PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Also Zarathustra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva's entrance music is Bodies. A fine choice. Zarathustra comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Everyday I'm Hustlin kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Silva
vs
Zarathustra

182 cm
28
175 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Good low kicks
Granite chin

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 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Also Zarathustra!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zarathustra walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

It looks like Also Zarathustra has been cut.
Silva moves out of range of the body kick from Zarathustra.
Also Zarathustra seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zarathustra blocks a head kick by Silva.
Zarathustra checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Silva tries to bum rush Zarathustra with a series of wild strikes but Zarathustra uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Zarathustra avoids the head kick by Silva.
Silva on the wrong end of a nice jab.
A big right from Silva misses.
Zarathustra smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zarathustra thows a body shot but no joy.
Silva takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Zarathustra misses with a straight right.
Silva throws a lazy right hand but Zarathustra sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zarathustra throws a hook but Silva avoids it easily.
Zarathustra misses with a wild body shot.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Zarathustra tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zarathustra waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Silva.
Silva defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Zarathustra.
Silva slips a jab from Zarathustra.
Anderson Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Zarathustra moves out of range of the leg kick from Silva.
Zarathustra throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Silva sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Zarathustra avoids the head kick by Silva.
Silva swings for the body but Zarathustra moves out of range.
Zarathustra lands with a hook. Silva tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Silva throws a jab when Zarathustra was well out of range.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A big left from Zarathustra misses.
Silva feints and then cracks Zarathustra's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Zarathustra down.
Zarathustra shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Silva defends it nicely.
Silva throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Zarathustra stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Zarathustra looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva loads up on a big right hand but Zarathustra slips the punch.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Silva scores with a jab to the jaw.
Zarathustra misses with a low kick as Silva jumps back.
Silva moves out of range of the strikes.
Zarathustra blocks a head kick by Silva.
Silva throws a nice looking combination but Zarathustra bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Silva misses with the combination.
Zarathustra slips a jab from Silva.
Zarathustra looks to land a right hand but Silva moved out of range.
Silva throws a looping overhand right but Zarathustra ducks down to avoid it.
Silva keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Silva takes a swing at Zarathustra's ribcage but misses.
Silva thows a left - swing and a miss!
A swing and a miss from Zarathustra.
Zarathustra throws a body punch but Silva moves out of range.
Zarathustra just misses with a punch to the body.
Silva takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A cross from Silva lands.
Silva takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
A big right from Silva misses.
Silva throws a leg kick but Zarathustra sees it coming and moves out of range.
Zarathustra misses the body punch
and Silva counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Silva takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Zarathustra misses with a wild body shot.
Silva throws a nice head kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zarathustra connects with a high kick.
Zarathustra misses with a straight left.
Silva swings for the body but Zarathustra moves out of range.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Silva lands a high kick!
Zarathustra throws a big shot that misses.
Zarathustra with a body punch. A glancing blow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Some bone on bone action there as Zarathustra checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Silva dips to his left and cracks Zarathustra with an uppercut!
Zarathustra with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Silva to score with a decent uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zarathustra lands an overhand right.
Silva throws a head kick but Zarathustra moves out of range.
Zarathustra ducks under a wild hook from Silva.
Silva looks to land a left hand but Zarathustra moved out of range nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Silva dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Also Zarathustra's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zarathustra misses with a body shot.
Zarathustra ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Silva moves away.
Donk. Silva catches Zarathustra right on the button with a cross.
Zarathustra moves out of range as Silva strikes.
Silva throws a jab when Zarathustra was well out of range.
Zarathustra walks into a straight right hand from Silva.
Silva keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Silva throws a jab but it's blocked by Zarathustra.
Silva needs to keep his hands up - Zarathustra had a free shot at his head there.
Silva wants to slow Zarathustra down by chopping away at his legs.
Silva thows a body shot but no joy.
Nice defenses there by Zarathustra.
Silva throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A swing and a miss from Silva.
Zarathustra uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zarathustra slips under a jab from Silva.
Silva moves forwards but Zarathustra connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Silva throws a series of punches but Zarathustra avoids them all with ease.
Silva throws a head kick that misses.
Silva misses with a low kick.
Silva avoids a kick to the body.
Silva doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Silva lands a leg kick that knocks Zarathustra off balance momentarily.
Anderson Silva is winning the standup battle so far.
Silva uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Zarathustra lands a nice shot to the body.

Zarathustra closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Zarathustra lands in his opponent's guard.
Zarathustra stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Zarathustra is proving a slippery customer.
Zarathustra is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Zarathustra tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Zarathustra controlling from the top position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarathustra lands with a shot to the body.
Zarathustra takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Silva lands a nice shot that snaps Zarathustra's head back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silva. Zarathustra does a little dance to reset his feet.
Silva moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Zarathustra just misses with a punch to the body.
Zarathustra lands a nice shot to the body.
Silva avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Zarathustra thuds his right hand into Silva's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Silva walks into a straight right hand from Zarathustra.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Silva throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Zarathustra sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nice uppercut lands for Zarathustra. That snapped Silva's head back.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Silva throws a right and a left that Zarathustra avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva avoids a kick to the body.
Zarathustra blocks a head kick by Silva.
Some wild striking there from Silva.
Silva misses with a hook. Zarathustra ducked under it nicely.
Silva looks to land a right hand but Zarathustra moved out of range.
Silva takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Silva throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Silva thows a left - swing and a miss!
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Silva throws a right hand that Zarathustra ducks under and follows up with a left that Zarathustra also avoids with ease.
Zarathustra has a takedown stuffed.
Zarathustra scores with a nice strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Also Zarathustra showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Also Zarathustra's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Silva throws a head kick that misses.
A big right from Silva misses.
Zarathustra misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Silva.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Zarathustra stalks Silva and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Silva's face. Silva staggers backwards, shaken.
Silva misses with a straight left.
Silva keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zarathustra.
Zarathustra plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Zarathustra throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Zarathustra.
Zarathustra uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Silva.
Zarathustra throws a predictable looking body shot
and Silva counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Zarathustra's corner calls for a 1-2. Zarathustra obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Zarathustra avoids the head kick by Silva.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zarathustra throws a lazy right hand but Silva sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Silva fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Silva slips under a jab from Zarathustra.
Silva doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zarathustra is defended easily by Silva.
Zarathustra thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zarathustra blocks a head kick by Silva.
Zarathustra is looking to land body kicks.
Zarathustra tries to work over Silva's front leg with a kick but Silva checks it.
Silva lands a head kick. Zarathustra smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Zarathustra misses with a jab to the body
and Silva connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zarathustra ducks under a wild hook from Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws out a loose jab but Zarathustra uses good head movement to avoid it.

Zarathustra shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Silva's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zarathustra advances to half guard.

Zarathustra seems to be looking for submissions.
Zarathustra takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Silva keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.
Zarathustra stops Silva from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is controlling Zarathustra's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Zarathustra moves into full mount! Silva won't be happy about that!
Zarathustra 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 wants to control but Zarathustra is having none of it.

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.
Silva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Zarathustra looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva is trying to stand up.
Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Zarathustra can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Silva is looking to escape.
Zarathustra looking to control and managing it successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Also Zarathustra comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zarathustra 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Also Zarathustra!