PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Big Shasta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Silva
vs
Shasta

185 cm
20
176 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Rivers Edge Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago 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, Big Shasta!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Daniel Cesar and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shasta swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
Shasta darts in trying to clinch

and Silva decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Shasta's guard.
Silva trying to control but Shasta is working from the bottom.
Shasta working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shasta 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Shasta is keeping the position.
Shasta has a closed guard, preventing Silva from standing up.
Silva won't allow Shasta to sweep him here.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Silva bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Shasta struggling a bit here.
Silva taking a break here but Shasta is having none of it and regains half guard.
Shasta has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Silva is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Shasta is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shasta keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Shasta trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

Silva working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shasta is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Shasta looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Silva wants to control but Shasta is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Silva tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Shasta has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Silva is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shasta controlling from mount.
Silva is in all sorts of trouble here.
Silva tries to lock up and control but Shasta gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Shasta controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Shasta trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Silva sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Silva has one foot on Shasta's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shasta wants to clinch but Silva slips to the side

and Silva counters by clinching up.

Silva ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Silva no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Shasta must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Silva keeping full guard, as Shasta tries to pass.
Silva throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Shasta preventing the sweep.
Silva is working hard here to advance position.

Silva is working an open guard so Shasta takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Shasta shows good takedown defense.
Shasta tries to clinch

and Silva counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Shasta!
Shasta wants to control but Silva is having none of it.
Shasta is working to get back to half guard.
Silva throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Silva dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Shasta counters by clinching up.

Shasta breaks the clinch.
Silva tries for a takedown but Shasta circles away easily

and Shasta counters by clinching up.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Shasta is controlling the position.
Shasta tries to score a body lock takedown but Silva shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Shasta escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Shasta counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva can't get the takedown.
Shasta tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A short left from Shasta.
Shasta lands a good knee to the midsection. Silva won't want to take too many of those.
Shasta lands a knee to the head.

Shasta breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shasta is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shasta has managed to clinch.

Shasta pulls guard effortlessly.
Shasta manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.
Shasta controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Shasta trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Silva is working an open guard so Shasta takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shasta tries to clinch up.
Silva throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Shasta's waist but Shasta gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Silva off to one side.

Shasta clinches up against the cage.
Shasta effectively controlling the action here.
Silva is pressed up against the cage. Shasta has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Silva down to the mat. Silva avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Shasta tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Silva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Shasta but Shasta pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Shasta moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shasta gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Shasta breaks from the clinch.

Silva shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Shasta manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Shasta looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Silva is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Silva wants to control from the top but Shasta keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shasta is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Silva stands and throws Shasta's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva is trying to move to mount but Shasta reverses beautifully and ends up in Silva's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Big Shasta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

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