After coming up just short in three straight PFL seasons, Josh Silveira hopes that the 2025 PFL World Tournament will finally see him stand tall against all of the competition. Silveira, who has won regional gold at both middleweight and light heavyweight, has scored finishes in all but one of his professional career fights – including 10 victories via a first-round finish. The American Top Team product came up short against Impa Kasanganay in the 2023 PFL Light Heavyweight Title fight and was a Semifinalist in 2022 and 2024, losing to, respectively, to Omari Akhmedov and Kasanganay.

 

Mike Shipman, who makes his PFL debut tonight, began training judo in his youth and began boxing as a teenager before picking up MMA at the age of 20. A former regional middleweight champion, Shipman enters tonight 17-4, with 15 finishes, including 11 first-round finishes, and an 8-3 record in Bellator. Shipman last fought at the Bellator Champions Series event in London this past September, finishing Eslam Syaha to increase his win streak to three.

 

Which of these two will advance on in the Middleweight Tournament?

 

 

Round 1

 

Shipman throwing the left jab aggressively. Shipman throws an overhand right. Round kick thrown by Silveira, but Shipman lands a right hand. Silveira gets Shipman to the fence, but Shipman reverses the position. Both men battling for control, and Silveira turns it around again before breaking off. Shipman with a couple of left hands. Low kick from Silveira. One-two by Shipman, but Silveira gets out of the way. Shipman charges forward, but it ends up with a battle for clinch control. Big elbow by Silveira. Shipman looking for a takedown. Shipman continues to press. Knee by Silveira. Right hand by Silveira. Silveira turns Shipman back into the fence and lands a couple of knees to the legs.

 

 

Knee by Shipman. Knee by Silveira, but Shipman lands a left hook to answer. A couple of right hands from Shipman. Low kick from Shipman, followed by a hook. Silveira brings Shipman to the fence. Knee by Silveira. Big elbow by Silveira. Right hand by Shipman. Leg kick by Silveira, but Shipman reverses position. Silveira with a guillotine attempt. That turns into a ninja choke on the ground! He loses it, but Silveira is in full mount and lands an elbow! Silveira goes for a guillotine choke again! The seconds are ticking down! Shipman survives the round!

 

 

Round 2

 

Low kick by Shipman. Right hand by Shipman. Low kick by Silveira. Another low kick. Left hand and a spinning backfist attempt by Shipman. A pair of right hands lands for Shipman. Low kick from Shipman. Shipman continues to work with the right hand. Shipman angling and circling as he throws the right. Hook lands for Silveira. Left hook from Shipman. Shipman presses and puts Silveira against the fence. Silveira landing to the body. Knee by Shipman. A couple of strong right hands, but Silveira answers with a counter hook of his own. Shipman pressing Silveira against the fence again, but quickly there’s a break, with Shipman landing an elbow.

 

Shipman looks for a takedown, but Silveira sprawls and looks for a guillotine. Shipman avoids it and goes back to pressing Silveira against the SmartCage barrier. Silveira again is high in going for the guillotine. Shipman with a trip, but Silveira uses his hips to counter, and it’s Silveira who ends up on top! Shipman trying to work his way back to the feet, and he does so, with the help of the fence, in the closing seconds of the round. Silveira lands one more takedown before the bell, however.

 

 

Round 3

 

Shipman flashes the right hand. Low kick from Shipman. Combination from Shipman to back Silveira up. And again. Silveira ducks under Shipman’s hands and clinches up. Silveira lands an elbow on the separation. Shipman misses a jump kick. Shipman tries to press with his strikes. A pair of right hands from Shipman. Shipman clinches up. Silveira uses his hips with another takedown attempt and he gets it! Shipman trying to get busy right away on the ground, throwing punches from the bottom. Silveira tries for the seat belt, but Shipman wraps his legs around Silveira’s. Silveira landing elbows from the top, while Shipman landing strikes to the sides of Silveira’s head.

 

Shipman reaches over and looks for a kimura grip. Shipman landing a left hand. Shipman abandons the kimura grip as Silveira flattens him out. Silveira appears to be hunting for an arm-triangle grip. Silveira gets into full mount. Shipman shakes him off back into side control, but Silveira is continuing to search for the arm-triangle. A couple of notable elbows to the head by Silveira. Silveira steps over into the full mount with 10 seconds left and swings away. Shipman shakes him off and tries to fight back as the bell sounds.

 

 

OFFICIAL RESULT

Josh Silveira def. Mike Shipman via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

  • Silveira moves his career record to 14-4
  • Silveira was the 2023 PFL Light Heavyweight runner-up, losing in the final to Impa Kasanganay
  • Silveira fights out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, FL, and is trained by his father Conan