PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between William Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dan Silva will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Costa
vs
Silva

188 cm
19
198 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
193 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, William Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dan Silva!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Matheus Silva and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Costa ducks under a wild hook from Silva.
Silva jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

It looks like William Costa has been cut.
Silva fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Costa manages to avoid it.
Silva throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Silva misses with a wild combination.
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Silva misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Costa.
Dan Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Costa.
Costa avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silva misses with a body shot.

Costa shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Silva is trying to defend but Costa finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Silva keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Costa seems to be working for a kimura but Silva defends the submission attempt.
Costa stalling.
Costa prevents Silva from standing back up.
Costa wants to pass the guard but Silva is defending well.
Costa is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Silva!

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.
Costa throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Silva holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Costa tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Costa looking to control and managing it successfully.
Costa is landing with some decent strikes but Silva is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa tries to control but Silva wriggling away.

Costa jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Silva is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Silva and Costa has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Costa will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Costa working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Costa goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Silva rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Costa's guard! Nice work there by Silva!

Silva drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Costa dives on top into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Costa has gone for a leg lock! Silva slips out almost immediately though and dives into Costa's guard.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Costa is keeping the position.

Silva has gone for a leg lock! Costa slips out almost immediately though and dives into Silva's guard.
Costa throws a strike but Silva rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Silva dominated that round.
The cut man is working on William Costa's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Costa scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Costa tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Costa is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva regains half guard, as Costa was trying to land strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is looking to escape.

Costa looking for a submission but Silva manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Costa wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Costa looking to pass the guard.

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 keeping moving, preventing Costa from controlling successfully.
Costa tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Costa from controlling successfully.
Costa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Costa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silva. Costa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Costa shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
William Costa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Costa.
Silva misses with a wild combination.
Silva misses with a few strikes there.
Silva misses with a few strikes there.
Silva fails to land with a series of punches.
Silva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Costa avoids a punch combination nicely.
Dan Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silva looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Silva looks to land a right hand but Costa moved out of range.

Costa is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Silva's half guard.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Costa is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Silva still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Silva has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Costa is trying to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Silva goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Costa has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Silva but great work by Costa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

William Costa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on William Costa's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Costa slips a jab and a cross from Silva.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Costa.
Costa wants to take a breather but Silva manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Costa.
Costa trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Costa is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Silva keeping full guard, as Costa tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa throws a big right hand that misses.
Costa trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Costa is looking to work some ground and pound but Silva has wrist control.
Costais looking to pass into half guard but Silva pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Silva is in guard.

That's two 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.

Silva has gone for a leg lock! Costa slips out almost immediately though and dives into Silva's guard.
Costa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Costa is pushing down on Silva's leg trying to pass to half guard. Silva is fighting to maintain full guard but Costa has managed to sneak the leg through.
Costa trying to advance position but Silva counters by regaining guard.
Costa wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.
Costa wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Costa looking to sit in guard and control but Silva gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Costa is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Silva wants to get up but he can't break Costa's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Silva throws a one two combo.
Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Costa circles away quickly and effectively.
Silva waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Costa.
Silva throws a lazy right hand but Costa sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Silva throws a series of punches but Costa avoids them all with ease.
Silva thows a body shot but no joy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Silva throws a combination. Costa tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Silva lands a nice looking body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Costa needs to keep his hands up - Silva had a free shot at his head there.
Silva misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29

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