PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rickson Gracie Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wanderlei Silva acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Gracie Jr
vs
Silva

184 cm
20
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
199 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rickson Gracie Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wanderlei Silva!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Luis Engracia and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie Jr.
Silva tries to clinch but Gracie Jr moves away

and Gracie Jr counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Gracie Jr drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Silva dives on top into guard.
Gracie Jr bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva is looking to stand up but Gracie Jr isn't so interested in that idea.
Gracie Jr forces his way into half guard.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie Jr.
Gracie Jr wants to take a breather but Silva is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie Jr is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Silva defends it well.

Gracie Jr looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Gracie Jr is looking to advance position but Silva won't allow it.

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 wants to get back to his feet.

Gracie Jr is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Silva has managed to free his arm - good work.
Silva is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie Jr.

Gracie Jr is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Gracie Jr stands up from half guard.

Gracie Jr has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Silva landing knees to the body.
Silva with a knee to the head.
Silva digs a right hand underneath Gracie Jr's ribcage. Gracie Jr let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Silva lands a hook to the side of the head.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silva looks gassed!
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gracie Jr.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Gracie Jr fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Silva misses with a knee to the head.
Silva missing with knees to the body.

Gracie Jr jumps into guard, dragging Silva to the mat.
Gracie Jr manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Gracie Jr trying to control but Silva is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rickson Gracie Jr dominated that round.
That's time! Gracie Jr's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gracie Jr circles away from the clinch attempt

and Gracie Jr counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie Jr.
Gracie Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie Jr drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Silva dives on top into guard.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gracie Jr is proving hard to escape from.
Gracie Jr tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to stand and escape but instead Gracie Jr has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Gracie Jr from controlling successfully.

Gracie Jr stands and steps away. Silva gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Gracie Jr closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie Jr lands in his opponent's guard.
Silva really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie Jr. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gracie Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Silva stands up from Gracie Jr's guard - Silva perhaps looking for a knockout.

Silva pushes Gracie Jr up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie Jr tries to pull guard but Silva holds him up against the cage and eventually Gracie Jr drops back down to his feet.
Silva misses with a knee strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Silva is fighting off a takedown attempt but Gracie Jr 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.
Gracie Jr wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
Gracie Jr prevents Silva from getting back to his feet.
Rickson Gracie Jr overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie Jr wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

Gracie Jr decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Gracie Jr shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gracie Jr showed some decent athleticism there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie Jr sits in half guard.

Gracie Jr is working for a kimura but Silva is defending it quite comfortably.
Gracie Jr content to control rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rickson Gracie Jr dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Silva wants to clinch

and Gracie Jr counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.

Gracie Jr goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Silva rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie Jr's guard! Nice work there by Silva!
Silva wants to stand and escape but instead Gracie Jr has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Gracie Jr drops back looking for a leg! Silva is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Silva manages to kick Gracie Jr off! Gracie Jr jumps back into Silva's guard.

Gracie Jr has gone for a leg lock! Silva slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gracie Jr's guard.
Silva must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gracie Jr is proving hard to escape from.

Gracie Jr is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Silva rolls with it to try and escape but Gracie Jr cranks on the arm and Silva is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rickson Gracie Jr!