PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thor Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Ramirez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva comes to the ring accompanied by Sandstorm. Ramirez has chosen Megadeth-Trust as his entrance music. Alex Ramirez struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 187.9lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Silva
vs
Ramirez

180 cm
32
185 lbs
22 - 9 - 1

180 cm
40
202 lbs
27 - 26 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
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 22 - 9 - 1, fighting out of New York, Thor Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Ramirez!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Albert Achterberg and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ramirez misses with a wild combination.
A jab from Silva misses.
Ramirez throws a lazy right hand but Silva sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ramirez.
Ramirez misses with a takedown attempt - Silva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Ramirez fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Silva sprawls well initially but Ramirez persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Silva wants to control but Ramirez is keeping busy.

Ramirez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Silva wants to improve his position but Ramirez is controlling well.
Silva has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ramirez is working away from the top position though.
Ramirez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Ramirez has control of the leg.
Silva wants to sweep but Ramirez has passed to side control!
Ramirez working away.

Ramirez tries for a kimura but Silva is defending well.
Silva manages to get back to half guard.
Ramirez 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.
Ramirez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez thows a huge punch but Silva dodges it nicely.
Silva blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ramirez.
Ramirez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Silva is looking to control Ramirez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Silva avoid being mounted?
Ramirez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Ramirez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ramirez trying to control from Silva's half guard. Silva has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Ramirez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez landing with the ground and pound.
Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ramirez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ramirez throws a big right hand that misses.
Silva wants to sweep here but Ramirez controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Ramirez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Ramirez throwing strikes but missing.
Silva is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Ramirez trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ramirez throwing strikes but missing.
Silva is pulling down on Ramirez's head. It's preventing any offense from Ramirez, at least for the moment.
Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ramirez.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ramirez wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Ramirez postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Ramirez dominated that round.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ramirez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Ramirez dives in and grabs Silva's left leg, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes down on Ramirez's head and hops out.
Ramirez throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Silva counters with a two punch combo.

Ramirez gets the takedown into side control.
Silva stops Ramirez from passing to mount.
Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Silva gets back to half guard.
Ramirez wants to pass the guard but Silva is defending well.
Alex Ramirez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ramirez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Silva defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Ramirez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ramirez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ramirez trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
Silva wants to control but Ramirez is keeping busy.
Ramirez is trying to control the action in half guard but Silva is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Silva wants to control but Ramirez is keeping busy and won't allow it.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Silva keeping control of the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Thor Silva.
Silva tries to clinch but Ramirez is having none of it.
Thor Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ramirez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ramirez on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ramirez.
Silva checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Silva closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Ramirez avoids the head kick by Silva.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ramirez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Silva manages to avoid it.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ramirez fails with a takedown attempt.
Thor Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Ramirez.
Ramirez thows a body shot but no joy.
Ramirez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.
Ramirez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a sloppy head kick and Ramirez moves out of range easily.
Thor Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva lands a nice hook to Ramirez's body. Ramirez takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Ramirez tries a low kick but Silva avoids it.
Ramirez dodges the punch combination from Silva.
Ramirez walks into a straight right hand from Silva.
Ramirez moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Ramirez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Silva manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ramirez is breathing heavily.
Ramirez trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Ramirez preventing the sweep.
Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ramirez's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Silva tries to stand but Ramirez is controlling from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ramirez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ramirez trying to control the position.
Ramirez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ramirez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Silva is one step ahead there.
Ramirez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
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 Thor Silva will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ramirez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A combination from Silva does no damage.
Alex Ramirez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ramirez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Jab from Ramirez.
Ramirez dives in for a single leg takedown but Silva sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.
Ramirez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Silva smiles and moves away.
Thor Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Ramirez.
Silva lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Silva.
Silva cracks Ramirez with a good jab.
Ramirez tries to bum rush Silva with a series of wild strikes but Silva uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ramirez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Silva tries to clinch but Ramirez is having none of it.
Sloppy strikes from Ramirez. Those never looked like landing.
Silva tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Ramirez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Silva lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ramirez closes the distance and clinches up with Silva, looking for a takedown. Ramirez pushes Silva against the ropes but Silva circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ramirez.
Silva scores with a body shot.
Ramirez tries to work over Silva's front leg with a kick but Silva checks it.
Ramirez avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silva throws a series of punches but Ramirez moves out of range.
Thor Silva is winning the standup battle so far.
Ramirez fails with a takedown attempt.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Ramirez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Silva avoids it really well and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ramirez darts in looking for a takedown but Silva gets double underhooks and turns Ramirez into the ropes.
Ramirez jumps guard but Silva stands there with Ramirez around his waist. Ramirez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ramirez is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables Silva to keep the fight standing.
Nice body punch from Silva - that landed with a thud.
Silva wants to get back to striking at distance but Ramirez won't allow it.
Silva lands a left hand.
Ramirez drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Silva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva clinches.
Silva lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ramirez has him pressed against the ropes.
Silva has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ramirez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Silva moves into the clinch successfully.
Silva misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ramirez tries to pull guard but Silva holds him up against the ropes and eventually Ramirez drops back down to his feet.
Ramirez is looking for a takedown.
Silva lands a body punch in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ramirez has him pressed against the ropes.
Ramirez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Silva smiles and moves away.
Silva wants to clinch.
Ramirez throws a series of punches but Silva moves out of range.
Ramirez misses with a takedown attempt - Silva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Silva closes the distance and pushes Ramirez back into the ropes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Ramirez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ramirez has him pressed against the ropes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thor Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Silva 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Thor Silva!
A victorious Thor Silva thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.