PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikael Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucas Matias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lucas Matias will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Silva
vs
Matias

185 cm
23
195 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

180 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mikael Silva!
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, Lucas Matias!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Emerson Jorge and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matias misses with a two punch combination.

Matias feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Matias postures up.
Silva trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Silva trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Silva is looking for a triangle but Matias pushes his legs off easily.
Matias looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Silva is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Silva working a defensive guard but Matias manages to pass into side control anyway.
Matias wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Matias might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Silva kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is being controlled here.
Silva is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Matias wants to control but Silva is keeping him busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Matias misses with a double jab.
Matias misses with a few strikes there.
Matias swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Silva.

It looks like Mikael Silva has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Matias throws a left that rocks Silva and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Matias dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Silva regain composure!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Matias controlling the position from side mount.
Matias trying to control the position but Silva is working away.
A lull in the action here as Matias stalls from top position.
Matias tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Matias taking a break here but Silva is having none of it and regains half guard.
Silva is not content to let Matias control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Matias is very close to passing his half guard.
Matias wants to pass the guard but Silva is defending well.
Matias is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Silva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Matias is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Matias lands with a right hand.

Mikael Silva's cut is getting worse.

Silva scores with a takedown into Matias's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matias is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Silva drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Silva jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Matias keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Matias not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Matias wants to stand up but Silva is controlling him.
Matias utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matias keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Matias wants to stand up but Silva is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucas Matias dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mikael Silva's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Silva moves out of range of the strikes.
Silva takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Matias misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Matias shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Matias is working away.

Silva is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Matias has managed to free his arm - good work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Matias has one foot on Silva's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Silva takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matias misses with the combination.

Matias shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Matias showed some decent athleticism there.
Silva is trying is best to control the position here.
Silva trying to control from the bottom.
Matias wants to take a breather but Silva is having none of it.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Matias throwing shots but Silva is blocking nicely.

Silva looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is not content to let Matias control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Matias cracks Silva with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Matias misses with a few strikes there.
Matias throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lucas Matias seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva with a lazy takedown attempt

and Matias counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Matias.

Matias breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Matias sprawls well. Matias wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
Matias lands a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matias's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Matias duly obliges.
Silva ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Silva shoots in looking for a takedown. Matias tries to sprawl out of it but Silva keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Matias manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikael Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matias lands a jab-cross combination.
Matias rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Silva moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Silva tries for a takedown but Matias sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
A punch combination from Matias misses.

Matias moves into the clinch.
Silva is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Matias gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Matias escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Matias scores with a jab. Silva acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Matias shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Matias is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matias really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Matias has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucas Matias showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mikael Silva's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Matias moves into range and connects with a jab.
Matias swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Silva dodges the punch combination from Matias.
Mikael Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Matias clinches but Silva breaks the clinch

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Silva trying to control the action but Matias is working from the bottom.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Matias moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matias keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Matias wants to stand but Silva is controlling the position.
Silva controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Silva drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Silva jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Matias manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Matias controlling from the full mount.
Mikael Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Matias wants to control the pace but Silva is squirming around nicely.
Silva is trying to escape the mount.
Matias controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is squirming around, avoiding Matias's attempts to control the action.
Lucas Matias is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva tries to hold on but Matias postures up.
Matias sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Silva tries to hold on but Matias pushes him away.

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.
Matias controlling the position easily from mount.

Despite being in the dominant position, Lucas Matias just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Matias scores with a crisp jab that stopped Silva in his tracks.
Silva fails to land the takedown.
Matias getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Mikael Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matias throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A punch lands to the side of Silva 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Matias shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Silva's guard.

Silva is looking for a triangle but Matias pushes his legs off easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Lucas Matias.
I've got Matias 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lucas Matias!