PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rich Downs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chad Silva Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Downs
vs
Silva Gracie

199 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rich Downs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Chad Silva Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Robert Douchet and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Downs clinches up against the cage.
Silva Gracie prevents Downs from breaking the clinch.
Silva Gracie drops down looking for an ankle pick but Downs pulls his leg out and moves away.
Downs thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Silva Gracie if he has to take too many more of those.

Downs has closed the distance and engaged Silva Gracie in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Downs misses with the head strike.
Downs misses with a hook from the clinch.
Silva Gracie gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Downs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Downs content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Silva Gracie tries to score a body lock takedown but Downs shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Downs wants a takedown.
Downs lands a shoulder strike.
Downs tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Downs controlling the action here for a moment.
Silva Gracie is pressed up against the cage. Downs has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Silva Gracie down to the mat. Silva Gracie avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rich Downs. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downs moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Downs moves in looking to clinch but Silva Gracie pushes him off.
Downs misses with a body kick.
Silva Gracie tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Downs fails with an attempt to clinch.
Downs moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromSilva Gracie.
Downs looks to land a combination but Silva Gracie avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Downs throws a half hearted mid kick.
Silva Gracie shapes to counter with a head kick.
Downs shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva Gracie as he avoids it easily.
Rich Downs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Downs looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silva Gracie thinks about the counter body kick.
Downs throws a series of punches but Silva Gracie avoids them all with ease.

Downs looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva Gracie wants to improve his position but Downs is controlling well.
Downs will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Silva Gracie regains full guard. Nicely done.
Downs working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Downs with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silva Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Downs with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rich Downs dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Silva Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva Gracie unleashes a big counter combination but Downs bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Downs looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Silva Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Downs accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Downs is looking to work some ground and pound but Silva Gracie has wrist control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva Gracie controlling Downs's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Downs working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Downs throws a strike but Silva Gracie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Silva Gracie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Downs has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Silva Gracie has managed to get both his arms back between Downs's legs - danger averted.
Silva Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Downs is retaining full guard.
Silva Gracie should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Downs has his foot on Silva Gracie's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva Gracie works his way back into a safe position though.
Downs keeping full guard, as Silva Gracie tries to pass.
Downs wants to stand up but Silva Gracie is controlling him.
Silva Gracie trying to control but Downs is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva Gracie stands and throws Downs's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Silva Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Downs is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Downs is looking for a sweep.
Downs being controlled for a moment.

Downs sneaks out the side door and pushes Silva Gracie away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Downs fails in his attempt to clinch.

Downs bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Silva Gracie manages to work his way to half guard, despite Downs's best efforts.
Downs is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva Gracie can do to turn this around?
Silva Gracie works his way to full guard. Good work.
Silva Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Downs landing some decent shots from guard.
Downs postures up in Silva Gracie's guard and throws a big left but Silva Gracie blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Downs throws a big elbow that misses.
Silva Gracie pulls Downs in to control the position.
Downs throws a big right hand that misses.
Silva Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Downs tries to clinch but Silva Gracie moves out of range.
And Silva Gracie tries to counter it with a takedown but Downs pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Downs throws a wild body kick that Silva Gracie sees coming a mile off.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Downs moves in looking to clinch but Silva Gracie pushes him off.
Downs tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Silva Gracie tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rich Downs dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Downs throws a right and a left that both miss.
And Silva Gracie tries to counter it with a takedown but Downs pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Downs fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Silva Gracie is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Downs thows a body kick. Silva Gracie tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Downs misses with a body kick.
Silva Gracie dodges the punch combination from Downs.
Silva Gracie raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Downs tries to clinch up.
Silva Gracie feints the counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Downs looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silva Gracie shapes to counter with a head kick.
Downs connects with an inside leg kick.
Downs tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Silva Gracie defends well and Downs ends up having to push Silva Gracie into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Silva Gracie is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Downs shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Downs has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downs throws a big elbow that misses.
Rich Downs overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Downs throws a strike but Silva Gracie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Silva Gracie wants to control from the top but Downs keeps moving.
Downs doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Silva Gracie stands and throws Downs's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Silva Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Downs wants to get back to his feet but Silva Gracie drags him back down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Silva Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Silva Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Downs manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Silva Gracie keeping control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva Gracie gets back to full guard.
Downs in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Downs throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Silva Gracie wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Downs throwing strikes from guard but Silva Gracie blocks nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rich Downs.
Well Downs has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rich Downs!