PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Dante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Dante
vs
Silva

177 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
184 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bruce Dante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Wanderlei Silva!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dante sprawls well. Dante wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
Dante throws a jab when Silva was well out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Dante landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Dante's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dante misses with a two punch combination.
Silva bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Silva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Dante but Dante pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bruce Dante has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wanderlei Silva.

Dante closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Silva quickly recovers to half guard.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Dante working over Silva with some ground and pound. Silva looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Dante takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Silva tries to kick Dante off but Dante keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Silva avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dante.
Silva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Silva is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to control Dante's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Silva avoid being mounted?
Dante thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Dante prevents Silva from standing back up.
Dante throwing shots but Silva is blocking nicely.
Dante throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Silva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Dante not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Silva is staying active underneath Dante, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Silva blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dante.
Dante not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is holding on to half guard well.
Dante throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Silva on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Dante.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Silva is in trouble now - Dante has advanced to mount!
Silva tries to hold on but Dante postures up.
Dante misses with a head shot.
Dante throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Dante avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dante lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Silva tries to hold on but Dante pushes him away.
Silva takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Silva looks gassed!
Silva really wants to buck Dante off and get back to his feet.
Dante misses with a head shot.
Dante throwing strikes but Silva bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.
Silva wants to stand up but Dante is controlling him.
Dante passes Silva's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Dante sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Silva defending well though.
Dante thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Silva's head.
Dante is nestled in close to Silva, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Silva trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Dante dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Silva tries to clinch up but Dante circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Dante.
Dante avoids a punch combination nicely.
Dante scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva closes the distance and clinches up with Dante, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes Dante against the cage but Dante circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Dante looks to throw the jab but Silva is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Dante counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Silva throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dante preventing the sweep.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Dante pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Silva trying to control the position.
Dante keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Silva's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dante with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silva is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Dante thows a big elbow that misses.
Dante scoring with punches to the head and body.
Dante trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Dante thows a big elbow that misses.
Dante preventing the sweep.
Dante has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Silva wants to stand up but Dante is controlling him.
Dante trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dante stops Silva from standing up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Dante circles away quickly and effectively.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Dante tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Silva was well out of range. Poor timing from Dante.

Dante shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Dante thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Dante lands with a punch from half guard.
Dante missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control but Dante is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Dante wants to pass to mount but Silva is defending the position.
Silva gets back to full guard.
Silva wants to stand and escape but Dante is having none of it.
Dante wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Dante throws a strike but Silva rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Dante wants to stand and escape but Silva is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Dante dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A head kick misses from Silva.

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

Dante has one foot on Silva's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dante misses with a hook. Silva ducked under it nicely.
Silva looks to land a combination. Dante sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bruce Dante is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silva tries for a takedown but Dante circles away easily
and Dante counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Silva avoids the body shot from Dante.
Silva staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dante throws a hook but Silva blocks it.
Silva looks to land a combination but Dante avoids it well.
Dante lands a nice shot that snaps Silva's head back.
Dante loads up on a big right hand but Silva slips the punch.
Silva displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
A jab lands there for Dante.
Wanderlei Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick misses from Silva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dante throws a left and a right that both miss
and Silva counters with a one-two to the body.
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Dante shows good takedown defense.
The fighters circling - Dante throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Dante misses with an uppercut.
No luck for Silva with that takedown attempt.
Bruce Dante has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wanderlei Silva.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Dante.
Wanderlei Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Silva duly obliges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dante connects with a nice looking jab.
Dante is looking to clinch.
Dante tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The crowd cheers as Dante lands an impressive looking overhand right. Silva doesn't seem phased though.
Silva throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva throws a series of punches but Dante avoids them all with ease.
Bruce Dante is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dante misses with a jab to the body
and Silva counters with a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wanderlei Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dante has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Dante!