PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royce Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Antonio Rogerio Nogueira has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Rogerio Nogueira
vs
Silva

185 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Royce Silva!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nogueira has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Nogueira is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.
Nogueira is trying to keep Silva in close.

Nogueira is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Silva is aware though and is defending well.
Silva trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Silva is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Silva is pushing down on Nogueira's leg trying to pass to half guard. Nogueira is fighting to maintain full guard but Silva has managed to sneak the leg through.
Silva looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Silva works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira can't escape the position.
Nogueira holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Silva tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Nogueira tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Silva controlling from mount.
Nogueira tries to reverse the position but Silva maintains control.
Silva should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Silva wants to control but Nogueira has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Silva passes to full mount!

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.
Nogueira wants to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
Nogueira is wriggling around trying to escape.
Silva tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Nogueira is looking to improve his position but Silva isn't that keen on the idea.
Silva throws some wild stikes that Nogueira manages to avoid easily.
Silva trying to control but Nogueira is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva thowing shots but they're missing.
Nogueira tries to lock up and control but Silva gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva looking to control but Nogueira is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nogueira is working to get back to half guard.
Silva misses with a head shot.
Nogueira is desperately trying to improve his position but Silva has a good base and remains in mount.
Nogueira 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.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Silva in particular looking to stall.
I looks like Silva might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

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.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Nogueira is working away.

Despite being in the dominant position, Royce Silva just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nogueira misses with a takedown

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown. Nogueira fights it but they end up in guard.
Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Silva must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Nogueira is retaining full guard.
Silva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva looks gassed!
Silva is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Nogueira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Silva dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nogueira shoots and misses

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown. Nogueira fights it but they end up in guard.
Silva trying to control but Nogueira is working from the bottom.
Nogueira controlling Silva's posture.
Nogueira trying to control the position.
Nogueira utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Silva chips away with some ground and pound.
Nogueira throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Nogueira is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Silva's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Silva is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva trying to control but Nogueira is working from the bottom.
Silva controls from within his opponent's guard.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Nogueira has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Nogueira escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Silva gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Silva trying to move into half guard but instead Nogueira has managed to sweep!

Silva pushes Nogueira off and scrambles back to his feet.

Nogueira shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Silva napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Nogueira misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Nogueira is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Nogueira decides to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira gets caught flat footed, as Silva shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Silva avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Silva stands up over Nogueira, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Nogueira throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nogueira is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Silva slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Silva trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Nogueira is keeping the position.
Nogueira is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Nogueira has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nogueira swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Silva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Nogueira actively working from the bottom here.
Well, if Silva is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Silva is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Nogueira reverses the position - he's now on top in Silva's guard.
Nogueira tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Nogueira working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nogueira's guard.
Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Silva passes into half guard.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Nogueira is working away.
Royce Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nogueira looks like he's trying to stand up.
Nogueira has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Silva is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Silva thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Nogueira to regain full guard.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nogueira working a defensive guard here.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Nogueira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nogueira jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Nogueira scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Royce Silva has been cut.
Nogueira tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva counters with a single leg into guard. Nogueira didn't expect that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva wants to control from the top but Nogueira keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silva defends well.
Nogueira is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Silva wants to control from the top but Nogueira keeps moving.

Nogueira is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Nogueira throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from Nogueira.
Silva sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Silva scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nogueira is keeping the position for now.

Nogueira working for a triangle but Silva defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
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 Alan Glass scores the fight for Royce Silva!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Royce Silva!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Royce Silva!

Royce Silva wins by unanimous decision!