PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Gustafsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gustafsson
vs
Silva

195 cm
21
205 lbs
1 - 4 - 1

185 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 1 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alexander Gustafsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thiago Silva!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gustafsson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Silva wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Silva is looking to regain half guard here but Gustafsson keeps moving and retains side control.
Silva trying to remain calm as Gustafsson controls from the top position.
Silva tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

Gustafsson decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Silva wants to clinch up but Gustafsson keeps it at a distance.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Gustafsson.
Silva looks gassed!
Gustafsson shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Gustafsson, right into the meat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gustafsson ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gustafsson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A right-left combo lands from Gustafsson.

It looks like Thiago Silva has been cut.

Gustafsson closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gustafsson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Gustafsson has Silva up against the cage in a clinch.

Gustafsson breaks the clinch.
An inside leg kick lands from Gustafsson.

Gustafsson looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Gustafsson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Gustafsson lands with a punch from half guard.
Silva punching from the bottom.
Gustafsson stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Gustafsson wants to get back to his feet.
Gustafsson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Silva for as long as he can get away with.

Silva actively working from the bottom here.
Gustafsson controlling the action here.
Gustafsson is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Silva!
Silva taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Silva throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Gustafsson prevents Silva from getting the reversal.
Gustafsson controlling the pace for now.

Gustafsson working for a submission but Silva is keeping him at bay.
Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gustafsson controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Gustafsson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thiago Silva's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Silva misses the shot to the body.

Gustafsson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gustafsson wants to pass the guard but Silva is defending well.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gustafsson content to control rather than advance.
Silva on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson is taking a breather. Silva 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.
Silva is breathing heavily.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Alexander Gustafsson just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gustafsson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Gustafsson.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gustafsson.

Gustafsson pulls guard effortlessly.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gustafsson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Silva missing with punches from the bottom.
Silva tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Gustafsson works his foot free and advances to mount.
Gustafsson controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Gustafsson is landing with some decent strikes but Silva is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gustafsson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Gustafsson looking to finish Silva with some ground and pound. This is bad for Silva!
Silva throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to reverse the position but Gustafsson maintains control.
Gustafsson controlling from the full mount.
Gustafsson lands with some strikes.
Gustafsson lands with some strikes.
Gustafsson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Silva can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gustafsson controlling the pace for now.
Gustafsson with the ground and pound from mount.
Gustafsson controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Gustafsson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Thiago Silva's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gustafsson lands a jab-cross combination.
Alexander Gustafsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gustafsson throws a low kick but it's checked well by Silva.

Silva looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Gustafsson moves into full guard.
Gustafsson is controlling Silva's posture.
Gustafsson trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Alexander Gustafsson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustafsson is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Alexander Gustafsson just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Gustafsson misses with the combination.
Gustafsson moves out of range of the strikes.

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

Gustafsson decides to stand up.
Gustafsson looks for the body kick but Silva saw that one coming.
Silva keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Silva has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gustafsson is trying to break the clinch but Silva has him pressed against the cage.
Silva crunches a lovely knee into Gustafsson's ribcage.
Gustafsson wants a takedown but no success here.
Gustafsson gets underhooks to prevent Silva's takedown attempt.

Gustafsson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gustafsson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Gustafsson shows good takedown defense.
Gustafsson's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Gustafsson duly obliges.
Silva wants to clinch.
Gustafsson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gustafsson lands a body shot.
Silva tries for a takedown but Gustafsson circles away easily
and Gustafsson counters with a one-two to the body.
Alexander Gustafsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Silva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gustafsson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gustafsson wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

Silva throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gustafsson escapes and throws Silva's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Silva misses with a strike from the bottom.
Gustafsson is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Silva's shoulder. That is not cool.
Gustafsson landing a few strikes.
Gustafsson lands an elbow.
Gustafsson in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to bench press Gustafsson off him but Gustafsson keeps the position.
Gustafsson controls the position from side control.

Gustafsson stands up.

Silva scores with a takedown into Gustafsson's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gustafsson is on top in guard.
Thiago Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alexander Gustafsson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Silva looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Gustafsson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gustafsson 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:26
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:26
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Gustafsson!