PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Vera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Silva
vs
Vera

182 cm
24
190 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

194 cm
21
193 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricardo Silva!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Austin Vera!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Franklyn Lucas and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Silva punishes Vera's body with a nice straight punch.
Silva looks for a takedown but Vera sprawls well.
Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vera circles away quickly and effectively.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Vera avoids it really well and circles away.
Silva cracks Vera with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Vera.
Silva jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Silva fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Vera avoids it really well and circles away.
Vera slaps away a takedown attempt from Silva, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Vera ducks under a wild hook from Silva.
Vera ducks under a wild hook from Silva.
Silva fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Vera manages to avoid it.
Ricardo Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva fails to land with a series of punches.
Silva misses with a few strikes there.
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Silva shoots for a takedown but Vera saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Vera forces Silva back against the cage and clinches.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Vera.
Vera keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Silva's efforts to push away.
Vera misses with a punch on the inside.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Come on Vera - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Vera scores a nice knee to the body.
Silva wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vera lands an elbow inside.
Vera trying to land knees to the body.
Vera misses with a knee to the head.
Vera tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Vera is controlling the position.
Vera misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.
Vera pushes Silva back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Silva is pressed up against the cage. Vera 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.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt - Vera sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Vera avoids it really well and circles away.
Silva takes a swing at Vera's ribcage but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva shoots in but no luck this time.
Silva shoots in for a double leg but Vera sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Silva's corner calls for a 1-2. Silva obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Vera drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Vera wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
Vera wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vera stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Silva is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Vera defends well.
Vera slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Vera is chipping away with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vera is trying to get an arm triangle but Silva is defending well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Vera avoids the strikes from the bottom by Silva.
Vera works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Vera landing a few strikes.
Vera trying to control the position but Silva is working away.
Silva might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Vera tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Vera wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Vera has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Vera lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Silva hang on?
Vera looking to control but Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Vera dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Silva has his takedown stuffed

and Vera counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Vera pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Silva striking off his back.

Silva working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vera doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vera manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Vera pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Vera trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Vera must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Silva looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Vera is stalling in the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Vera from controlling successfully.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Silva trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva misses with a takedown
and Vera counters with a big head kick but Silva shrugs it off.
Silva tries to land a body kick

and Vera holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Vera misses with a knee to the head.
Vera lands an elbow inside.
Vera throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Silva blocks it with crossed arms.
Silva wants to get back to striking at distance but Vera won't allow it.
Silva has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Silva takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vera comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Nice elbow from Vera.
Silva wants to break free but Vera has control.
Silva wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vera tries for a takedown but Silva manages to get underhooks.
Vera comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Silva wants to break the clinch but can't.
Silva wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vera landing knees to the body.
Vera connects with a nasty looking knee right to Silva's face.
Silva blocks an uppercut.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Vera tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.
The referee calls for Vera to work.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vera successfully pulls guard.
Silva won't allow Vera to sweep him here.
Vera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.
Vera pushes down on Silva's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Vera wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vera looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Vera is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vera thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Silva's head.
Vera prevents Silva from improving his position.
Silva slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Vera wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Vera passes into half guard.
Vera looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Vera wants to control but Silva is keeping him busy.
Vera has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Vera lands a heavy elbow.
Vera raining down shots from the mount!
Silva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Vera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Silva with a lazy takedown attempt

and Vera counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.
Vera passes Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Silva is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Vera pulls his head out easily.
Vera has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Vera trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Silva is in all sorts of trouble here.
Vera landing strikes from the mount and Silva is in trouble!
Silva is looking to get to half guard.

Vera is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Silva is surviving well by controlling Vera's body position as best he can.
Vera controlling the position easily from mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Silva is looking to get to half guard.
Silva is squirming around, avoiding Vera's attempts to control the action.
Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
A nice elbow there by Vera.
Vera 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.
Silva has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Vera's lack of action.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vera lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Vera has control of the leg.
Vera winds up and cracks Silva with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Vera seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Silva does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Vera lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Vera wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Vera moves nicely into side control.
Check out the look on Vera's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva strikes from the bottom but Vera takes advantage and advances to full mount!
Vera controlling from mount.

Vera wants to finish this one by submission but Silva is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Vera.

Vera working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Vera wants to control the pace but Silva is squirming around nicely.
Silva is desperately trying to improve his position but Vera has a good base and remains in mount.
Vera scoring with strikes but Silva is staying in there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vera lands a nice shot to the head.

Vera is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Silva can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Silva tries to reverse the position but Vera maintains control.
Vera looking to control and managing it successfully.
Vera unloading with bombs!
Silva is trying desperately to improve position.
Silva is working hard here to advance position.
Vera controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Vera really dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Vera counters by clinching up.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Silva's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Silva gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Vera.
Vera prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.
Vera misses with a knee strike.
Vera stalling the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vera changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Silva fights it off and pushes away nicely.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Silva throws a leg kick but Vera moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva misses with a jab, cross combination.
Silva misses with a takedown

and Vera decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Silva's guard.
Vera passes into half guard.
Vera throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Vera seems to be working for a kimura but Silva defends the submission attempt.
Vera prevents Silva from improving his position.
Vera looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Silva with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Vera is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Vera seems to be looking for submissions.

Vera is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Silva is just riding it out for now. Vera eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vera wants to take a breather but Silva is having none of it.

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

Silva scores with a takedown into Vera's guard.
Vera doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Vera is keeping the position for now.
Vera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.
Vera seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.

Silva working for submissions but it's allowed Vera to get to half guard.

Vera is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Vera tries to pass the half guard into mount. Silva knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Silva blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vera.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Vera wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Silva punching from the bottom.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Vera wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.

Vera is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Silva defends it well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva misses the shot to the body.
Silva digs a good body shot into Vera's ribs.
Silva gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Vera counters with a takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Vera dominated that fourth round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Vera tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Vera counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Vera.
Silva wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vera using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Silva has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vera's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Silva wants to break free but Vera has control.
Vera has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Silva is trying to force a seperation but Vera has the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva wants to break the clinch but can't.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Vera tries a body shot but Silva blocks it.
Silva is trying to force a seperation but Vera has the dominant position.
Vera changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Silva fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Silva is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Vera doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Silva.
Vera has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Silva is working away from the top position though.
Vera wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
Vera moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Vera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.
Vera trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vera is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Vera slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Vera lands some shots froms side control.
Vera working the ground and pound.

Vera tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Vera wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Silva managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Vera.
Austin Vera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera controlling from side mount.
Silva is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Vera's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Vera is controlling the pace.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Silva actively working from the bottom here.
Vera controlling the pace.

That's four 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.
Vera trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Vera has control of the leg.
Vera perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Vera controlling the action here.
Ricardo Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vera is trying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Austin Vera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Vera has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 45:50
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 44:50
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Vera!
Austin Vera is the new middleweight champion!