PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robert Matos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Matos
vs
Silva

175 cm
20
169 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

179 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Robert Matos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Scott Silva!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Mauricio Rocha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from Matos. Those never looked like landing.

Matos clinches with his opponent.

Matos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Matos on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Matos tries to clinch

and Silva moves into the clinch.

Matos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Silva gets tackled into the cage by Matos. Matos maintains the clinch.

Matos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Silva is looking to clinch but Matos is avoiding it.
Silva looks for a takedown but Matos sprawls well.
Matos keeps the fight on the outside.

Silva fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Matos, pushing him back against the cage.
Silva is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Silva has closed the distance and engaged Matos in a clinch.

Matos manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Robert Matos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Matos throws a series of punches but Silva moves out of range.
Matos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Silva is looking to clinch.

Silva closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Silva thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Silva tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Silva is trying to get an arm triangle but Matos is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Silva is trying to get an arm triangle but Matos is defending well.
Matos is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Matos tries to escape but Silva is in control.

Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Silva is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Matos knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Silva looks gassed!

Silva goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Matos has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Silva but great work by Matos.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Matos decides to stand up, so the ref orders Silva to his feet.
Silva throws a right and a left that Matos avoids nicely.
Matos moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Matos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Silva looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Matos!
Matos is trying to stand up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Silva goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Matos turns into him and now he's in Silva's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Matos trying to stand up but can't free himself from Silva's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Matos defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Silva.
Matos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Matos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Silva shoots in but no luck this time.

Silva clinches.
Silva tries to pull guard but Matos holds him up against the cage and eventually Silva drops back down to his feet.
Robert Matos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Scott Silva.

Matos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Matos tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matos tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Silva prevents Matos from standing back up.
Silva is breathing heavily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva is working for a submission of some sort.
Matos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.

Silva is looking for a kimura but Matos is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Silva to get the leverage.
Matos is trying to stand.

Silva seems to be working for a kimura but Matos defends the submission attempt.
Matos wants to get back to his feet.
Matos trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Matos is defending against the submission attempts here by Silva.
Matos tries to kick Silva off but Silva keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Scott Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.

Silva is working for a submission of some sort.

Silva looking for a submission but Matos manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Silva won't allow Matos to get back to his feet.

Silva has gone for a leg lock! Matos slips out almost immediately though and dives into Silva's guard.
Matos wants to stand but Silva is controlling his posture from full guard.

Matos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Silva is working an open guard so Matos takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Matos misses with a jab, cross combination.
Matos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Matos wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Matos will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Matos moves to clinch but Silva breaks away

and Silva counters with a takedown into side control.

Silva thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Silva thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Matos wants to clinch.
Matos misses with the combination.
Silva fails with the takedown.
Silva wants to clinch
and Matos counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.
Robert Matos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matos tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Oooooh!!! Matos has knocked Silva down with a huge combo! Matos steps away and waves a wobbly Silva back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Scott Silva has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Matos misses with a wild combination.
Matos tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Matos wants to clinch

and Silva decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Matos's guard.

Silva is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Matos is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.

Silva drops back looking for a leg! Matos is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Matos manages to kick Silva off! Silva jumps back into Matos's guard.

Matos pushes Silva off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matos lands a two punch combo.
Matos is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Matos moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Matos throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Silva counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Matos!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Matos is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Silva looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Silva is looking to take Matos's back but instead Matos gets back to half guard. Nice work.

Silva seems to be working for a kimura but Matos defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva is working for a kimura but Matos is defending it quite comfortably.

Matos kicks off Silva and gets to his feet.
Matos connects with a single shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A right-left combo lands from Matos.
Matos wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Matos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Matos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Matos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silva.
Matos swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Matos is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Matos closes the distance but Silva moves to the side

and Silva counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Matos!
Robert Matos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Silva goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Matos is on top in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Matos working some strikes from top position.

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 Robert Matos.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scott Silva!