PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emanuel Fimonte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Silva
vs
Fimonte

188 cm
19
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
190 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Emanuel Fimonte!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva tries to clinch there but Fimonte circles away.
Silva tries to clinch there but Fimonte circles away.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Fimonte swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Fimonte gets a clinch.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Fimonte is blocking nicely.
Fimonte looking for a takedown.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Fimonte is blocking nicely.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.

Fimonte gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Silva regains guard.
Fimonte wants to get up but he can't break Silva's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fimonte is stalling in the full guard.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Fimonte from controlling successfully.

Silva escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Fimonte gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Fimonte sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Fimonte stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Fimonte stays in close to Silva's body and controls the position.
Silva is trying to control the position but Fimonte postures up.
Silva 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.
Fimonte stays in close to Silva's body and controls the position.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Fimonte from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Fimonte shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Fimonte showed some decent athleticism there.
Silva is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fimonte slows the pace down in half guard.
Fimonte is keen to just control but Silva is a slippery customer.
Fimonte really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Silva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva.
Fimonte not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Fimonte looks gassed!
Fimonte trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Silva has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Fimonte can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Fimonte preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fimonte pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Fimonte stands and throws Silva's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Fimonte controls the position from side control.
Silva regains half guard.
Fimonte trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
It looks like Fimonte is going to stand back up.
Silva gets back to full guard.
Fimonte would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fimonte passes into half guard.
Fimonte is pressing down on Silva's thigh, looking to free his foot. Silva is holding on for now.
Fimonte is taking a breather. Silva says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Fimonte trying to pass the guard but Silva defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Fimonte slows the pace down in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emanuel Fimonte dominated that 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.

Fimonte rushes Silva and presses him up against the cage.

Fimonte breaks from the clinch.
Silva tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Fimonte counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Silva's guard now.
Fimonte works over Silva with some ground and pound from guard.
Fimonte has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Silva is proving hard to escape from.
Fimonte tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Fimonte sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fimonte postures up.
Silva has a closed guard, preventing Fimonte from standing up.
Fimonte is breathing heavily.
Fimonte wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

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.

Fimonte gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Fimonte lands a takedown into guard.
Fimonte trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva trying to strike off his back.

Silva had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Fimonte is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Silva Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Fimonte's back instead.
Silva misses with a punch to the head.
Silva scores with punches from the back.
Fimonte turns into Silva and is now in his guard.
Silva thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fimonte preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control the position but Fimonte says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Silva trying to control but Fimonte postures up.
Silva flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva tries for a takedown but Fimonte circles away easily

and Fimonte counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Silva trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Fimonte postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Fimonte's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva passes into half guard.
Silva thows a huge punch but Fimonte dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fimonte is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fimonte avoid being mounted?
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fimonte can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fimonte avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Silva.
Fimonte is controlling Silva's trapped leg to prevent Silva from advancing to side control.
Fimonte tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.
Fimonte is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Silva thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Fimonte circles away from the clinch attempt.

Fimonte forces Silva back against the cage and clinches.

Fimonte gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Silva regains guard.
Fimonte is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fimonte trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Fimonte decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Fimonte circles away from the clinch attempt

and Fimonte counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fimonte seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Fimonte prevents Silva from improving his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fimonte 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emanuel Fimonte showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva tries to clinch

and Fimonte counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Silva!
Silva throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Fimonte takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Fimonte prevents Silva from getting the reversal.
Silva has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Fimonte controlling from mount.
Silva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Fimonte scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Silva?
Silva takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Fimonte content just to control the position here.
Fimonte's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Fimonte has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Silva passes into half guard.
Fimonte tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fimonte is trying to control but can't.

Despite being in the dominant position, Emanuel Fimonte just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva wants to clinch but Fimonte slips to the side

and Fimonte holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Fimonte gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Fimonte content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fimonte wants to pass to mount but Silva is defending the position.
Fimonte is taking a breather. Silva says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Silva flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Fimonte is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Fimonte sits in half guard.
Emanuel Fimonte has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fimonte keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Let's hope that Fimonte 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Emanuel Fimonte just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Fimonte gets a clinch.

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.

Fimonte is trying to trip Silva. He has hold of a leg but Silva is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Fimonte persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Fimonte is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Fimonte wants to get up but he can't break Silva's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Silva trying to control the position.
Fimonte wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
Fimonte trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fimonte slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Silva is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Silva has hold of a guillotine but he's not going to be able to crank on it really with only half guard, so it's no trouble for Fimonte. Oh but Silva has got full guard now! Oh boy! This one could be over very soon! Fimonte goes limp - he's gone! Silva jumps up and celebrates with the crowd - fantastic submission finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Anderson Silva!