PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcos Lepe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva's entrance music is Patiently Waiting Remix. A fine choice. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Silva
vs
Lepe

188 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcos Lepe!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Matheus Silva and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva fails to land the takedown.
Silva looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Silva shoots in and bounces Lepe off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Silva is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Lepe is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Lepe has escaped and now he's on top!

Silva keeping busy on the bottom but Lepe has passed one foot through into half guard.
Lepe with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Silva wants to get back to full guard but Lepe has passed into side control.
Silva working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lepe landing strikes from the mount.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.
Lepe controlling from mount.
Lepe trying to control but Silva is having none of it.
Silva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lepe is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Anderson Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva scores with a takedown into Lepe's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lepe scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Lepe controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
Lepe looking for a sweep. Not yet Lepe, not yet.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lepe swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lepe seems keen to control Silva's posture.
Silva chips away with some ground and pound.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Silva stands up over Lepe, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lepe seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Silva throws a strike but Lepe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.
Lepe lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to stand and escape but Lepe is having none of it.
Lepe advances position into side control!
Lepe landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Silva tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Lepe presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Silva is squirming around, avoiding Lepe's attempts to control the action.
Lepe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lepe controlling the position easily from mount.
Lepe wants to control the pace but Silva is squirming around nicely.
Silva is in all sorts of trouble here.
Silva sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Lepe postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Silva to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lepe instigates a clinch.
Silva wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anderson Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lepe gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Silva prevents Lepe from breaking the clinch.
Silva is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Lepe tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the cage.
Lepe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Silva has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Lepe is trying to keep an underhook but Silva manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Silva decides to return to a standing position.

Lepe moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva trying to stall but Lepe improves his position.
Lepe tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the cage.
Silva stalling the fight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Marcos Lepe will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Silva drives through with a takedown into guard.
Silva is in close to Lepe's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Lepe looking for a sweep. Not yet Lepe, not yet.
Silva working some strikes from top position.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but Lepe blocks nicely.
Lepe lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Silva stands up over Lepe, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Silva content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lepe is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Silva thows a big elbow that misses.
Silva with a nice head shot there.
Lepe has a closed guard, preventing Silva from standing up.
Silva works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Anderson Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Silva is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Silva missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Silva working the head and body with strikes.
Silva passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Lepe!
Silva putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

It looks like Marcos Lepe has been cut.
Silva lands a nice shot to the head.

Lepe is rocked!
Lepe tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Silva goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Lepe turns into him and now he's in Silva's guard.

Lepe gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Silva shoots in but Lepe avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Lepe shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lepe gets a takedown into half guard.
Silva taking some punishment here, with Lepe in his half guard.
Silva is trying to stand.
Silva tries to roll over but Lepe keeps him under control.
Lepe trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lepe prevents Silva from improving his position.
Silva has a hand on Lepe's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Lepe takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Lepe looking to control but Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Silva has given up his back. Will we see Lepe going for some submissions?
Silva holding both Lepe 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva fending off the submission attempt from Lepe.
Lepe has the hooks in. Silva is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Silva manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.

Silva shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Silva was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Silva lands with some strikes.
Lepe is wriggling around trying to escape.
Silva lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Silva looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva landing shots from mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Silva moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Lepe has worked his arm free - good work by Lepe!
Lepe wants to control but Silva postures up.
Lepe gets back to half guard.
Lepe is trying to stand up here but Silva is controlling him well.
Lepe gets back to full guard.
Silva throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Lepe is proving hard to escape from.

Lepe working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from Lepe.
Silva throws a strike but Lepe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Silva dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Marcos Lepe's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Silva fails with the takedown

and Lepe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Silva is working hard here to advance position.
Lepe is keen to just control but Silva is a slippery customer.
Silva regains full guard. Nicely done.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Lepe from controlling successfully.
Lepe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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

and Lepe counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Lepe tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Silva smiles and moves away.
Silva looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anderson Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lepe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Silva shoots in and drives through. Lepe sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Lepe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Lepe stops Silva from getting back to his feet.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Silva manages to get to full guard.
Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Lepe is looking to get to half guard.

Silva jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Lepe is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Lepe and Silva has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Lepe sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Lepe gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Silva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva throws a strike but Lepe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Lepe controlling from the top position.
Lepe wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Lepe is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Silva wants to improve his position but instead Lepe has moved into half guard.
Lepe lands with a punch from half guard.
Lepe trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
Silva is pressing down on Lepe's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Lepe decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lepe darts in and clinches Silva up against the cage.
Lepe is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Lepe is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Silva is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lepe gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Lepe lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Lepe manages to break the clinch.

Lepe feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Lepe trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Lepe pushes down on Silva's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Silva tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Silva slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Silva is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Lepe is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lepe manages to get to full guard.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Lepe is keeping the position.
Silva forces his way into half guard.
Lepe is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lepe is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Silva scores with a couple of nice shots.
Lepe tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.
Silva lands with a punch from half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lepe is looking to improve his position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Silva connects with a nice short shot to Lepe's temple.
Lepe pushes Silva off looking to stand but Silva dives back in and keeps control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcos Lepe comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lepe 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Marcos Lepe!