PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kiyato Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Armen Tanzarian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tanzarian has chosen Steve Winwood - Higher Love as his entrance music. Armen Tanzarian is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Silva
vs
Tanzarian

190 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
206 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kiyato Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Armen Tanzarian!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tanzarian fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Silva, pushing him back against the cage.

Tanzarian ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Tanzarian no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Silva forces his way into half guard.
Tanzarian trying to control but Silva postures up.
Tanzarian wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.

Silva is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Tanzarian controlling the position for now.

Silva is looking for a kimura but Tanzarian is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Silva to get the leverage.
Nice strikes from Silva there.
Tanzarian wants to get back to his feet.
Silva wants to take a breather but Tanzarian is having none of it.
Tanzarian trying to hold on to Silva's head to control him but Silva postures up.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Tanzarian is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to free his trapped foot but Tanzarian is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Silva thows a huge punch but Tanzarian dodges it nicely.

Tanzarian kicks off Silva and gets to his feet.
Silva scores with a head kick.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.

Tanzarian manages to pull guard.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Silva trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Tanzarian manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Silva is breathing heavily.
Silva with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Tanzarian can't handle though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is striking but Tanzarian is not phased and passes to half guard.
Tanzarian stalling.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Tanzarian has control of the leg.
Silva tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

Tanzarian looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Tanzarian decides to stand up.
Silva shoots in but Tanzarian avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Tanzarian gets a takedown into half guard.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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

Tanzarian drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Silva trying his best to control but Tanzarian has mounted him.
Tanzarian raining down shots from the mount!
Silva takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva working to try and regain half guard.
Silva is working hard here to advance position.
Tanzarian looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva is looking to get to half guard.
Silva is just holding on here. Tanzarian manages to take his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Silva has his takedown stuffed

and Tanzarian counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Tanzarian sitting in guard here, content to control.

Silva working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Tanzarian has passed into half guard!
Tanzarian scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Tanzarian postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Silva to stand up.
Silva tries to clinch up

and Tanzarian counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tanzarian trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanzarian is staying active underneath Silva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tanzarian holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Silva wants to free his trapped foot but Tanzarian is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Silva throwing shots but Tanzarian is blocking nicely.
Silva throwing shots but Tanzarian is blocking nicely.
Silva missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Silva not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Silva prevents Tanzarian from standing back up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Tanzarian counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanzarian trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

Silva is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Silva looking to finish with strikes here!
Tanzarian gets back to half guard.

Tanzarian pushes Silva off and gets back to his feet.

Silva bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva landing strikes.
Silva prevents Tanzarian from escaping the position.
Tanzarian gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to control the action in half guard but Tanzarian is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tanzarian regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Silva.
Silva stands and throws Tanzarian's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Tanzarian is looking to regain half guard here but Silva keeps moving and retains side control.

Silva is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tanzarian knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Silva throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Tanzarian works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

Tanzarian makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Tanzarian counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kiyato Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tanzarian controls the pace.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Tanzarian is proving a slippery customer.

Silva throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tanzarian advances position into side control!

Tanzarian stands up and beckons Silva to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armen Tanzarian showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Silva has his takedown stuffed

and Tanzarian counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.

Tanzarian decides to stand back up. Tanzarian steps back and let's Silva get back to his feet.

Tanzarian gets the takedown into side control.
Silva struggling a bit here.
Tanzarian prevents Silva from escaping the position.
Tanzarian is working Silva over with some ground and pound from side control.
Silva is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Tanzarian seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Silva wants to improve his position but Tanzarian is controlling well.
Tanzarian sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Tanzarian has control of the leg.
Silva on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Silva tries to get out of the position.
Tanzarian is controlling the pace.
Tanzarian tries to stand and escape but Silva is controlling the position.

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

Silva moves into the clinch successfully.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.

Silva pulls guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Tanzarian gets to his feet - Silva follows without any prompting.

Silva pushes Tanzarian up against the cage in a clinch.
Tanzarian gets underhooks to prevent Silva's takedown attempt.
Silva is working for takedown but Tanzarian is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kiyato Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knees to the body from Silva.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.
Silva tries to land knees in the clinch but Tanzarian avoids the damage to the body.
Tanzarian stops a takedown attempt from Silva.
Silva misses with a knee to the head.
Tanzarian is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Silva gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Tanzarian manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Silva drops back, looking for a kneebar! Tanzarian looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Tanzarian looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Tanzarian!
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Silva tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Silva keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Silva tries to escape the position.
Tanzarian controlling from the back.
Silva tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Silva keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Silva tries to lock up and control but Tanzarian gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tanzarian is landing with some decent strikes but Silva is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tanzarian controlling his opponent.
Tanzarian prevents Silva from getting the reversal.
Tanzarian in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Tanzarian won't let Silva get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Silva wants to control but Tanzarian is having none of it.
Silva is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Tanzarian has taken his back!
Kiyato Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Armen Tanzarian is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva is trying to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Armen Tanzarian comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tanzarian 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Armen Tanzarian!