PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Higor Siva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Higor Siva has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Siva
vs
Silva

208 cm
23
230 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

190 cm
21
220 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Higor Siva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Mauricio Rocha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Siva turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Siva manages to end up in side control.

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

Siva drives through with a takedown into guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Silva is on top in guard.

Siva has his feet on Silva's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Nice takedown defense from Siva. No joy for Silva on that attempt.
Siva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Higor Siva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.
Siva ducks right into an uppercut from Silva.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Siva is fending him off so far but Silva persists. Nope, Siva circles away and we're back to standing.
Silva looks gassed!
Siva misses with a takedown attempt

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown. Siva fights it but they end up in guard.
Siva is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Silva keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Siva trying to pass the guard but Silva defending well.

Siva 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siva prevents Silva from standing back up.
Siva is pressing down on Silva's thigh, looking to free his foot. Silva is holding on for now.
Silva really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Siva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Siva passes to side control.
Siva misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva pushes Siva away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Siva gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Silva taking a bit of punishment here - Siva scoring with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Siva prevents Silva from escaping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Silva looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Silva is controlling the pace.
Siva looks like he's trying to stand up.

Siva actively working from the bottom here.
Silva not doing much here.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Siva does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Siva slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Siva trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Siva will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Silva content to stall in guard here.
Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Siva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva trying to control but Siva is working from the bottom.
Siva will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Siva manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.
Silva looking to control.
Siva advances position into side control!
Silva dodges the ground and pound from Siva.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Siva tries to advance to mount but can't.
Silva tries to escape but Siva is in control.
Siva fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Siva sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Silva is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Silva is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Silva gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Siva scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Siva is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Siva distracts Silva with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Siva thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Higor Siva dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Silva scores with a takedown into Siva's guard.
Siva striking off his back but it's not causing Silva any problems.
Siva manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Silva is trying to escape the mount.
Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Siva is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Silva is surviving well by controlling Siva's body position as best he can.

Siva is going olschool here, as he tries to force Silva to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Silva shrugs it off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to hold on but Siva pushes him away.
BOOM! Siva connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Siva avoids the attempt from Silva to control.

Siva working for a submission but Silva is keeping him at bay.
Siva with good strikes from the mount here!
Silva wants to control but Siva is having none of it.

Siva looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Silva wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Siva is working for a guillotine from mount but Silva frees his head quite easily.
Silva tries to lock up and control but Siva gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Siva is working for a guillotine from mount but Silva frees his head quite easily.
Siva working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Silva tries to lock up and control but Siva gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Siva has control of Silva's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Silva regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Siva looking for a guillotine from mount but Silva is having none of it.

Siva looking for a guillotine from mount but Silva is having none of it.
Higor Siva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siva is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Silva can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.

Siva get's back to his feet.
Silva looks for a takedown but Siva sprawls well.
Siva has his takedown stuffed

and Silva counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Siva wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Siva pushes Silva off and scrambles back to his feet.
Silva shoots in for a double leg but Siva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt - Siva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Higor Siva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.

Silva closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Silva lands in his opponent's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Siva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Siva throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Siva working for a triangle but Silva defends it easily.
Silva is looking to stand up but Siva won't let him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Siva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Siva striking off his back but it's not causing Silva any problems.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Anderson Silva will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Siva fails with the takedown

and Silva counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Siva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva stops Siva from standing up.

Siva is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva trying to control but Siva is working from the bottom.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Siva is proving hard to escape from.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Siva, up you get!
Higor Siva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Siva misses with a takedown
and Silva finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Siva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Higor Siva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Siva has his feet on Silva's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva gets caught flat footed, as Siva shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Silva is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Siva is controlling him.
Silva throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Siva landing some decent shots from guard.

Siva stands and steps away. Silva gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Silva tries for a takedown but Siva sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Silva drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Siva manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Siva drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Siva lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Siva drops back looking for a leg! Silva is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Silva manages to kick Siva off! Siva jumps back into Silva's guard.

Siva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Silva, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Siva misses with a takedown

and Silva counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Siva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Siva pushes Silva off and scrambles back to his feet.
Silva shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Siva pinned against the cage. Siva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Siva shows good takedown defense.
Silva shoots in but no luck this time.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.
Siva has his takedown stuffed

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.
It looks like Silva is going to stand back up.
Silva slows the pace down in half guard.
Siva moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Siva keeps moving.
Silva thows a big elbow that misses.
Siva manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.
Siva postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Silva trying to control the position.
Siva tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Silva pulls Siva in close to his closed guard and prevents Siva from doing any damage or advancing position.
Siva has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Siva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Silva, up you get!
Silva misses with a takedown attempt - Siva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Siva shoots and misses

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Silva stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Silva scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Siva tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Silva wants to take a breather but Siva is having none of it.
Silva trying to control the pace.
Silva wants to control but Siva is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anderson Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Silva 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Anderson Silva!