PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Diego Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hugo de Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Silva
vs
de Castro

183 cm
24
163 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but de Castro swats him away and circles back towards the center.
de Castro closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.

de Castro moves into the clinch.
de Castro has had enough of the clinch but Silva keeps him there for the moment.
Silva wants to break free but de Castro has control.
Silva goes for a takedown attempt but de Castro pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Silva gets a clinch.
Silva tries to throw a body punch but de Castro avoids it by throwing Silva back against the cage.
de Castro has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Silva is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Silva lands a body shot.
de Castro is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Silva tries to score a body lock takedown but de Castro shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Silva has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics de Castro uses from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
de Castro is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Silva scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
de Castro tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
de Castro tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
de Castro tries for a takedown but Silva sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Diego Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hugo de Castro.
Silva fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
de Castro throws a sloppy head kick

and Silva counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

de Castro throws his legs up looking for a submission but Silva uses it to pass to side control.
You can see the frustration on de Castro's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
de Castro tries to bench press Silva off him but Silva keeps the position.
Silva prevents de Castro from escaping the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if de Castro can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but de Castro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
de Castro tries to improve position but can't.
de Castro wants to control but Silva postures up.
Silva tries to advance to mount but can't.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
de Castro has his takedown stuffed

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Silva is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
de Castro has his hands on Silva's head, controlling the position.
de Castro throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
de Castro has Silva pulled in close to control his posture.
de Castro's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

de Castro is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
de Castro looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Silva puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.
de Castro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silva.

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.
de Castro preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Silva slows the pace down in half guard.
de Castro desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Silva thows a huge punch but de Castro dodges it nicely.
de Castro is looking for a sweep. Silva is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Silva dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Silva looks for a takedown but de Castro sprawls well.
de Castro is looking to clinch.
Silva tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but de Castro swivels and escapes.
de Castro has a takedown stuffed.
de Castro shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

de Castro takes the fight into the clinch.
Silva swings away with an uppercut that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva wants to stall.
de Castro can't break the clinch.
de Castro tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Silva smiles and moves away.
Diego Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hugo de Castro.
de Castro misses with a jab, cross combination.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
de Castro tries to clinch up

and Silva counters with a takedown into side control.
de Castro 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 gets to mount! de Castro was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
de Castro can't escape the position.
de Castro is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
de Castro tries to hold on but Silva postures up.
de Castro gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
de Castro is trying to stand up here but Silva is controlling him well.
de Castro keeps control of the position for the meantime.
de Castro gets back to full guard.

de Castro looking for a guillotine here but Silva defends easily.
Silva postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
de Castro has control of Silva's left arm, preventing Silva from doing any damage.
de Castro trying to strike off his back.
Silva is fighting to break de Castro's control of his arms but de Castro is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
de Castro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
de Castro wants to stand and escape but Silva is having none of it.

de Castro working for a triangle but Silva defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
de Castro keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
de Castro has his hands on Silva's head, controlling the position.

de Castro pushes Silva off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
de Castro tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Silva dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

de Castro shoots in but Silva avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Silva gets a takedown into half guard.
Silva prevents de Castro from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva tries to stand but his hand is stuck under de Castro.
Silva prevents de Castro from improving his position.
de Castro wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
de Castro moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

de Castro kicks Silva off and gets to his feet.
de Castro tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Silva moves out of range of the body kick.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and de Castro counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
de Castro doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
de Castro has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
de Castro pulls Silva in close to his closed guard and prevents Silva from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

de Castro is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
de Castro has his hands on Silva's head, controlling the position.
de Castro 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.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
de Castro throws an elbow that misses.
de Castro looking for a takedown.
Diego Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hugo de Castro.
de Castro wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.

de Castro manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
de Castro working a defensive guard here.

de Castro pushes Silva off and scrambles back to his feet.
de Castro fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hugo de Castro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Diego Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva blocks a head kick by de Castro.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Diego Silva.
Well Silva has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27

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