PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gao Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Swanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Swanson has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Gao Silva's chin.

Silva
vs
Swanson

185 cm
19
170 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

178 cm
27
182 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Crippler's Corner

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gao Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Swanson!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Frank Dennis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Swanson with a nice cross.
Silva gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Swanson.
Jab by Swanson.
Swanson lands a nice shot to the body.
Joe Swanson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Swanson wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.

Silva is trying to work for a kimura but Swanson is defending well.
Silva is stalling here. Swanson is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Silva seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Swanson has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Swanson is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Silva's shoulder. That is not cool.

Swanson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Silva dodges the ground and pound from Swanson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Swanson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Swanson in side control lands a decent elbow.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Swanson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Swanson on the ground.
Swanson working the head and body with strikes.

Swanson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Silva is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Silva is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Swanson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Silva is trying to get back to half guard.
Silva is trying to control Swanson's posture but Swanson avoids it.
Swanson trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva struggling a bit here.
Silva is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Swanson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Swanson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Silva can't do much from the bottom here.
Silva takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Silva is trying to get back to half guard.
Silva is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Swanson tries for a kimura but Silva is defending well.
Silva is trying to improve his position.
Swanson taking a breather here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Swanson sprawls well. Swanson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
Swanson slips a jab and a cross from Silva.
Swanson with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Swanson dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Silva shoots in for a double leg but Swanson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Silva has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Silva there as he acknowledges the shot.

Swanson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Silva was covering up waiting for the punch and Swanson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Swanson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Silva has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Swanson is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Silva.
Silva is trying to escape the position but Swanson is controlling the position.
Swanson works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Silva tries to buck Swanson off but Swanson is having none of it.
Silva manages to get back to half guard.

Silva looking for submissions off his back.
Swanson prevents Silva from improving his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Swanson prevents Silva from improving his position.
Swanson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Swanson trying to pass the guard but Silva defending well.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Swanson sits in half guard.
Silva wants to improve his position but Swanson is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swanson trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
Swanson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

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

Swanson clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the cage.
Swanson working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Swanson smiles and moves away.
Silva has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Silva closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Silva lands in his opponent's guard.
Swanson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.
Swanson looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Swanson keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Swanson looking for a sweep. Not yet Swanson, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Swanson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Swanson wants to stand but Silva is controlling the position.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Swanson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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 Swanson counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gao Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Swanson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Silva closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Swanson wants to get back to his feet.
Silva wants to take a breather but Swanson is having none of it.
Silva is controlling the pace.
Silva stops Swanson from getting back to his feet.
Joe Swanson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Swanson is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Swanson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Swanson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Swanson is looking to slow Silva down with leg kicks.
Silva walks into a left hand.

Swanson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Silva is looking for a triangle but Swanson pushes his legs off easily.
Swanson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Silva has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Swanson is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Silva.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Swanson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Silva sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swanson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Swanson is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Swanson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Silva is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Swanson jumps into side control!
Check out the look on Swanson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Swanson trying to control the position but Silva is working away.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Swanson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.

Swanson is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Silva has managed to free his arm - good work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Silva manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Swanson wants to get up but he can't break Silva's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Swanson is one step ahead there.

Silva is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Swanson is aware though and is defending well.
Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Swanson's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva preventing the sweep.
Silva wants to control from the top but Swanson keeps moving.
Silva trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Swanson manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Swanson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Silva has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Swanson has managed to get both his arms back between Silva's legs - danger averted.
Swanson stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Swanson looking to pass the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joe Swanson.
Well Swanson 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Swanson!