PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matt Piletich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cyborg Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Piletich's entrance music is King of Kings. A fine choice. Silva comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Sandstorm kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Cyborg Silva was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Piletich
vs
Silva

185 cm
23
190 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

182 cm
23
195 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Blueprint Clothing

Mundi Nutrition

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Piletich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cyborg Silva!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Piletich gets a takedown into half guard.
Piletich trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
Silva wants to control but Piletich is keeping busy.
Piletich tries to pass to full mount but Silva defends it.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Piletich has control of the leg.
Piletich is looking to advance position but Silva won't allow it.
Silva tries to roll over but Piletich keeps him under control.
Silva taking some punishment here, with Piletich in his half guard.
Piletich is tying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva misses with a jab, cross combination.
Silva throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Piletich sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Silva swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Piletich throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silva.
Silva lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Silva misses with a wild body shot.
Piletich shoots in but Silva avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Silva lands with a shot to the body.
Piletich uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silva.
Piletich shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.
Piletich swinging wilding here.
Piletich throws a right hand that Silva ducks under and follows up with a left that Silva also avoids with ease.
Silva fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cyborg Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva lands with a shot to the body.
Piletich tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Piletich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Piletich is breathing heavily.
Piletich dodges the punch combination from Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Silva does no damage.
Silva scores with a punch to the head.
Some wild striking there from Silva.
Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Piletich throws a right and a left that both miss.
Silva just misses with a punch to the body.
Silva throws out a loose jab but Piletich uses good head movement to avoid it.
Piletich shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Silva pinned against the cage. Silva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Silva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silva looks to land a combination but Piletich avoids it well.
Silva dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Silva digs a good body shot into Piletich's ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piletich avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cyborg Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Piletich shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense.
Donk. Silva catches Piletich right on the button with a cross.
Piletich takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Piletich avoids a punch combination nicely.
Piletich avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Piletich.
Silva lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Piletich backs up against the cage.
Silva throws a right and a left that Piletich avoids nicely.
Silva is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Piletich rather than just go for the knockout.
Piletich throws a series of punches but Silva moves out of range.
Silva throws a hook to the side of Piletich's head but Piletich sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Piletich misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses the shot to the body.
Silva looks to land a left hand but Piletich moved out of range nicely.
Piletich throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Piletich changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Silva tries to avoid it but Piletich manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Silva to the ground. Silva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Piletich fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Silva lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Silva scores with a one two! Piletich had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
A punch combination from Silva misses.
Silva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Piletich darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Silva wants to improve his position but Piletich is controlling well.
Silva is trying to stand up here but Piletich is controlling him well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyborg Silva dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Piletich drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Silva tries to improve position but can't.

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

Piletich tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Piletich looking to control but instead Silva has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Matt Piletich is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Piletich tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.
Silva with a hook.
Piletich shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Piletich defending well as Silva loads up on a big left hand.
Piletich takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Silva scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Piletich displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Piletich looks to land a combination but Silva avoids it well.
Piletich shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Piletich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva throws a one two combo.
Silva lands a nice shot to the body.
Piletich walks into a stiff left hand from Silva.
Piletich uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Piletich counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Piletich controls the position from side control.

Piletich wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Silva, who protects the arm well.
Silva gets back to half guard.

Piletich is working for a kimura but Silva is defending it quite comfortably.
Silva is controlling Piletich's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Piletich wants to work for an arm triangle but Silva is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Piletich trying to advance position but Silva counters by regaining guard.
Piletich pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Piletich stays in close to Silva's body and controls the position.

Silva scrambles and gets back to his feet.

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.
Piletich fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A punch combination from Silva misses.
Piletich showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
Silva fails to land with a series of punches.
Piletich fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Piletich throws a hook but Silva avoids it easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Some wild striking there from Piletich.
Silva throws a nice looking combination but Piletich bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Silva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Matt Piletich will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Piletich darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Silva is staying active underneath Piletich, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Silva controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Piletich is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Piletich not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva pushes Piletich off looking to stand but Piletich dives back in and keeps control.
Piletich keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Piletich seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Silva does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Silva is trying to stand up here but Piletich is controlling him well.
Piletich trying to mount his opponent but Silva defends it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Piletich closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.
Silva looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Silva fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Piletich manages to avoid it.
Piletich shoots in but no luck this time.
Piletich lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Silva misses with a series of wild punches.

Piletich bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Piletich wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Piletich is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Silva has escaped the position, nice work there.
Silva wants to control but Piletich postures up.
Piletich is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Piletich landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piletich controlling the position easily from mount.
Piletich's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Piletich goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Silva turns into him and now he's in Piletich's guard.

Silva decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands with a shot to the body.
Silva misses with a series of wild punches.
Piletich misses with a two punch combination.
Piletich fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Piletich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Piletich throws a right hand that Silva ducks under and follows up with a left that Silva also avoids with ease.
Piletich looks for a takedown but Silva sprawls well.
Silva throws a nice looking combination but Piletich bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Piletich slips a jab and a cross from Silva.
Piletich swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Silva misses with a combination

and Piletich counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.
Matt Piletich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Piletich showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Piletich 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Piletich!