PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thai Shu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shu comes to the cage accompanied by We International. Wanderlei Silva will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Shu
vs
Silva

188 cm
24
195 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

180 cm
25
185 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thai Shu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Wanderlei Silva!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva wants to clinch but Shu slips to the side
and Shu counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Silva tries to clinch but Shu is having none of it.
Silva tries to clinch up
and Silva takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Shu swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Shu moves into the clinch.

Silva drops Shu with a big knee straight up the middle! Shu is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!

Shu is rocked!

It looks like Thai Shu has been cut.
Shu shoots in but no luck this time.
Oh Shu is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Shu throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Shu seems to have got his legs back now.
Silva moves to clinch but Shu breaks away

and Shu counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shu is looking to work some ground and pound but Silva has wrist control.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Shu stands up and waves to Silva to follow him.

Shu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shu trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Shu has control of the leg.
Silva is positioning himself well to prevent Shu advancing to mount.
Silva really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Shu. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Shu seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Silva does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Silva looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

We're going to have a standup here because Thai Shu wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Silva wants to clinch but Shu slips to the side

and Shu holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Silva tries a knee to the head but Shu blocks it.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shu has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two 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 tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Silva is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shu is defending well for now.
Shu avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.
Silva looks gassed!
Shu displaying some good clinch control by pressing Silva up against the cage.
Shu has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Silva avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Silva trying to land knees to the body.
Silva tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Silva tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shu takes a knee right on the jaw!
Silva is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shu is defending well for now.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shu is trying to force a seperation but Silva has the dominant position.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Shu.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thai Shu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shu tries to circle away but Silva has him pinned against the cage.
Shu is trying to break the clinch but Silva is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shu tries to circle away but Silva has him pinned against the cage.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shu wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.
Shu can't break the clinch.
Shu has Silva pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Silva manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Silva misses with a knee to the head.
Shu wants a takedown.
Silva throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shu 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.
Silva working Shu over with knees to the body.
Shu is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Shu 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.
Silva lands a knee to the body.
Silva tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Silva throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four 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 misses with a knee to the head.
Shu looking for a takedown.
Silva scores with a knee to the head.

Shu gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Shu trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shu is stalling in the full guard.
Shu is fighting to break Silva's control of his arms but Silva is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Shu thows a big elbow that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shu thows a big elbow that misses.
Shu thows a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thai Shu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thai Shu'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 tries to clinch
and Shu counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Shu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Silva wants to clinch

and Shu counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Silva's guard now.
Shu pushes down on Silva's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Silva is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Shu scores with a couple of nice shots.
Shu has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Shu throwing shots but Silva is blocking nicely.
Shu stops Silva from getting back to his feet.
Silva trying to hold on to Shu's head to control him but Shu postures up.
Shu lands with a punch from half guard.
Silva is trying to stand up here but Shu is controlling him well.
Shu landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Shu is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shu passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Silva!
Silva is breathing heavily.
Shu lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Shu scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Silva?
Thai Shu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shu working the ground and pound effectively.
Shu looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Shu trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Silva is in a horrible position here. Shu smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Shu lands a big shot there that rocks Silva but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shu with a couple of short strikes.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Silva can do anything to dispel that myth.
Shu putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
BOOM! Shu connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shu tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Shu landing strikes from the mount and Silva is in trouble!
Shu landing strikes from the mount.
A nice elbow there by Shu.
Shu in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Silva tries to hold on but Shu pushes him away.
Shu controlling his opponent.
Silva is bucking up trying to escape but Shu cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shu scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Shu 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.
Shu trying to control but Silva is having none of it.
Shu landing punches.
Shu is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Silva can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
The referee warns Silva that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Shu controlling from mount.
Shu trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is in a horrible position here. Shu smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Silva tries to hold on but Shu postures up.
A nice elbow there by Shu.
Shu connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Shu lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Silva hang on?
A nice elbow there by Shu.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shu with shots to the head and body - Silva looks very uncomfortable down there.
Shu lands a big shot there that rocks Silva but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Silva keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Shu wants to control the pace but Silva is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thai Shu dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Thai Shu's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Shu circles away from the clinch attempt.

Shu clinches up against the cage.
Silva connects with a nasty looking knee right to Shu's face.
Shu is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?
Silva lands a nice knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Shu drops down looking for an ankle pick but Silva pulls his leg out and moves away.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thai Shu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva tries to clinch up

and Shu counters with a takedown into side control.
Silva takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Shu working the head and body with strikes.
Shu lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Shu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shu lands a nice forearm strike.
Shu slows the pace down.
Shu working the ground and pound from side control.
Shu throws an elbow but Silva slips to the side and avoids it well.
Shu scoring with punches from side control.
Shu controlling the position from side mount.
Silva is trying to get back to half guard.
Shu lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shu throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
You can see the frustration on Silva's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Shu trying to control the position but Silva is working away.
Shu scoring with punches from side control.
Shu scoring with punches from side control.
Shu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Silva struggling a bit here.
Thai Shu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shu is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Shu controlling the position.
Shu lands a nice forearm strike.
Shu staying calm.

Shu stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shu circles away from the clinch attempt

and Shu counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Silva wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Shu not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Wanderlei Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shu showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thai Shu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Shu, 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thai Shu!