PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paolo Da Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and QL Hicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Da Silva comes to the cage accompanied by Capoeira do Brasil (Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66). Paolo Da Silva has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Da Silva
vs
Hicks

185 cm
21
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

183 cm
20
186 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Hell's Balls Fightwear

Knock Out Artistry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Paolo Da Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, QL Hicks!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Yves DeLean and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hicks shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Da Silva manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Hicks avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Da Silva working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hicks has passed into half guard!
Da Silva wants to improve his position but Hicks is controlling well.
Hicks is controlling the pace.
Da Silva tries to get to full guard but Hicks has control of the leg.

Hicks is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Hicks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Da Silva defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Da Silva is looking for a sweep. Hicks is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Da Silva tries for a takedown but Hicks circles away easily

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

Da Silva looking for submissions off his back.
Hicks controlling the action here.
Hicks is looking to advance position but Da Silva won't allow it.
Da Silva tries to roll over but Hicks keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Da Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hicks is one step ahead there.
Hicks passes Da Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Da Silva is trying to get back to full guard.
Hicks landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hicks prevents Da Silva from improving his position.
Hicks is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Da Silva is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hicks pulls his head out easily.
Da Silva is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks moves nicely into side control.
Da Silva is not content to let Hicks control the position.
Da Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hicks wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hicks trying to control the position but Da Silva is working away.
Da Silva is looking to regain half guard here but Hicks keeps moving and retains side control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Da Silva throws a lazy right hand but Hicks sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Da Silva throws a shot to the body.
A combination from Hicks does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks shoots and misses

and Da Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hicks's guard now.

Da Silva drops back looking for a leg! Hicks is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hicks manages to kick Da Silva off! Da Silva jumps back into Hicks's guard.
Hicks has Da Silva pulled in close to control his posture.
Da Silva in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hicks is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Da Silva wants to control from the top but Hicks keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Da Silva is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hicks is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hicks has escaped and now he's on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but QL Hicks will probably get the nod.
That's time! Da Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hicks bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Hicks moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Da Silva is looking for a sweep.
Da Silva regains half guard.
Hicks is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Let's hope that Hicks has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Da Silva manages to get to full guard.

Da Silva working for submissions but it's allowed Hicks to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks works his foot free and advances to mount.
Da Silva is looking to get to half guard.
Hicks landing shots from mount.
Hicks controlling his opponent.
Hicks landing shots from mount.
Da Silva tries to reverse the position but Hicks maintains control.
Hicks looking to control and managing it successfully.
QL Hicks has got the better of the ground game so far.
Da Silva is looking to improve his position but Hicks isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks controlling from mount.
Da Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hicks lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hicks content just to control the position here.
Hicks fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Hicks scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hicks is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Da Silva can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Da Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva is working hard here to advance position.
Da Silva is bucking up trying to escape but Hicks cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Hicks looking to control but Da Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hicks landing punches.
Da Silva is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hicks scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Da Silva?
Hicks controlling from mount.
Da Silva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks cracks Da Silva with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Hicks cracks Da Silva with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Hicks tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hicks cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Da Silva is trying to escape the mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hicks scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Da Silva?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

QL Hicks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Da Silva throws a looping overhand right but Hicks ducks down to avoid it.
Da Silva gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Hicks counters with a takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Hicks stalls from top position.
Da Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hicks wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hicks taking a breather here.
Hicks trying to control the action but Da Silva is working from the bottom.
Da Silva is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Da Silva thows a left - swing and a miss!
Da Silva closes the distance and clinches up with Hicks, looking for a takedown. Da Silva pushes Hicks against the cage but Hicks circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hicks lands a jab-cross combination.

Hicks scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Hicks is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Da Silva tries to roll over but Hicks keeps him under control.
Still in half guard, Hicks seems content to control.

Da Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Hicks prevents Da Silva from improving his position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hicks perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva taking some punishment here, with Hicks in his half guard.
Hicks passes to full mount!
Hicks looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hicks prevents Da Silva from getting the reversal.
Hicks trying to control but Da Silva is having none of it.
Hicks raining down shots from the mount!
Da Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hicks sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva tries to hold on but Hicks postures up.
Hicks controlling from the full mount.
Da Silva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Da Silva in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Da Silva is desperately trying to improve his position but Hicks has a good base and remains in mount.
Da Silva sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Hicks performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Da Silva regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks trying to control the position from guard on top but Da Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hicks cracks Da Silva with a solid left hand.
Paolo Da Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Da Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Da Silva, not yet.
Hicks working some strikes from top position.

Da Silva has his foot on Hicks's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hicks works his way back into a safe position though.
Da Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hicks trying to control but Da Silva is working from the bottom.
Da Silva throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Hicks looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Hicks avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hicks postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
QL Hicks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hicks 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight for QL Hicks!
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight for QL Hicks!
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight for QL Hicks!

QL Hicks wins by unanimous decision!