PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo Dourado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Thiago Silva enters the cage!

Dourado
vs
Silva

186 cm
22
194 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
213 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Dourado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Silva!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body punch from Dourado.
Silva lands a two punch combo.
Dourado misses with a wild combination.
Dourado tries to bum rush Silva with a series of wild strikes but Silva uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Dourado swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Silva cracks Dourado with a good jab.
Thiago Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Dourado.

Dourado rushes Silva and presses him up against the cage.
Dourado lands a knee to the head.
Silva is trying to break the clinch but Dourado has him pressed against the cage.
Silva has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dourado avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dourado is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Silva is keeping busy.
Silva has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Dourado is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Dourado throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Silva blocks it with crossed arms.
Dourado looking to stall.
Dourado lands an elbow that stopped Silva in his tracks for a moment.
Dourado prevents the takedown attempt.
Marcelo Dourado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Silva.
Silva wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Knees to the body from Dourado.
Silva tries to break free but Dourado pushes him back against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Dourado.
Silva looks gassed!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dourado wants to stall.
Silva drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dourado lands a knee to the body.
Dourado lands an elbow inside that Silva shrugs off.
Silva takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Thiago Silva has been cut.
Dourado lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Dourado with a knee to the head.
Silva takes an elbow to the forehead.
Dourado lands a damaging elbow.
A knee to the head by Dourado.
Dourado is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Dourado lands a nice elbow.
Dourado lands an elbow inside.
Dourado is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Dourado trying to stall but Silva improves his position.
Silva fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Silva wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dourado working Silva over with knees to the body.
Dourado prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.
Silva is trying to force a seperation but Dourado has the dominant position.
Dourado lands a nice elbow.
Silva tries for a takedown but Dourado manages to get underhooks.
Dourado creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Silva's defenses.
Dourado gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Silva drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva goes for a takedown in the clinch but Dourado prevents it.
Silva looking for a takedown.
Dourado is pushing Silva up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Dourado keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Dourado holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Dourado misses with an elbow over the top.
Silva is trying to break the clinch but Dourado is controlling him.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Dourado lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Dourado displaying some good clinch control by pressing Silva up against the cage.
Silva tries for a takedown. No joy.
Silva drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Dourado gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nice elbow from Dourado.
Dourado connects with a nasty looking knee right to Silva's face.
Dourado prevents a takedown attempt there.
Dourado lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dourado using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Dourado tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.
Silva jumps guard but Dourado stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dourado lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Dourado prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Dourado is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Dourado content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Silva is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Nice elbow from Dourado.
Dourado working Silva over with knees to the body.
Dourado crunches a lovely knee into Silva's ribcage.
Nice elbow from Dourado.
Silva has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dourado avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Dourado landing knees to the body.
Dourado lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Silva tries to pull guard but Dourado won't allow it.
The is referee keeping an eye on Dourado - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Silva drops down looking for an ankle pick but Dourado pulls his leg out and moves away.
Dourado ducks right into an uppercut from Silva.
A combination from Dourado does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a combination

and Dourado moves into the clinch.
Silva is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dourado gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Dourado looking to slow down the pace here.
Dourado creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Silva goes for a takedown attempt but Dourado pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Silva swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dourado is looking to clinch.
Silva on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Dourado is looking to clinch.
Dourado tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Silva scores with a jab. Dourado acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva is looking to clinch but Dourado is avoiding it.
Silva closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcelo Dourado dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thiago Silva's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Silva just misses with a punch to the body.
Dourado scoring well with a low kick there.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Dourado throws a leg kick that misses.
Dourado walks into a straight right hand from Silva.
Dourado tries a head kick but it misses.
Silva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dourado was well out of range. Poor timing from Silva.
Dourado takes a jab right on the kisser.
Silva throws a series of strikes that have Dourado backpedaling.
Dourado tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dourado tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dourado attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Dourado on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Silva looks to land a combination but Dourado avoids it well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dourado scores with a shot to the body.

Dourado fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Silva, pushing him back against the cage.
Dourado is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Dourado gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Dourado just stands there and leans against the cage.
Silva is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Dourado pulls him back up using the underhooks.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Dourado here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Silva takes a knee right on the jaw!
Dourado gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Dourado gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Silva working hard to break the clinch.
Silva takes an elbow to the forehead.
Silva looking for a takedown.
Marcelo Dourado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Silva.
Dourado prevents the takedown attempt.
Nice elbow from Dourado.
Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Dourado just stands there and leans against the cage.
Dourado prevents a takedown attempt there.
Dourado stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Dourado tries to stall but Silva uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Silva tries for a takedown but Dourado manages to get underhooks.
Nice elbow from Dourado.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Silva takes a knee to the side of the body.
Silva can't get the takedown.
Silva throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Dourados head.
Dourado with a knee to the head.
Dourado looking to throw knees to the head but Silva is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dourado landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Dourado misses with an elbow over the top.
Silva has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dourado pushes off an throws an elbow but Silva leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Dourado with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Silva pulls guard successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Silva had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Dourado is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Silva Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Dourado's back instead.
Dourado avoids the strikes from Silva.
Dourado is keeping busy.
Dourado covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Dourado has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Even with his hooks in, Silva manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Dourado wants to get back to his feet.
Silva punches the canvas rather than the man.
Silva throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Dourado holding both Silva 's hands and preventing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva throwing sloppy strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dourado covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Dourado holding both Silva 's hands and preventing any damage.
Silva missing with strikes.
Dourado looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Silva trying to control.
Dourado trying to get back to his feet but Silva is in full control for now.
Even with his hooks in, Silva manages to miss with strikes from the back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dourado avoids the strikes from Silva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Marcelo Dourado will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Thiago Silva's cut.
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 hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Dourado tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Some wild striking there from Silva.
Dourado leaves Silva with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Dourado throws a combination that misses
and Silva counters with a nice body shot.
Silva throws a nice looking combination but Dourado bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Dourado bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Silva's head backwards.
Dourado misses with a two punch combination.
Dourado fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Dourado throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Dourado looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Dourado tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dourado tries to clinch up.
Dourado throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dourado stuffs the takedown attempt from Silva. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
Silva wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dourado tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Silva keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Silva throws a one two combo.
Dourado slips a jab and a cross from Silva.
Dourado tries to bum rush Silva with a series of wild strikes but Silva uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Dourado throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Nice uppercut lands for Dourado. That snapped Silva's head back.
Silva lands with a hook. Dourado tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Marcelo Dourado is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dourado throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silva.
Silva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Dourado but Dourado pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Marcelo Dourado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Silva.
Dourado lands the left hand.
Silva throws a right and a left that Dourado avoids nicely.
Dourado throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dourado misses with a body shot
and Silva counters with a two punch combo.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
No joy there for Dourado, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Silva misses with the combination.
Nice sprawl there from Dourado as Silva shoots in.
A lazy left from Silva finds it's target.
Dourado misses with a combination
and Silva counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Silva avoids a kick to the body.
Dourado takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Dourado is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Silva.
Dourado throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Silva counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Silva has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Dourado is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Dourado lands a damaging elbow.
Silva jumps guard but Dourado stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dourado looking to slow down the pace here.
Silva is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Dourado pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Stalling in the clinch from Dourado.
Silva is looking to break free of the clinch but Dourado has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Silva has had enough of the clinch but Dourado keeps him there for the moment.
Silva is trying to force a seperation but Dourado has the dominant position.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Dourado.
Thiago Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dourado putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Silva in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Silva is trying to break free.
Dourado looking to stall.
Dourado lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Dourado is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Dourado gets underhooks to prevent Silva's takedown attempt.
Dourado lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Dourado is pressed up against the cage. Silva has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Dourado down to the mat. Dourado avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Silva tries to bum rush Dourado with a series of wild strikes but Dourado uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Dourado leaves Silva with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Dourado misses with a series of wild punches.
Marcelo Dourado is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva throws a left and a right that both miss

and Dourado counters by clinching up.
Dourado lands a nice knee to the body.
Silva looking for a takedown.
Nice elbow from Dourado.
Silva is trying to break the clinch but Dourado has him pressed against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to break free but Dourado pushes him back against the cage.
Silva is trying to force a seperation but Dourado has the dominant position.
Silva tries for a takedown but Dourado manages to get underhooks.
Marcelo Dourado has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Dourado unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Dourado taking a breather.
Silva is working for takedown but Dourado is calmly controlling the position for now.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Silva jumps guard but Dourado stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dourado smiles and moves away.
Dourado misses with a series of wild punches.
Dourado uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Silva.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A slow jab from Silva misses its intended target.
Silva misses with a wild combination.

Dourado moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcelo Dourado showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dourado, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcelo Dourado!