PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Taj Mahal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zenobio Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Silva's choice of entrance music: Amazing - Kanye West. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mahal
vs
Silva

175 cm
18
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Demonic Drugs
Demonic Drugs

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Taj Mahal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zenobio Silva!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mahal tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
No luck for Mahal with that takedown attempt.
Zenobio Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Silva.
Silva tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva working away.
Mahal sneaks back into half guard.
Silva lands strikes from half guard.
Mahal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Silva thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mahal's head.
Mahal trying to hold on to Silva's head to control him but Silva postures up.

Mahal looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahal wants to get back to his feet.
Silva thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mahal's head.
Mahal trying to control here.

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

Silva clinches up with Mahal and pushes him back against the cage.

Mahal has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Silva is trying to keep an underhook but Mahal manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Mahal stops Silva from getting back to his feet.
Silva missing with punches from the bottom.

Mahal wants to work for an arm triangle but Silva is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahal wants to take a breather but Silva is having none of it.
Mahal is breathing heavily.
Silva tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Mahal thows a huge punch but Silva dodges it nicely.
Silva tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice sprawl there from Mahal as Silva shoots in.

Silva rushes Mahal and presses him up against the cage.

Silva successfully pulls guard.

Mahal drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Silva dives on top into guard.

Mahal has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Silva makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahal working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silva.
Silva is looking to stand up but Mahal won't let him.
Silva lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mahal wants to improve his position but instead Silva has moved into half guard.
Silva winds up and cracks Mahal with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
It looks like Silva is going to stand back up.
Mahal has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Silva is working away from the top position though.

Silva stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Silva scores with a four punch combination!
Silva looks to land a combination but Mahal avoids it well.

Silva clinches with his opponent.
Mahal wants a takedown but no success here.
Silva drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mahal pulls his leg out and moves away.

Mahal scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Mahal seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Silva clinches but Mahal breaks the clinch

and Mahal counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Mahal tries to score a body lock takedown but Silva shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Mahal keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Mahal pulls guard effortlessly.

Mahal is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Silva wants to control from the top but Mahal keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva is looking to work some ground and pound but Mahal has wrist control.
Silva slips nicely into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva is tying to control. Mahal wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahal on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mahal is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Silva scores with a couple of nice shots.
Silva sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mahal defending well though.
Mahal wants to get back to full guard.

Mahal actively working from the bottom here.
Silva takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mahal keeps working.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nice straight punches there by Silva. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Silva.
Silva throws a head kick that half lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Silva is looking to clinch but Mahal is avoiding it.
Silva changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mahal tries to avoid it but Silva manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mahal to the ground. Mahal escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mahal tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily
letting Silva counter with a right hand.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Mahal swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A right-left combo lands from Silva.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Mahal's front leg but catches the back leg as Mahal tries to avoid it.
Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mahal darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mahal thows a huge punch but Silva dodges it nicely.

Mahal is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Silva defends it well.
Mahal trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva pushes Mahal off looking to stand but Mahal dives back in and keeps control.
Silva is looking to control Mahal's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Silva avoid being mounted?
Silva is trying to stand up here but Mahal is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mahal working Silva over with strikes.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Silva misses the jab.
Mahal has his takedown stuffed
and Silva counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taj Mahal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mahal has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva scores with a sloppy right hand. Mahal should have avoided that one.
Silva lands a right hook to the body.
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 Taj Mahal will probably get the nod.
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!

Mahal avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silva misses with a few strikes there.

Silva gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Mahal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva looks for the body kick but Mahal saw that one coming.
Some wild striking there from Silva.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right-left combo lands from Silva.
Silva misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahal shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Silva fails in his attempt to clinch.
Silva fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Mahal is out of range.
Mahal tries for a takedown but Silva sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Silva drives through and clinches with Mahal against the cage.
Mahal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mahal can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taj Mahal. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Silva pulls guard.
Mahal prevents Silva from getting back to his feet.

Mahal stands up and waves to Silva to follow him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mahal misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A lazy left from Silva finds it's target.
Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mahal counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mahal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Silva is working for takedown but Mahal is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mahal is pressed up against the cage. Silva has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mahal down to the mat. Mahal avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Mahal shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mahal was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mahal sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mahal swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Silva is now in Mahal's guard. A big mistake from Mahal there, giving up the dominant position!
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mahal swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Taj Mahal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva tries to stand but Mahal is controlling from the bottom.

Mahal is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
Silva postures up.

Silva avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taj Mahal showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mahal 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Taj Mahal!