PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Douglas Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Douglas Costa could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Antonio Silva's chin.

Costa
vs
Silva

170 cm
20
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

184 cm
19
148 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Douglas Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Silva!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Paulo Santos and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva scores a takedown into full mount!
Costa looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Silva takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Silva working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Silva controlling from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Antonio Silva hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Silva shoots in and gets a takedown into Costa's guard.
Silva seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Silva slips nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Let's hope that Silva has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Silva is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Costa tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Silva content to control rather than advance.
Silva trying to mount his opponent but Costa defends it.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Antonio Silva.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva landing strikes from the mount and Costa is in trouble!
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The referee warns Costa that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva controlling from mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Silva 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.

Silva drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Costa seems a little lost for a moment, as Silva dominates the positioning.
Silva really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Costa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Antonio Silva has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Costa gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Silva is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Antonio Silva has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Silva gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Silva is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Antonio Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Costa has hold of Silva's hands but Silva slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Silva lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Silva is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Antonio Silva.

Silva scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Silva is controlling the pace.
Silva tries to pass the half guard into mount. Costa knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Still in half guard, Silva seems content to control.
Silva has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Silva works his way into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Silva closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Silva wants to pass to mount but Costa is defending the position.
Silva keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Silva passes to side control.
Silva cracks Costa with a big elbow.
Silva controls the position.
Silva advances nicely into full mount.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva landing strikes, looking to finish!
Silva raining down shots from the mount!
Silva controlling from mount.
Silva with a couple of short strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva controlling his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Costa might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Costa is looking to improve his position but Silva isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Antonio Silva was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Silva looking to score a takedown here. Costa is defending well but Silva drives through and ends up in Costa's guard.
Costa can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Silva controls the pace.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Costa is keeping the position.
Silva is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Antonio Silva hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Silva closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Costa quickly recovers to half guard.
Well, if Silva is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva is looking to advance position but Costa won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Silva has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 24:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 24:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Silva!
Antonio Silva opened up his post fight interview with a scream to camera that he wants a title shot! Whether he deserves the shot will be up to the management of the organization, so I guess he'll have to wait and see.