PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tom Rappenecker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rappenecker comes to the cage accompanied by Burial - Untrue. Anderson Silva will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Rappenecker
vs
Silva

185 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tom Rappenecker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Thiago Cunha and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Rappenecker shows good takedown defense.
Silva looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rappenecker prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rappenecker stops a takedown attempt from Silva.
Tom Rappenecker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.

Rappenecker manages to break the clinch.

Rappenecker moves into the clinch successfully.
Silva goes for a takedown attempt but Rappenecker pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Rappenecker forces Silva back against the cage and clinches.
A right hook to the body lands for Rappenecker.

Rappenecker manages to break the clinch.

Rappenecker darts in and clinches Silva up against the cage.

Rappenecker jumps guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rappenecker is looking to stand up but Silva isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva postures up in Rappenecker's guard and throws a big left but Rappenecker blocks it.
Rappenecker tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva being controlled here momentarily.
Silva thows a big elbow that misses.
Silva works over Rappenecker with some ground and pound from guard.
Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Silva throws a strike but Rappenecker rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rappenecker passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Rappenecker controlling the pace.
Rappenecker passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Silva!
Rappenecker controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rappenecker breaks from Silva's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rappenecker pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Rappenecker scoring with strikes but Silva is staying in there.

Silva is rocked!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rappenecker controlling his opponent.
Silva is still in real trouble! Can Rappenecker finish him?
Rappenecker has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Silva seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rappenecker sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rappenecker closes the distance and clinches.
Silva tries to score a body lock takedown but Rappenecker shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rappenecker landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Silva is fighting off a takedown attempt but Rappenecker is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Silva to the mat. Silva regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Rappenecker is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Silva keeping full guard, as Rappenecker tries to pass.
Rappenecker is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rappenecker seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Silva for as long as he can get away with.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rappenecker wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
Rappenecker slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Silva is trying to work for a sweep but Rappenecker has mounted him!
Silva is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Silva slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Rappenecker wants to pass the guard but Silva is defending well.
Silva tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Rappenecker has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Rappenecker lands a nice shot to the head.
Silva can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rappenecker tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Silva throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Silva throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Rappenecker takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Silva working to try and regain half guard.

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.
Rappenecker controlling the pace for now.
Rappenecker knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.
Silva tries to reverse the position but Rappenecker maintains control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rappenecker working the ground and pound effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Rappenecker dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rappenecker shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rappenecker showed some decent athleticism there.
Tom Rappenecker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rappenecker moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
Silva is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rappenecker in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Silva throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rappenecker stands up and beckons Silva to his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rappenecker gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Silva.
Rappenecker scores a nice knee to the body.
Silva is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rappenecker gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rappenecker prevents it.
Tom Rappenecker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.
Silva drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rappenecker pulls his leg out and moves away.

Rappenecker forces Silva back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rappenecker fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Silva takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rappenecker tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Rappenecker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.

Rappenecker drives through and clinches with Silva against the cage.
Knees to the body from Rappenecker.
Rappenecker scores a nice knee to the body.
Rappenecker is pressed up against the cage. Silva has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rappenecker down to the mat. Rappenecker avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Rappenecker fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Silva, pushing him back against the cage.
Silva wants a takedown.
Rappenecker gets underhooks to prevent Silva's takedown attempt.
A knee to the head by Rappenecker.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rappenecker lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Rappenecker content to control rather than advance.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Rappenecker has control of the leg.
Rappenecker is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Silva reverses the position - he's now on top in Rappenecker's guard.
Silva cracks Rappenecker with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rappenecker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rappenecker has control of Silva's left arm, preventing Silva from doing any damage.
Rappenecker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Silva prevents Rappenecker from getting back to his feet.
Rappenecker managing to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Rappenecker showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rappenecker has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Rappenecker!