PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andre Neves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Neves
vs
Silva

186 cm
25
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

210 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Neves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Silva!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Luis Engracia and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Neves moves into the clinch successfully.

Neves breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva with a lazy takedown attempt

and Neves counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Silva's guard now.
Neves prevents Silva from getting back to his feet.
Neves in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Neves accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Neves is controlling him.
Silva being controlled here, momentarily.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Neves from controlling successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Neves stands up over Silva, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to stand but Neves is controlling the position.
Neves trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
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.
Neves stops Silva from standing up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva being controlled here, momentarily.

We're going to have a standup here because Andre Neves wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Neves shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Silva sprawls well. Silva wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Neves gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Silva has his takedown stuffed
and Neves counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Silva with a poor takedown

so Neves counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Andre Neves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Diego Silva.
Silva looks gassed!
Neves forces his way into half guard.
Silva is not content to let Neves control the position.

Neves decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt
and Neves makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Neves forces Silva back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Neves gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Neves pulls guard.
Neves bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.
Neves not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Silva wants to stand up but Neves is controlling him.
Silva is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

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

Neves looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Silva!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying desperately to get to his feet.
Neves controlling his opponent.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Neves cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Neves tries to control but Silva wriggling away.
Silva is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Neves tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Neves counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Andre Neves overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva keeping full guard, as Neves tries to pass.
Silva is wriggling around but Neves manages to pass to half guard.
Neves content to control rather than advance.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Neves looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

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

Neves stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Neves!

Neves closes the distance and pushes Silva back into the cage.
Silva keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Neves's efforts to push away.

Neves manages to break the clinch.
Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Neves counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neves content to stall in guard here.
Neves trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Neves showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Neves from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Andre Neves.
Neves scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Silva doesn't seem bothered though.

Neves clinches up against the cage.
Silva is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Andre Neves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Diego Silva.
Neves lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Silva or not.

Neves manages to break the clinch.
Silva has his takedown stuffed

and Neves counters by moving into the clinch.
Neves stops a takedown attempt from Silva.
A hook to the body from Neves.
Neves wants a takedown.
Neves taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neves lands a knee to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Neves.
Neves creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Neves manages to break the clinch.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Neves counters with a stiff right hand.

Neves clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the cage.

Neves breaks from the clinch.
Silva gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Neves counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Neves gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Neves has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Silva is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Neves pulls guard successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Neves dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Neves scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

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

Neves decides to stand back up. Neves steps back and let's Silva get back to his feet.
Silva gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Neves counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Neves shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
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!
Silva lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Silva throwing shots but Neves is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva trying to control from Neves's half guard. Neves has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Neves looking to hit a scissor sweep but Silva is one step ahead there.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Neves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.
Neves avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Neves trying to strike off his back.
Silva with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silva with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silva preventing the sweep.
Silva keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Neves's head.
Silva postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Silva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva chips away with some ground and pound.
Silva works over Neves with some ground and pound from guard.
Neves working a defensive guard here.
Silva working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Silva postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Neves working a defensive guard here.
Silva content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Silva's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva scoring with some ground and pound.
Neves might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Silva postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Silva landing with the ground and pound.
Neves keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Neves trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Silva controls from within his opponent's guard.
Diego Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Andre Neves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva throws a strike but Neves rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Neves has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 29:26
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:26
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Neves!