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Craig Silo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Silo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Craig Silo!
Gray Maddox was interviewed post fight and said 'We all saw this coming, am I right?'.