PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Robert Nicholas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruno Da Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bruno Da Silva told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Nicholas
vs
Da Silva

168 cm
24
169 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

173 cm
21
165 lbs
6 - 2 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Self confident

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Robert Nicholas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Bruno Da Silva!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Gregory Folan and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Da Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Nicholas looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nicholas avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nicholas moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Nicholas moves into range and clinches up with Da Silva.
Nicholas dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Da Silva is working for takedown but Nicholas is calmly controlling the position for now.
Nicholas prevents the takedown attempt.
Nicholas gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Da Silva.
Robert Nicholas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruno Da Silva.
Nicholas prevents a takedown attempt there.
Nicholas lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Da Silva backwards.
Da Silva drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nicholas gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Da Silva changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Nicholas fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Nicholas throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Nicholas instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Silva tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nicholas misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Da Silva.
Nicholas lands with a left to the head.
Nicholas with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Da Silva is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Nicholas landing knees to the head.
Da Silva wants a takedown.
Da Silva takes a knee to the side of the body.
Da Silva goes for a takedown attempt but Nicholas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nicholas is looking to clinch.
Robert Nicholas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Da Silva checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Nicholas on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Nicholas uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Da Silva.
Da Silva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nicholas but Nicholas pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Nicholas clinches up against the cage.
Da Silva goes for a takedown attempt but Nicholas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nicholas moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nicholas instigates a clinch.
Nicholas lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Bruno Da Silva has been cut.
Da Silva on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nicholas misses with a knee strike.
Nicholas is pressed up against the cage. Da Silva has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nicholas down to the mat. Nicholas avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Nicholas is looking to clinch but Da Silva is avoiding it.

Nicholas moves into the clinch.
Nicholas looking to throw knees to the head but Da Silva is blocking nicely.
Da Silva tries to score a body lock takedown but Nicholas shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Nicholas swings wildly with an uppercut but Da Silva uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nicholas lands a left hand.
Nicholas tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Da Silva avoids it.
Da Silva is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Nicholas gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Nicholas is pressed up against the cage. Da Silva has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nicholas down to the mat. Nicholas avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Da Silva misses the jab.

Da Silva shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Nicholas manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Da Silva looks gassed!

Da Silva drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Nicholas dives on top into guard.
Nicholas knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Da Silva on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nicholas wants to control from the top but Da Silva keeps moving.
Nicholas wants to get up but he can't break Da Silva's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Nicholas is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Da Silva working for a triangle but Nicholas defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Da Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nicholas wants to control from the top but Da Silva keeps moving.
Da Silva keeping full guard, as Nicholas tries to pass.
Nicholas stopping the sweep attempt from Da Silva.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Da Silva has his foot on Nicholas's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nicholas works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Nicholas dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bruno Da Silva's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nicholas misses with a double jab.
Da Silva lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Nicholas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Da Silva throws the left hand but Nicholas avoids the punch easily.
Da Silva scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Nicholas uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Da Silva.
Nicholas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Da Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Robert Nicholas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Da Silva dodges the punch combination from Nicholas.
Nicholas looks to land a combination but Da Silva avoids it well.
Some wild striking there from Da Silva.
Nicholas misses with a two punch combination.
Da Silva fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Da Silva scores with a jab to the jaw.

Nicholas is rocked!

Da Silva looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Nicholas!
Oh Nicholas is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Da Silva with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Da Silva looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Silva breaks from Nicholas's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Nicholas seems to have got his legs back now.

Da Silva moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Nicholas has worked his arm free - good work by Nicholas!

Da Silva is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Nicholas has escaped the position, nice work there.
Da Silva is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Nicholas will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Da Silva thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Da Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Da Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Da Silva wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Nicholas, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Da Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Da Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Da Silva goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Nicholas has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Da Silva but great work by Nicholas.
Da Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Da Silva is not content to let Nicholas control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Da Silva is looking for a sweep.
Da Silva prevents Nicholas from improving position.
Nicholas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Da Silva keeps working.
Nicholas landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nicholas swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Good shot there by Da Silva.
Da Silva lands the left hand.
A slow jab from Da Silva misses its intended target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Da Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bruno Da Silva's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Da Silva connects with a single shot there.
No luck for Da Silva with that takedown attempt.
Nicholas throws a nice looking combination but Da Silva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nicholas tries to close the distance and clinch but Da Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Da Silva decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Da Silva seems to be looking for submissions.
Da Silva sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nicholas defending well though.
Da Silva wants to free his trapped foot but Nicholas is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Da Silva sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nicholas gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Da Silva is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Nicholas is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Nicholas has escaped and now he's on top!

Da Silva is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nicholas is aware though and is defending well.
Da Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Nicholas is proving a slippery customer.
Nicholas wants to control from the top but Da Silva keeps moving.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Da Silva looking for a guillotine here but Nicholas defends easily.
Nicholas has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Da Silva throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Da Silva wants to sweep here but Nicholas controlling him for the moment.

Da Silva isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Nicholas stacks Da Silva on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Nicholas!
Nicholas controls the position from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nicholas stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Nicholas doesn't manage to clinch there - Da Silva circles away.
Da Silva lands a jab to the head.
Nicholas leaves Da Silva with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nicholas tries to clinch up but Da Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Nicholas tries to clinch but Da Silva is having none of it.

Nicholas pushes Da Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Nicholas prevents a takedown attempt there.
Robert Nicholas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruno Da Silva.
Da Silva is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Nicholas gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nicholas content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Da Silva is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nicholas pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Nicholas misses with a knee strike.
Nicholas with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Nicholas takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Nicholas with a knee to the head.
Nicholas prevents the takedown attempt.
Da Silva drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nicholas gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nicholas tries a knee to the head but Da Silva blocks it.
Nicholas misses with a knee strike.
Da Silva looking for a takedown.
Nicholas working Da Silva over with knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bruno Da Silva.
I think Da 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!