PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anders Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stevo Santucci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Silva
vs
Santucci

190 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
183 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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, Anders Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Stevo Santucci!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Santucci pushes him off.

Silva clinches with his opponent.
Santucci lands a hook that snaps the head of Silva backwards.
Santucci landing knees to the body.
Silva scores with a nice hook to the head.
Santucci lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Santucci connects with a nasty looking knee right to Silva's face.
Santucci stalling in the clinch but Silva improves position.
Silva lands a nice knee to the body.
Santucci managing to block the knees to the body from Silva.
Good body shot from Silva.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santucci avoids the head kick by Silva.

Silva drives through and clinches with Santucci against the cage.
Santucci lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Anders Silva has been cut.

Santucci manages to break the clinch.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Silva throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Santucci's waist but Santucci gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Silva off to one side.
Silva looks to land a left hand but Santucci moved out of range nicely.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Santucci thuds his shin into the meat of Silva's side.
Santucci changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Silva tries to clinch but Santucci is having none of it.

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

Silva clinches with his opponent.
Santucci trying to stall but Silva improves his position.
Santucci throws an elbow that misses.
Silva is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Santucci is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Silva is trying to break free.
Santucci throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Santucci stalling the fight.
Santucci wants a takedown but no success here.
Santucci tries to land a knee to the head but Silva blocks with his arms.

Santucci breaks the clinch.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch.
Santucci leaning his opponent against the cage.
Silva gets underhooks to prevent Santucci's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santucci stops a takedown attempt from Silva.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anders Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva just leaning against Santucci, taking a breather.
Santucci lands an elbow inside.
Silva looking to stall.
Santucci using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Silva has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Santucci misses with an elbow strike.
Santucci is pressed up against the cage. Silva has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Santucci down to the mat. Santucci avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Santucci circles away from the clinch attempt

and Santucci counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Silva is trying to keep Santucci in close.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Silva throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva wriggles free and stands up.
Silva tries to clinch but Santucci moves away
and Santucci counters with a body kick that stops Silva in his tracks momentarily.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Silva moves out of range as Santucci throws a body kick.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Santucci avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Santucci pushes him off.

Santucci moves into the clinch successfully.
With the fighters up against the cage, Santucci throws an elbow but misses.
Silva using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Silva shoots in but Santucci avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Santucci throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.
Santucci throws the kick towards the body but Silva avoids it.
Silva shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Santucci misses with a two punch combination.
Santucci tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santucci wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Silva wants to clinch
and Santucci counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Silva.
Santucci lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Santucci circles away from the clinch attempt
and Santucci counters with a straight right hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva closes the distance but Santucci moves to the side

and Santucci counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santucci controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stevo Santucci dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anders Silva's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Silva looks for a takedown but Santucci sprawls well.

Silva scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santucci keeps working.
Santucci is looking for a sweep.
Santucci is not content to let Silva control the position.
Santucci manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santucci is trying to control but can't.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Silva lands a nice short elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santucci keeps working.

Silva gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Silva lands a head kick. Santucci smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Silva fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Santucci moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Silva closes the distance looking to clinch
and Santucci counters with a nice body kick.
Silva tries to clinch up
and Santucci counters with a solid body kick.

Silva has closed the distance and engaged Santucci in a clinch.
Silva landing knees to the body.
Silva lands a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santucci lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Santucci wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Silva has him pressed against the cage.

Santucci escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santucci throws a lazy body kick

and Silva counters with a flying knee that sends his opponent to the canvas! Silva looking to finish!

Santucci is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Silva gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Santucci is still on wobbly legs! Can Silva finish him?
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Silva misses with the body kick
and Santucci counters with a body kick that stops Silva in his tracks momentarily.
Silva throws a sloppy head kick

and Santucci counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Santucci.
Santucci lands an elbow inside that Silva shrugs off.
Santucci seems to have recovered his senses.

Santucci manages to break the clinch.
Santucci scores with a nice body kick.

Silva gets caught flat footed, as Santucci shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Santucci is stalling in the full guard.
Silva is striking from the bottom but Santucci uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Silva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Santucci controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Santucci from controlling successfully.

Santucci decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Silva, up you get!

Santucci closes the distance and clinches.
Santucci wants to stall.
Santucci changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Silva fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Silva throws a lazy head kick

and Santucci counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santucci is fighting off a takedown attempt but Silva is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Santucci to the mat. Santucci regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Santucci keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Santucci has control of Silva's left arm, preventing Silva from doing any damage.
Santucci trying to control the position.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Santucci is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Silva drops back, looking for a kneebar! Santucci looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Santucci looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Santucci!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santucci working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anders Silva dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Anders Silva's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Silva looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Santucci is fending him off so far but Silva persists. Nope, Santucci circles away and we're back to standing.
Silva closes the distance looking to clinch
and Santucci makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Silva has Santucci up against the cage in a clinch.
Santucci looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Santucci prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva shoots in but no luck this time.
Santucci tries to land a body kick

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into side control. Santucci won't be happy with that.
Silva fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Silva moves into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Silva is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Santucci has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva fails to advance to Santucci's back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva controlling the pace for now.

Silva swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Santucci is now in Silva's guard. A big mistake from Silva there, giving up the dominant position!
Santucci controlling from the top position.
Santucci wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Silva holds on and takes a little breather.

Silva is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Santucci manages to get himself to full guard.
Silva distracts Santucci with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Santucci is retaining full guard.
Santucci keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Silvais looking to pass into half guard but Santucci pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Santucci is in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Silva scoring with strikes but Santucci is staying in there.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.
Anders Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santucci is trying desperately to improve position.
Santucci tries to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
Santucci's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Santucci tries to hold on but Silva postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Silva looking to ground and pound but Santucci is blocking nicely.
Silva throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Santucci in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Silva goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Santucci is on top in guard.
Santucci wants to stand but Silva is controlling his posture from full guard.

Santucci gets to his feet. Silva looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

And that's the end of the fight!
Anders Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

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