PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between wanderlai silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Acelino Popo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

silva
vs
Popo

207 cm
22
185 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

185 cm
23
182 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, wanderlai silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Acelino Popo!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
silva shoots for a takedown but Popo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
silva shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Popo pinned against the cage. Popo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
silva shoots for a double leg takedown but Popo sprawls well. He's pushed silva's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for wanderlai silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
silva looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
silva throws a sloppy head kick and Popo moves out of range easily.
silva slips a jab and a cross from Popo.
silva works over Popo's head and body with a nice combination.

Popo clinches up against the ropes.
Stalling in the clinch from Popo.
Popo lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Popo gets control of silva's arms and successfully pulls guard. Popo will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Popo keeping moving, preventing silva from controlling successfully.
Popo trying to control the position.
silva wants to control from the top but Popo keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Popo scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Popo closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Popo lands in his opponent's guard.
silva keeping moving, preventing Popo from controlling successfully.
Popo prevents silva from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
silva working a defensive guard here.

silva escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Popo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Popo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Popo wants to control from the top but silva keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Popo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Popo wants to stand but silva is controlling his posture from full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Popo drives through and clinches with silva against the ropes.
Popo will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning silva up against the ropes.

Popo has picked silva up - he's going for a ride! Popo dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Popo wants to lay and pray for a moment but silva keeps working.
silva is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Popo is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and silva defends it well.
Popo wants to control but silva is keeping him busy.
Popo looks gassed!
silva wants to control but Popo is keeping busy.
Popo is stalling here. silva is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Popo seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and silva has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
silva trying to control the position but Popo is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
silva gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Popo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popo takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
silva won't allow Popo to pass to mount.
silva is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Popo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Popo's back!
Popo can't escape the position.
silva tries to get the hooks in deep but Popo pushed the leg off.

Popo showing good submission defense here.
Popo trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Acelino Popo dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Popo throws a body punch but silva moves out of range.
silva shoots and misses

and Popo counters with a shoot takedown. silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Popo wanted to stand there but silva had control of the position.
Popo trying to control the position from guard on top but silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
silva keeping moving, preventing Popo from controlling successfully.
silva working a defensive guard here.
silva will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Popo is breathing heavily.
silva working a defensive guard but Popo passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
silva wants to get back to full guard.
Popo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Popo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Popo counters with a takedown into side control.
Popo tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
silva gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Popo tries to stand and escape but silva is controlling the position.
silva tries to roll over but Popo keeps him under control.
Popo tries to stand and escape but silva actually recovers to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Popo throws a sloppy strike and silva has hooked up an armbar on the loose arm! He's turned and extended fully! Popo is forced to tap! Great BJJ from silva!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:28 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). wanderlai silva!