PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Erik Veloso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Veloso comes to the cage accompanied by Wild Boys - Duran Duran. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Veloso
vs
Silva

185 cm
21
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

168 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Erik Veloso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva pushes Veloso up against the cage in a clinch.
Veloso wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.
Still in the clinch, Silva scores with a nice short uppercut.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Silva has eaten all the pies!
Silva tries to pull guard but Veloso holds him up against the cage and eventually Silva drops back down to his feet.

Veloso breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Horrible takedown by Silva or perhaps it was just good defense by Veloso which made him look bad.
Veloso clinches but Silva breaks the clinch

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Silva.
Veloso is trying to maintain a safe position but Silva gets an underhook and turns Veloso into the cage.
Silva prevents Veloso from breaking the clinch.
Silva scores with a shoulder strike.
Silva prevents Veloso from breaking the clinch.

Veloso breaks the clinch.

Silva drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Check out the look on Silva's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Silva decides to stand back up.
Silva misses with a head kick.

Silva closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Veloso to the mat! Veloso manages to get full guard.
Silva stands up over Veloso, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Veloso throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Silva trying to control but Veloso is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veloso wants to sweep here but Silva controlling him for the moment.
Silva landing some decent shots from guard.
Silva content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Silva is looking to work some ground and pound but Veloso has wrist control.
Silva working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Veloso wants to stand up but Silva is controlling him.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Veloso as he jumps to the side.
Erik Veloso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.

Silva gets a clinch.
Silva lands a shoulder strike.
Stalling in the clinch from Veloso.

Veloso escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two 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.

Silva rushes Veloso and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Veloso breaks from the clinch.
Silva shoots for a double leg takedown but Veloso sprawls well. He's pushed Silva's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Silva looks gassed!
Veloso tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Veloso wants to clinch

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Veloso looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Silva working some strikes from top position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Veloso working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Silva pushes down on Veloso's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Silva lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Silva lands a nice short elbow.
Veloso works his way to full guard. Good work.
Veloso will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Silva looking to pass the guard.

Veloso looking for a guillotine here but Silva defends easily.
Veloso bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.
Veloso would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Veloso wants to stand and escape but instead Silva has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control from the top but Veloso keeps moving.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Veloso is retaining full guard.
Silva postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Silva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Veloso preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Veloso fails with a takedown attempt.
Silva misses with a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Veloso tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Silva dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Silva fails with a takedown attempt.
Silva swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Veloso on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Erik Veloso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Silva gets a clinch.
Veloso is trying to break the clinch but Silva has him pressed against the cage.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Veloso smiles and moves away.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Veloso counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Silva's guard now.
Erik Veloso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Silva trying to control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Veloso passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Veloso is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Veloso is working away from the top position though.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Veloso.
Veloso is pressing down on Silva's thigh, looking to free his foot. Silva is holding on for now.
Silva is looking to control Veloso's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Silva avoid being mounted?
Veloso lands strikes from half guard.

That's two 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.
Veloso throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Silva gets a takedown into half guard.
Anderson Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Veloso is looking to escape.
Veloso is looking to improve his position.

Veloso looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Veloso wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
Silva looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Veloso tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to control the action in half guard but Veloso is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Veloso lands a couple of sideways elbows.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Silva has Veloso up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Veloso just stands there and leans against the cage.

Veloso breaks from the clinch.
Veloso tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Silva holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Silva pulls Veloso into guard.
Veloso wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Veloso's guard.
Veloso tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veloso keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Veloso manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Silva will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Veloso content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva throws a couple of heel strikes.

Veloso drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Veloso jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Silva wants to sweep here but Veloso controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erik Veloso dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva circles away from the clinch attempt

and Silva counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Silva.
Veloso throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Silva scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Veloso throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Silva cracks Veloso with a solid left hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Silva passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Silva working the head and body with strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Veloso!
Veloso is looking to improve his position but Silva isn't that keen on the idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veloso regains half guard.
Veloso is looking to improve his position.
Silva slips a nice elbow through Veloso's hands, connecting with Veloso's forehead.
Silva is looking to pass Veloso's guard but actually Veloso recovers to full guard.

Veloso is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
Silva passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Veloso manages to work his way to half guard, despite Silva's best efforts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to mount his opponent but Veloso defends it.
Silva is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Veloso wants to get back to full guard.
Veloso regains full guard. Nicely done.

Veloso is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from Veloso.

Veloso looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Silva sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Veloso's guard.
Veloso taking some punishment here, with Silva in his half guard.
Silva seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Veloso!
Silva has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Veloso's face.
Silva landing strikes from the mount and Veloso is in trouble!
Veloso is in all sorts of trouble here.
Silva looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Silva landing punches.
A nice elbow there by Silva.
Veloso keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Silva trying to control but Veloso is having none of it.
Veloso tries to reverse the position but Silva maintains control.
Silva lands a big shot there that rocks Veloso but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

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.
Silva is landing with some decent strikes but Veloso is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Silva lands a nice shot to the head.
Silva blocks Veloso's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Veloso really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Veloso is working hard here to advance position.
Silva putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Veloso can't escape the position.
Silva with the ground and pound from mount.
Veloso is looking to improve his position but Silva isn't that keen on the idea.
Silva fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Silva working Veloso over with strikes here.

Silva jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Veloso manages to avoid the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anderson 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

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