PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jeff Araujo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Andre Silva has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Araujo
vs
Silva

180 cm
23
265 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

190 cm
20
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jeff Araujo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Silva!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Araujo closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Araujo lands in his opponent's guard.
Silva controls Araujo momentarily but Araujo frees himself.

Araujo drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Silva dives on top into guard.
Araujo keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Araujo has a closed guard, preventing Silva from standing up.
Araujo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.

Araujo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Silva has his feet on Araujo's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Araujo is breathing heavily.
Araujo misses with a double jab.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Silva is defended easily by Araujo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Araujo tries to bum rush Silva with a series of wild strikes but Silva uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Some wild striking there from Araujo.
Jeff Araujo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva clinches up with Araujo and pushes him back against the cage.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Araujo is controlling the position.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Araujo swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
Silva tries to clinch up but Araujo circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Araujo pushes him off.
Araujo shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Silva throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Araujo's waist but Araujo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Silva off to one side.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Araujo circles away.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Araujo.
Silva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Silva wants to clinch up but Araujo keeps it at a distance.
Silva is looking to clinch but Araujo is avoiding it.
Araujo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Araujo throws a big shot that misses.

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.
Silva tries for a takedown but Araujo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Jeff Araujo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Silva.
Silva moves out of range of the strikes.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Araujo circles away.
Araujo keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva tries to clinch there but Araujo circles away.
Silva throws the kick towards the body but Araujo avoids it.
Silva misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Silva closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
Silva closes the distance and clinches up with Araujo, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes Araujo against the cage but Araujo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Araujo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Silva closes the distance and clinches up with Araujo, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes Araujo against the cage but Araujo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Araujo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Araujo stands up.

Araujo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Araujo decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Araujo paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Araujo drives through with a takedown into guard.

Araujo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Araujo preventing the sweep.

Araujo stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Silva has closed the distance and engaged Araujo in a clinch.
Silva has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Araujo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Araujo scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Araujo 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.
Silva looking to control.
Silva wants to stand up but Araujo is controlling him.

Araujo stands up and waves to Silva to follow him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with an attempted mid kick.
Silva misses with a two punch combination.

Araujo shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Silva manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Araujo stands up and waves to Silva to follow him.
Nice sprawl there from Araujo as Silva shoots in.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Araujo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva is looking to clinch but Araujo is avoiding it.

Araujo shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Araujo is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Silva defends it well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Araujo seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Araujo dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Araujo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Araujo avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Silva wants to hold on but Araujo pushes him away.
Silva might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Araujo kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
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.

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

Araujo seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Araujo is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Araujo is looking for a kimura but Silva is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Araujo to get the leverage.
Silva looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are battling for position here. Silva manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Araujo is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Silva's half guard.
Silva wants to control but Araujo is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Araujo is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Araujo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Silva is just riding it out for now. Araujo eventually gives up the hold.

Silva manages to escape and get back to his feet!
A punch combination from Silva misses.
Araujo sizes up Silva with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Araujo displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Araujo scores with a takedown into Silva's guard.
Silva manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Araujo manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araujo keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Araujo has a closed guard, preventing Silva from standing up.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Araujo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jeff Araujo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Araujo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Araujo wants to sweep here but Silva controlling him for the moment.

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.
Araujo keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

Araujo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Silva is aware though and is defending well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva is trying hard to land a takedown here. Araujo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Araujo lands with a nice combination. Silva backs away looking to recover.

Silva gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Araujo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Araujo dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Silva wants to clinch up but Araujo keeps it at a distance.

Araujo closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Araujo lands in his opponent's guard.
Araujo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Silva is proving hard to escape from.

Araujo drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Silva dives on top into guard.

Silva stands and steps away. Araujo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A nice leg kick lands there from Silva.
Araujo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Araujo moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Araujo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Silva.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Araujo circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Araujo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Araujo wanted to stand there but Silva had control of the position.
Silva is trying to keep Araujo in close.

Araujo decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Araujo avoids a punch combination nicely.

Araujo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Silva was covering up waiting for the punch and Araujo finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Araujo drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Silva dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva preventing the sweep.

Araujo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Araujo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva prevents Araujo from getting back to his feet.

Silva gets to his feet. Araujo looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Araujo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Araujo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.

Araujo fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Silva sprawls well initially but Araujo persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Araujo is very close to passing his half guard.
Jeff Araujo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva is trying to stand back up but Araujo is controlling him

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Araujo is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Silva's half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Araujo keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Araujo seems to be looking for submissions.

Araujo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Silva sees it coming and defends easily.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Araujo sits in half guard.
Silva is looking to improve his position.

Araujo decides to stand up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva walks into a jab.
Andre Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva misses with a double jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jeff Araujo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Araujo, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jeff Araujo!