PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samoel Croco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Silva
vs
Croco

185 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

WIN! Nutritional Co. - RJ

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alexander 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, Samoel Croco!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Luis Engracia and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Croco decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Silva looking for submissions off his back.
Croco thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Croco is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva is trying to control but can't.
Croco throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Silva slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Croco lands a couple of digs.
Croco in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Croco must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Croco is working Silva over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva working for a triangle but Croco defends it easily.
Silva is breathing heavily.

Croco has gone for a leg lock! Silva slips out almost immediately though and dives into Croco's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Croco can do anything to dispel that myth.
Croco is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Croco is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.
Croco looking to control.
Croco seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Silva preventing the sweep.

That's two 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 passes Croco's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Croco tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Croco is staying active underneath Silva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Croco is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Croco really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Croco does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Croco 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.
Croco stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to control.
Croco postures up and lands a big shot to Silva's brow.
Croco is in close to Silva's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Croco wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Croco working some strikes from top position.
Croco lands a couple of elbows.
Croco postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Silva not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Croco shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Croco lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Silva wants to hold on but Croco pushes him away.
Silva in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Croco breaks from Silva's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Silva taking shots to the head.
Croco prevents Silva from getting the reversal.
Croco pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Croco lands a heavy elbow.
Croco is landing with some decent strikes but Silva is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Silva tries to hold on but Croco pushes him away.
Croco is landing with some decent strikes but Silva is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva tries to clinch up but Croco circles away and keeps his distance.
Croco misses with a takedown attempt - Silva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Croco counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.
Silva takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Croco lands some shots froms side control.
Check out the look on Croco's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Croco scoring with punches from side control.
Silva taking punishment in the form of punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Croco stands up.
Silva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Croco drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Croco sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.

Croco drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Croco jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Croco works over Silva with some ground and pound from guard.
Croco landing with the ground and pound.
Silva working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croco stands up over Silva, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Croco shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Silva taking shots to the head.
Croco lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Croco has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Silva's face.
Croco lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Croco controlling his opponent.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Croco working the ground and pound effectively.
Silva is desperately trying to improve his position but Croco has a good base and remains in mount.
Croco breaks from Silva's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Croco avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
Samoel Croco has got the better of the ground game so far.
Croco prevents Silva from getting the reversal.
Croco can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Silva is looking to escape.
Silva working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Silva is working hard here to advance position.
Croco with a couple of short strikes.
Croco unloading with bombs!
BOOM! Croco connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Croco lands a big elbow.
Croco working the ground and pound effectively.
Croco looking to finish Silva with some ground and pound. This is bad for Silva!
Croco is landing with some decent strikes but Silva is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Croco tries to control but Silva wriggling away.
Silva in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samoel Croco showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Croco circles away.

Croco pushes Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Silva can't break the clinch.
Silva fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Croco keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Silva is trying to break free.

Silva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Croco gets a takedown into half guard.
Ground and pound from Croco.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Croco has control of the leg.
Ground and pound from Croco.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Croco landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Silva trying to control here.
Silva is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Croco scores with a couple of nice shots.
Croco with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Croco is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Croco slips a nice elbow through Silva's hands, connecting with Silva's forehead.
Silva tries to kick Croco off but Croco keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Croco wants to control but Silva is keeping him busy.
Croco scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Nice strikes from Croco there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Croco seems to be working for a kimura but Silva defends the submission attempt.
Silva trying to control from the bottom.
Silva keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Croco missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Croco shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Croco was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Silva is trying to escape the mount.
Silva in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Silva is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Silva that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Croco looking to control and managing it successfully.

Croco moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Silva has worked his arm free - good work by Silva!
Croco landing a few strikes.
Silva managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Croco.
Silva is trying to control Croco's posture but Croco avoids it.
Croco lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Croco sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Silva is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Silva gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Silva is trying to control but can't.
Well, if Croco is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Silva is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Croco's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Croco's back!

Croco is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Croco tries to escape but Silva has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samoel Croco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Croco winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samoel Croco!