PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ronaldo Nazario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ed Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nazario
vs
Silva

173 cm
21
192 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

183 cm
21
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Ronaldo Nazario!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ed Silva!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Thiago Cunha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nazario shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.
Nazario looks for a takedown but Silva sprawls well.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Nazario counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.

Nazario stands up from Silva's guard - Nazario perhaps looking for a knockout.
Good standup being displayed there by Silva as he connects with a hook.

Nazario scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Silva gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Nazario looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Nazario tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ronaldo Nazario. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Nazario changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Silva fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Silva closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Nazario counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Nazario.
Nazario throws a big right hand that misses.
Nazario wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Nazario is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Silva scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Silva gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nazario tries to sprawl but Silva drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Nazario is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Silva's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Silva's back!
Nazario is breathing heavily.
Nazario is trying to stick to Silva's back but Silva is turning into Nazario. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Nazario's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Silva.
Nazario could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.
Silva really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nazario. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Nazario 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.
Silva trying to control but Nazario is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nazario is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Nazario keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Silva would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from Nazario.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ed Silva wasn't active enough on the ground.
Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Nazario counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Nazario dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nazario paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Silva is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Nazario's half guard.
Silva controlling the action here.
Nazario tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Nazario is refusing to be controlled, as Silva sits in half guard.
Nazario regains full guard. Nicely done.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nazario 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.

Nazario is working an open guard so Silva takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Silva punishes Nazario's body with a nice straight punch.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nazario fails with the takedown

and Silva counters with a takedown into side control.
Silva trying to control the position but Nazario is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Nazario!
Nazario is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.
Silva controlling from the full mount.
Silva can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nazario is looking to escape.
Silva unloading with bombs!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nazario is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nazario is looking to escape.
Nazario trying desperately to get to his feet.
Silva avoids the attempt from Nazario to control.

Silva with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Silva trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Silva controlling the pace for now.

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.

Silva is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Nazario can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Nazario is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.
Silva cracks Nazario with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Nazario's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A solid leg kick lands there for Silva.
Nice sprawl there from Nazario as Silva shoots in.
Silva has his takedown stuffed

and Nazario counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Nazario.
Nazario trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Nazario drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Nazario jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nazario trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nazario drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Silva manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Nazario has Silva in his guard.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nazario is keeping the position for now.

That's two 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 is working for a submission of some sort.
Silva trying to control the action but Nazario is working from the bottom.
Silva perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Nazario is looking for a sweep. Silva is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Silva content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to pass to mount but Nazario is defending the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ed Silva.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Nazario circles away.

Silva fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nazario, pushing him back against the cage.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Nazario has his takedown stuffed
and Silva counters with an inside leg kick.

That's four 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 scores with a head kick.
Silva throws a nice inside leg kick.
Silva connects with a high kick.
Silva cracks the inside of Nazario's front leg.
Silva throws a series of punches but Nazario avoids them all with ease.
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ed Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nazario misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Silva to counter with a crisp jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ed Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ed Silva!