PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Max Tavares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderley Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tavares's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Swedish House Mafia - One. Max Tavares had a look across the ring there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Tavares
vs
Silva

185 cm
23
190 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

180 cm
23
190 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Max Tavares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wanderley Silva!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Mauricio Rocha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left and a right from Silva both land. Nice combination.
Tavares tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Tavares doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tavares looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Tavares drives through and clinches with Silva against the ropes.
Silva takes a knee right on the jaw!
Tavares tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.
Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Tavares with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tavares lands a knee to the head.
Tavares trying to stall but Silva improves his position.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tavares fails in his attempt to clinch.
Silva tries to clinch but Tavares moves out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Tavares. That's going to slow Silva down.
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tavares stuffs the takedown.
Wanderley Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares slips a jab and a cross from Silva.
Tavares thuds his shin into the meat of Silva's side.
Silva shoots in but no luck this time.
Left hook, right uppercut from Tavares.
Silva misses with a double jab

and Tavares moves into the clinch.
Silva looks gassed!
Tavares is working Silva over against the ropes.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Tavares creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Tavares's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tavares fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tavares tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tavares connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Max Tavares is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tavares wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Silva takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Tavares throws a leg kick which misses Silva's front leg but catches the back leg as Silva tries to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tavares lands with a slapping head kick.

Tavares drives through and clinches with Silva against the ropes.
Tavares scores with a knee to the head.
Tavares scores with a knee to the head.
Silva can't break the clinch.
Silva takes a knee right on the jaw!
Tavares throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Silva blocks it with crossed arms.
Nice body punch from Tavares.
Tavares lands a damaging elbow.
Tavares lands a nice knee to the body.

Tavares breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tavares scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Tavares tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Tavares scores with a jab to the body.
Tavares throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Tavares moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Silva's efforts to push away.

Tavares breaks from the clinch.
Silva pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Some wild striking there from Tavares.
Silva throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tavares sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Silva takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tavares, right into the meat.
Tavares wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Silva throws a combination that misses
and Tavares counters with a nice body kick.
Tavares throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Silva's head.
Silva throws a leg kick
and Tavares counters with a leg kick.
Tavares is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Tavares tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Silva moves forwards but Tavares connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A left and a right from Tavares both land. Nice combination.
Tavares is looking to slow Silva down with leg kicks.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Tavares.
Tavares lands with a thumping leg kick.
Tavares darts in trying to clinch

and Silva counters by clinching up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tavares trying to stall but Silva improves his position.
Tavares looking to throw knees to the head but Silva is blocking nicely.
Tavares tries to land a knee to the head but Silva blocks with his arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Tavares dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Tavares tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Tavares tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Silva moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Silva throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tavares makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva scores with a nice right hand.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tavares lets loose with a powerful body kick. Silva will feel that in the morning.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt - Tavares sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Silva takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tavares landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares misses with a knee strike.
Tavares is looking to break free of the clinch but Silva has double underhooks.
Tavares throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Tavares lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Tavares has Silva pressed against the ropes, preventing Silva from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Tavares is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Tavares lands a left hand that snaps the head of Silva backwards.
Silva working hard to break the clinch.
Silva has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Silva working hard to break the clinch.
Tavares has had enough of the clinch but Silva keeps him there for the moment.
Silva has Tavares pressed against the ropes, preventing Tavares from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Silva working hard to break the clinch.
Tavares throws a knee to the head but misses.

Silva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tavares goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Max Tavares is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tavares chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Silva's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Tavares tries to clinch but Silva moves away

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Tavares is proving hard to escape from.

Tavares is working an open guard so Silva takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tavares, right into the meat.
Tavares lands with a kick to the temple. Silva shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Tavares tries to clinch up.
Silva throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Tavares counters with a head kick.
Max Tavares is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tavares buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tavares fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tavares tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tavares walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva throws a lazy body kick
and Tavares counters with a two punch combo.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva falls off balance throwing a combination
and Tavares counters with a low kick, right behind Silva 's knee.
Tavares throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Silva's head.
Tavares tries to clinch up

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch.
Silva wants to break free but Tavares has control.
Tavares utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Tavares connects with a nasty looking knee right to Silva's face.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tavares tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavares moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Silva tries to clinch up

and Tavares holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Silva takes a knee to the side of the body.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tavares goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Tavares slips a straight right by Silva.
Silva falls off balance throwing a combination
and Tavares counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tavares tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tavares closes the distance but Silva moves to the side

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch.
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 Max Tavares will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva falls off balance throwing a combination

and Tavares counters by moving into the clinch.
Silva is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tavares tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Silva tries to clinch but Tavares moves out of range.
Tavares moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Tavares wants to clinch.
Silva wants to clinch up but Tavares keeps it at a distance.
Tavares circles away from the clinch attempt
and Tavares counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Tavares moves into the clinch.

Tavares's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tavares lands a head kick!
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick from Tavares lands but Silva takes it in his stride.
Silva tries to clinch there but Tavares circles away.
Tavares lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Silva throws a right hand that Tavares ducks under and follows up with a left that Tavares also avoids with ease.
Tavares tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Nice body kick there by Tavares.
Tavares throws a head kick but Silva moves out of range.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt
and Silva counters with a series of strikes. Tavares will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silva.
Silva tries to clinch but Tavares moves away
and Tavares counters with an inside leg kick.
Tavares tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva shoots in and drives through. Tavares sprawls well.
Tavares scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt
and Silva cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tavares is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tavares closes the distance looking to clinch
and Silva counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares wants to clinch.
Silva chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tavares can pounce on him.
Tavares thows a body kick. Silva tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Tavares connects with a high kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Tavares.
Max Tavares is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tavares lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Silva tries to keep at a distance but Tavares has taken the fight into the clinch.
Silva managing to block the knees to the body from Tavares.
Tavares with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tavares throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Tavares has had enough of the clinch but Silva keeps him there for the moment.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva working hard to break the clinch.
Silva's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Tavares keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tavares lands a right hand that snaps the head of Silva backwards.
Tavares wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Tavares lands a nice elbow.
Silva is trying to break the clinch but Tavares is controlling him.
Tavares keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Silva's efforts to push away.
Tavares throws a knee to the head but misses.
Tavares using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Silva has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva dives in and grabs Tavares's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tavares pushes down on Silva's head and hops out.
Max Tavares has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wanderley Silva.
Silva looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tavares is fending him off so far but Silva persists. Nope, Tavares circles away and we're back to standing.
Tavares throws a one two combo.
Wanderley Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tavares tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Max Tavares showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tavares, 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight for Max Tavares!
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Max Tavares!
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight for Max Tavares!

Max Tavares wins by unanimous decision!