PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Andre Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frankie Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Rua
vs
Silva

188 cm
25
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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, Andre Rua!
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, Frankie Silva!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Silva.
Rua defending well as Silva loads up on a big left hand.
Some wild striking there from Rua.

Rua clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the cage.
Silva working Rua over with knees to the body.
Rua working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Silva is working for takedown but Rua is calmly controlling the position for now.
Silva tries to pull guard but Rua won't allow it.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Silva.
Rua avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva tries a knee to the head but Rua blocks it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rua.
Silva tries to land knees in the clinch but Rua avoids the damage to the body.
Rua avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Rua is blocking nicely.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silva throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rua blocks it with crossed arms.
Rua tries to circle away but Silva has him pinned against the cage.
Rua lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Silva backwards.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but Rua blocks with his arms.
Rua lands with a short shot to the head.
Silva has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Rua seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Silva can turn it around.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rua avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rua blocks an uppercut.
Silva landing knees to the body.
Rua blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Silva is working for takedown but Rua is calmly controlling the position for now.
Andre Rua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Silva.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Silva is trying to pull guard but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rua makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Silva throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Rua throws a right hand that Silva ducks under and follows up with a left that Silva also avoids with ease.
Silva looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Rua has Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva trying to land knees to the body.
Rua tries to break the clinch but Silva is controlling the position.
Silva landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Silva fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Silva wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Silva jumps guard but Rua turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.
Rua blocks an uppercut.
Silva is trying to break the clinch but Rua is controlling him.
Silva throws a knee to the head but misses.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rua is trying to break the clinch but Silva is controlling him.

Rua has hold of one of Silva's legs. Silva is fighting the takedown attempt but Rua gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Silva has his foot on Rua's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rua works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua wants to stand but Silva is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rua loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Silva dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rua works the jab nicely.
An inside leg kick lands from Silva.
Silva tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rua swivels and escapes.
No joy there for Rua, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Rua clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the cage.
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rua scores with a shoulder strike.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Silva tries a knee to the head but Rua blocks it.
A nice left hand lands by Rua.

Rua is trying to trip Silva. He has hold of a leg but Silva is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Rua persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Silva is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Rua rolls with it to try and escape but Silva cranks on the arm and Rua is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Frankie Silva!