PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Royce Franks (ranked 4831 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rio Silva (ranked 4146 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Royce Franks has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Franks
vs
Silva

194 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
255 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight 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, Royce Franks!
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, Rio Silva!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva closes the distance and clinches.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva leaves Franks with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Silva changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Silva fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Franks manages to avoid it.

Silva moves into range and clinches up with Franks.
Franks tries to pull guard but Silva won't allow it.

Silva pulls guard.

Silva is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Silva turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Silva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Franks is trying to control Silva's posture but Silva avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franks isn't going anywhere.
Franks is trying to get back to half guard.

Silva working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Franks sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Franks wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
Franks trying to control but Silva postures up.
Silva slows the pace down in half guard.
Silva's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franks won't allow Silva to pass to mount.

Silva is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Franks has managed to free his arm - good work.
Silva controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Franks is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Franks won't allow Silva to pass to mount.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Franks.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Franks struggles to land a body shot inside as Silva controls his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rio Silva dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Silva looks to throw the jab but Franks is out of range.
Franks is looking to counter the offense by Silva and move into the clinch.

Silva gets a clinch.
Silva taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Franks wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Silva has him pressed against the cage.

Silva decides to pull guard.
Franks wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Franks is proving a slippery customer.

Franks stands and steps away. Silva gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Franks.

Silva looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Franks!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva happy to just control the position for now.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Franks is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Franks is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Silva decides to stand up, so the ref orders Franks to his feet.

Silva clinches.
Franks wants to stall.

Silva has Franks pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Silva pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Franks tumbling to the mat - Silva dives into Franks's guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Franks keeps moving.
Franks knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Franks controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
Silva wants to control from the top but Franks keeps moving.
Franks keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Silva passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Franks keeps working.
Franks wants to get back to full guard.
Franks won't allow Silva to pass to mount.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Franks is working away.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Franks is looking to improve his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rio Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Silva closes the distance and clinches.

Silva decides to pull guard.
Rio Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Franks showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva has his hands on Franks's head, controlling the position.
Franks wants to stand but Silva is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Franks wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Silva's closed guard. He's half up but Silva has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Silva pivots and extends the arm, Franks falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Silva! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rio Silva!