PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peekah Chou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Peekah Chou will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Silva
vs
Chou

180 cm
23
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

225 cm
21
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite 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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Wanderlei Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Peekah Chou!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Konstantin Menshow and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Chou scores with a takedown into Silva's guard.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Chou on the ground.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chou wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Chou is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Chou accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Chou with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Silva might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Silva looking to control.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva tries to clinch but Chou moves out of range.
Chou looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.

Chou tries to keep at a distance but Silva has taken the fight into the clinch.
Chou looking for a takedown.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Silva lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Peekah Chou has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Silva lands a knee to the body.
Chou is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Silva gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Wanderlei Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peekah Chou.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Chou has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Silva avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Silva prevents the takedown attempt.
Chou looks gassed!
Chou has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Silva avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Chou goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silva prevents it.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Chou takes a knee right on the jaw!
Silva landing knees to the head.
Silva with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Chou is blocking nicely.
Silva lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Silva utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Chou has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Chou changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Silva fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Silva tries to clinch up but Chou circles away and keeps his distance.
Wanderlei Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Chou circles away.

Chou gets the takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva tries to bench press Chou off him but Chou keeps the position.
Chou scoring with punches and elbows.
Silva on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Silva tries to get out of the position.
Chou lands an elbow.
Silva struggling a bit here.
Chou works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Chou landing strikes.
Chou landing a few strikes.
Chou in side control lands a decent elbow.
Chou controls the position.
Chou tries to score with some ground and pound. Silva controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Chou lands a few punches from side control.
Chou creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Silva sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Silva is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chou lands a decent elbow from side control.
Chou working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Silva is trying to get back to half guard.
Chou lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Chou is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Chou in side control, throwing shots but Silva defends.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chou lands a few punches from side control.
Silva managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Chou.
Chou throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Chou throws an elbow but Silva slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's four 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.
Chou looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Silva is avoiding damage well.
Silva managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Chou.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Chou shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Wanderlei Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silva wants to clinch up but Chou keeps it at a distance.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Chou pushes him off.
Nice sprawl there from Silva as Chou shoots in.
Silva is looking to clinch but Chou is avoiding it.
Chou looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Silva tries to clinch up but Chou circles away and keeps his distance.

Silva gets a clinch.
Silva is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Chou wants a takedown.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Silva scores with a knee to the head.
Silva connects with a nasty looking knee right to Chou's face.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Chou goes for a takedown attempt but Silva pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Silva has managed to clinch.
Silva misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wanderlei Silva dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Peekah Chou's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Silva stuffs the takedown attempt from Chou. Chou gets slowly back to his feet.

Silva has managed to clinch.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Chou is blocking nicely.
Chou has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Silva avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Silva throws a knee to the head but misses.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Chou is blocking nicely.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.
Wanderlei Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peekah Chou.
Chou is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Silva gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva working Chou over with knees to the body.
Chou drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Silva gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
Silva lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Chou goes for a takedown attempt but Silva pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Peekah Chou is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Silva darts in and clinches Chou up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Chou wants a takedown but no success here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Silva.
Silva lands a knee to the head.
Silva using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Chou drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Wanderlei Silva has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva stops a takedown attempt from Chou.
Silva connects with a nasty looking knee right to Chou's face.
Chou tries for a takedown. No joy.
Silva landing knees to the head.
Silva connects with a nasty looking knee right to Chou's face.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Silva throws a knee to the head but misses.
Chou goes for a takedown attempt but Silva pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Silva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Chou fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Chou keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.

Silva darts in and clinches Chou up against the cage.
Chou takes a knee right on the jaw!
Silva content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Chou looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Chou has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Silva throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Chou blocks it with crossed arms.
Chou wants a takedown.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silva tries a knee to the head but Chou blocks it.
Chou is working for takedown but Silva is calmly controlling the position for now.
Silva is pressed up against the cage. Chou 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 moves in looking to clinch but Chou pushes him off.
Chou shoots in but no luck this time.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva fails in his attempt to clinch.
Silva tries to clinch up but Chou circles away and keeps his distance.

Chou shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Chou showed some decent athleticism there.
Chou thows a huge punch but Silva dodges it nicely.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Chou is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Silva avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Chou.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chou moves into full mount! Silva won't be happy about that!
A nice elbow there by Chou.
Chou landing strikes from the mount.
Chou working the ground and pound effectively.
Silva is trying to stand.
Chou landing strikes from the mount.
Chou tries to control but Silva wriggling away.
Chou with shots to the head and body - Silva looks very uncomfortable down there.
Chou fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Chou connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chou landing punches.
Chou landing punches.
Chou lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Chou scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Chou lands a heavy elbow.
Chou 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.
Chou lands a big shot there that rocks Silva but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Chou has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Chou lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Chou avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
Chou lands a big shot there that rocks Silva but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Chou cracks Silva with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Chou scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Silva?
Chou lands a nice shot to the head.
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 Wanderlei Silva will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Peekah Chou's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Silva wants to clinch.
Chou tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.
Chou circles away from the clinch attempt.
Chou shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Horrible takedown by Chou or perhaps it was just good defense by Silva which made him look bad.
Wanderlei Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peekah Chou.
Chou dives in and grabs Silva's left leg, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes down on Chou's head and hops out.
Silva wants to clinch.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Chou swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chou shoots in but no luck this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva is looking to clinch but Chou is avoiding it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Silva tries to clinch up but Chou circles away and keeps his distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Chou circles away from the clinch attempt.
Chou shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Silva defends it nicely.

Silva clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Knees to the body from Silva.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Chou takes a knee to the side of the body.
Silva with a knee to the head.
Silva lands a knee to the head.
Chou is trying to drag Silva to the mat but Silva just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Chou can't get the takedown.
Silva with a knee to the head.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Knees in the clinch landing for Silva.
Silva landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Chou is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Silva gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva scores with a knee to the head.
Chou drops down looking for an ankle pick but Silva pulls his leg out and moves away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Chou.
Silva tries to clinch but Chou moves out of range.
Chou swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva stuffs the takedown.
Silva tries to clinch up but Chou circles away and keeps his distance.
Chou tries to score a power double leg takedown but Silva sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Chou somewhat.
Chou circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva tries to clinch up but Chou circles away and keeps his distance.
Chou closes the distance and clinches up with Silva, looking for a takedown. Chou pushes Silva against the cage but Silva circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Silva has managed to clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Silva.
Silva landing knees to the head.
Silva gets underhooks to prevent Chou's takedown attempt.
Silva is pressed up against the cage. Chou 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 tries to close the distance and clinch up but Chou swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Chou circles away.
Chou shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Silva tries to clinch there but Chou circles away.
Silva slaps away a takedown attempt from Chou, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Silva moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but Chou blocks with his arms.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.
Silva tries a knee to the head but Chou blocks it.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Chou goes for a takedown attempt but Silva pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Silva forces Chou back against the cage and clinches.
Silva prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Chou goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silva prevents it.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Silva landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Chou tries for a takedown. No joy.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Chou is blocking nicely.
Chou is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Chou drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Silva gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Peekah Chou has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chou wants a takedown.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but Chou blocks with his arms.

Chou works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Chou with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Chou loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Chou trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chou thows a big elbow that misses.
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Chou postures up in Silva's guard and throws a big left but Silva blocks it.
Peekah Chou has got the better of the ground game so far.
Chou loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Chou circles away from the clinch attempt.

Silva pushes Chou up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wanderlei Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Silva, 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:28

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