PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mirko Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bernardo Bernardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mirko Silva looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Silva
vs
Bernardo

170 cm
25
155 lbs
7 - 11 - 0

180 cm
28
160 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Milwaukee's Best 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mirko Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bernardo Bernardo!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bernardo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bernardo.
We've been hearing reports that Silva has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.
Silva prevents the takedown attempt.
Bernardo goes for a takedown attempt but Silva pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Mirko Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bernardo Bernardo.

Bernardo gets tackled into the cage by Silva. Silva maintains the clinch.
Bernardo has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Silva is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Bernardo can't get the takedown.
Bernardo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bernardo wants to sweep here but Silva controlling him for the moment.
Our spies down at at The Clinic inform us that Bernardo has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Bernardo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Silva gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bernardo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silva defends well.
Bernardo managing to control the position.

Bernardo looking for a guillotine here but Silva defends easily.
Silva connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bernardo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Silva gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Silva slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Bernardo is looking for a sweep.
Silva grinds an elbow into Bernardo's temple.
Bernardo prevents Silva from moving into mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bernardo taking a bit of punishment here - Silva scoring with strikes.
Silva trying to control the action but Bernardo is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernardo is trying to control Silva's posture but Silva avoids it.

Silva is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bernardo has escaped the position, nice work there.
Silva trying to control the action but Bernardo is working from the bottom.

Silva thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Bernardo manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Bernardo perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Bernardo wants to free his trapped foot but Silva is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bernardo on the ground.
Bernardo trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Bernardo stops Silva from getting back to his feet.
Silva is breathing heavily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva is staying active underneath Bernardo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bernardo tries to pass the half guard into mount. Silva knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Bernardo 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mirko Silva will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Silva is looking to clinch.
Silva misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Silva misses with a series of wild punches.
Mirko Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Bernardo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.
Mirko Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Bernardo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Bernardo drives through with a takedown into Silva's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Bernardo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bernardo trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Bernardo wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Bernardo from controlling successfully.
Silva is looking to stand up but Bernardo isn't so interested in that idea.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Bernardo Bernardo.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.
Silva is working for takedown but Bernardo is calmly controlling the position for now.
Bernardo goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silva prevents it.
Silva drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bernardo pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bernardo paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bernardo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bernardo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
Bernardo moves into range and connects with a jab.
Bernardo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bernardo dodges the punch combination from Silva.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Bernardo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernardo keeps the fight on the outside.
Bernardo with a lazy takedown attempt

and Silva counters by clinching up.
Mirko Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bernardo Bernardo.

Bernardo lands a takedown into guard.
Bernardo wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Bernardo Bernardo has got the better of the ground game so far.

Bernardo has gone for a leg lock! Silva slips out almost immediately though and dives into Bernardo's guard.
Silva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from Bernardo.
Silva wants to control from the top but Bernardo keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bernardo looking to control.

Bernardo looking for a guillotine here but Silva defends easily.
Bernardo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bernardo keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Silva sitting in guard here, content to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bernardo pulls Silva in close to his closed guard and prevents Silva from doing any damage or advancing position.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Bernardo is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bernardo Bernardo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Silva rushes Bernardo and presses him up against the cage.
Silva is looking for a takedown.
Silva is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bernardo pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Silva has Bernardo pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Silva pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Bernardo tumbling to the mat - Silva dives into Bernardo's guard.
Silva trying to control but Bernardo is working from the bottom.
Bernardo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bernardo is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bernardo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Bernardo looking to control but Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bernardo fails to advance to Silva's back.

Bernardo working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Silva is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Silva is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Bernardo has taken his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bernardo is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Bernardo is cranking Silva's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Silva! He's tightened the choke and Silva is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Bernardo Bernardo!
During a confident post fight interview, Bernardo Bernardo thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.