PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo da Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Loyoto Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). da Silva has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

da Silva
vs
Rua

175 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
141 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo da Silva!
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, Loyoto Rua!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Leandro Rodrigues and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
da Silva throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
da Silva tries for a takedown but Rua sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rua gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and da Silva counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by da Silva.
Rua wants to get back to his feet but da Silva is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Rua has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes da Silva off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Rua forces da Silva back against the cage and clinches.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rua.

Rua breaks from the clinch.

Rua scores with a takedown into da Silva's guard.
da Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rua is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva tries to control but Rua wriggling away.
Rua really wants to buck da Silva off and get back to his feet.
Rua flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Rua is working to get back to half guard.

Rua somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
da Silva is breathing heavily.

Rua forces da Silva back against the cage and clinches.
Rua lands an elbow that stopped da Silva in his tracks for a moment.

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

Rua moves into the clinch successfully.
Rua comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from da Silva as Rua shoots in.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua shoots for a double leg takedown but da Silva sprawls well. He's pushed Rua's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Marcelo da Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Loyoto Rua.
da Silva misses with a takedown

and Rua counters with a single leg into guard. da Silva didn't expect that.
da Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Rua is proving a slippery customer.
Rua has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of da Silva is proving hard to escape from.

da Silva looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
da Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rua postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rua trying to stand up but can't free himself from da Silva's guard.
Rua thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua wants to stand but da Silva has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Rua gets to his feet. da Silva looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
da Silva throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rua's waist but Rua gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing da Silva off to one side.
Rua stuffs the takedown attempt from da Silva. da Silva gets slowly back to his feet.

Rua scores a takedown into full mount!
Rua is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
da Silva wants to control but Rua is having none of it.

Rua looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rua looking to control but da Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
da Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rua trying to control but he's not successful this time.
da Silva is looking to improve his position but Rua isn't that keen on the idea.
Rua looking to control but da Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
da Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rua trying to control but da Silva is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Loyoto Rua 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.

da Silva finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Rua breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rua shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rua tries to stand but da Silva is controlling from the bottom.
da Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Rua is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua wants to stand but da Silva is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva is trying to keep Rua in close.
da Silva is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rua kicks off da Silva and gets to his feet.
da Silva misses with a takedown

and Rua counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
da Silva jumps guard but Rua stands there with da Silva around his waist. da Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rua lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
da Silva changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rua fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcelo da Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rua drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rua is looking to stand up but da Silva won't let him.
da Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rua landing with the ground and pound.
da Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rua is one step ahead there.
da Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rua.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
da Silva looking to control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
da Silva misses with a takedown
and Rua counters with a head kick. That will keep da Silva thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Rua shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
da Silva is trying to control the position but Rua postures up.
da Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

da Silva looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rua stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. da Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
da Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rua.
da Silva has a closed guard, preventing Rua from standing up.
Rua scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua trying to stand up but can't free himself from da Silva's guard.
Loyoto Rua has got the better of the ground game so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
da Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Rua gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Rua clinches.
da Silva takes a knee right on the jaw!
da Silva goes for a takedown attempt but Rua pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Rua closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Loyoto Rua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

da Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Rua cracks the inside of da Silva's front leg.
Rua has his takedown stuffed
and da Silva cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Rua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with da Silva, pushing him back against the cage.
Rua landing knees to the body.
Rua lands a nice knee to the body.
Rua prevents the takedown attempt.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
da Silva with a poor takedown

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
da Silva avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rua.
da Silva wants to improve his position but Rua is controlling well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva is looking for a sweep. Rua is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
da Silva is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rua scores with a couple of nice shots.
Rua is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
da Silva trying to hold on to Rua's head to control him but Rua postures up.
Rua has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, da Silva works to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rua shoots in but no luck this time.
da Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rua counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rua.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcelo da Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
da Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rua trying to stand up but can't free himself from da Silva's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
da Silva working a defensive guard here.
Rua tries to stand but da Silva is controlling from the bottom.

Rua stands and steps away. da Silva gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Rua drives through with a takedown into guard.
da Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Rua stands up from guard. Let's bang!

da Silva tries to keep at a distance but Rua has taken the fight into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rua breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

da Silva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rua wants to get back to his feet.
da Silva is taking a breather. Rua 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.
da Silva is looking to take a break and control but Rua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Rua kicks da Silva off and gets back to his feet.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Rua fails with the takedown.
Rua shoots in and drives through. da Silva sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
da Silva throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rua's waist but Rua gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing da Silva off to one side.
da Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown. da Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Rua has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of da Silva is proving hard to escape from.
Rua won't allow da Silva to sweep him here.
Rua must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Rua gets to his feet - da Silva follows without any prompting.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rua clinches up with da Silva and pushes him back against the cage.
Marcelo da Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rua unloads a knee to the mid-section. da Silva lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
da Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Loyoto Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rua 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Loyoto Rua!