Gabriel Silva vs. Kyler Phillips

Round 1
We now move on to a bantamweight scrap, as Silva (8-1, 0-1 UFC) looks for his first win with the organization as he greets the debuting Arizonan Phillips (6-1, 0-0 UFC). Both men sport exactly one defeat, and they both have dropped their lone bout by decision, so referee Dan Miragliotta is on top of the action. The two men touch gloves, and Phillips opens with a kick and gets countered with a right. Silva throws one more, and catches Phillips right on the jaw. The next few seconds are furious and something out of crazy Andy Capp cartoon with a flying knee, a spinning wheel kick, and even some shoulder strikes in the clinch until they separate. Phillips backs off and tries to time a right hand, and Silva whiffs on one that blows the hair back from those not named Dana White and Jeff Novitzky sitting in the front row. Silva clinches up and considers a takedown, but Phillips stuffs it and defends it well. Phillips loads up on two elbows and a huge right hand, but Silva ducks the final strike. Phillips tags him with a spinning back kick to the midsection, and Silva recovers with a right hand. Phillips leaps through the air with a knee and clips the Brazilian, but “Gabito” wears it well. On the outside, the American lands the jab and tries to stay away while Silva wings punches at him. Phillips whips a few leg kicks and aims to the body, all while avoiding the looping right hand. Another calf kick lands, and Silva is putting everything he has into counter right hands that are narrowly missing the target. Phillips bites down on his mouthpiece by launching a huge right hand that staggers his opponent, and he chases after him with a flurry of punches that are mostly blocked. As the two continue to trade, Phillips drops down to aim for a takedown, and Silva spins with an elbow that is just a little too high. Silva tries to connect with a monster right hook, and Phillips avoids it and fires back at him in the form of another spinning wheel kick, flying strike and some big punches. Silva eats it all, and presses the pace to clinch up and trip the legs out from beneath the American. Phillips pops back up, and Silva tries to kick him but falls over in the process. Phillips dives after him, and the horn sounds, with this insane round coming to an end.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Phillips

Round 2
The two keep their feet on the gas to start the second frame, as Phillips tags him with a few punches, but Silva fires right back. Silva stings him with a looping right, and then changes levels to pursue a takedown. In the scramble, Silva nearly takes his back, but Phillips spins free as the two both go down to the canvas. A long string from Phillips’ cup is hanging down from beneath his shorts as the tie has broken, but Miragliotta does not halt the action because Silva is continuing to pursue the takedown. The two keep circling around one another, and Silva goes after a single while Phillips hacks at him with elbows. Silva somehow gets him down by muscling him down with a body lock, and Phillips forces his way back up, if only for a moment. Silva applies his body weight to drag him down, but unfortunately for him, he falls down. The Brazilian scrambles, and gives up his back for a moment, but rolls out. Phillips quickly takes mount, and Silva rolls around to get back to half guard. Phillips drops down to hit a guillotine choke, but Silva is wise to it and avoids it. Silva tries to lock up the arm, and then transitions to a kneebar, before Phillips jumps past his guard to start thumping down punches. Silva continues to go after a kneebar, and rolls over to it. Phillips defends it by pushing off with his leg, and he frees himself from danger while he smashes him with some heavy hammerfists. The round concludes, and Silva falls to his back.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Phillips

Round 3
The last round clocks in, and the cup appears to be retied. Phillips jabs his way in and avoids a counter right, while going low with a sweeping calf kick. The big right hands from Silva are more telegraphed now, and have slowed. Phillips opens up with a head kick that is blocked, and then chains several punches together before spinning with a kick and then flying with a knee. Phillips keeps the pedal to the metal and hits a takedown that practically pushes the Brazilian over. In full guard, Phillips looks to set up some punches but is more aware of the submission attempts that will inevitably be flying his way, including a triangle choke and a leg lock. Phillips rolls over to tie up the neck, and pulls for a brabo choke, but it’s nothing doing. Phillips pushes off and lands a thunderous elbow, and Silva is stunned but shakes off the cobwebs. When he regathers his thoughts, he comes at Phillips with a fury, but the American times the double leg takedown and gets his man down. Advancing quickly to half guard, Silva is active off his back but takes strikes, including one to the back of the head. Phillips slowly works him with elbows, including some to the body, and gets a little overzealous and nearly falls off from a high mount. Silva scrambles and almost gets back up, but Phillips stays on him and hops over to half guard before taking mount. Phillips throws some undercuts (uppercuts from behind, underneath the arm of his opponent) and keeps punching until the bitter end. Silva gets up, but has been roughed up. “The Matrix” celebrates with his corner, confident that he will come out with the win.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (30-27 Phillips)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (30-27 Phillips)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (30-27 Phillips)

The Official Result
Kyler Phillips def. Gabriel Silva via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)