PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joel Mboma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mboma has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Silva
vs
Mboma

187 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

Good takedowns
Basic striking
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 0 - 0 - 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joel Mboma!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Daniel Cesar and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mboma looks gassed!
Silva is putting a hurting on Mboma here, landing some big shots from side control.
Silva creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Mboma sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Mboma tries to bench press Silva off him but Silva keeps the position.
Mboma takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Silva decides to stand up, so the ref orders Mboma to his feet.

Silva closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Mboma did well to prevent Silva getting side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

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

Silva is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Mboma is just riding it out for now. Silva eventually gives up the hold.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Mboma is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva winds up and cracks Mboma with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Silva is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Silva wants to pass to mount but Mboma is defending the position.
Silva is trying to control. Mboma wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two 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 tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Silva is working for a kimura but Mboma is defending it quite comfortably.
Silva slips a nice elbow through Mboma's hands, connecting with Mboma's forehead.

Mboma actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva drops an elbow to the side of Mboma's head.

Mboma looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Silva uses his free foot to push down on Mboma's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Mboma.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control the pace but Mboma is squirming around nicely.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mboma on the ground.
Silva landing shots from mount.
Silva lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Silva trying to control but Mboma is having none of it.
Silva punishing his opponent with strikes.
Mboma working to try and regain half guard.
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 Joel Mboma's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Silva manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Mboma on his heels. He'll look to pass Mboma's guard now, I'm sure.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Mboma is retaining full guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Mboma keeps moving.
Silva trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mboma's guard.
Silva not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Silva with a nice head shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva works over Mboma with some ground and pound from guard.
Silva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Mboma is keeping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva is pushing down on Mboma's leg trying to pass to half guard. Mboma is fighting to maintain full guard but Silva has managed to sneak the leg through.
Silva looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Mboma taking some punishment here, with Silva in his half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mboma manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Mboma is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva stands and steps away. Mboma gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Mboma doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Mboma takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Mboma shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Silva is pressing down on Mboma's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mboma wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
Mboma sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mboma trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva wants to stand up but Mboma is controlling him.
Mboma sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Joel Mboma hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Mboma gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Silva counters with a body kick that stops Mboma in his tracks momentarily.
Silva tries to clinch but Mboma moves out of range.
Silva lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Mboma backs up against the cage.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Mboma swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mboma misses with a takedown

and Silva counters with a takedown into side control.
Anderson Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joel Mboma.
Silva takes a little break here. Mboma wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Mboma is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Silva dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joel Mboma's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Silva rushes Mboma and presses him up against the cage.

Silva is trying to trip Mboma. He has hold of a leg but Mboma is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Silva persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Silva trying to control but Mboma is working from the bottom.
Silva controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Silva is working Mboma over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Silva working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Mboma keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Silva thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mboma keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

Mboma working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mboma can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Silva controls the pace.
Silva throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two 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.
Mboma keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

Mboma has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Mboma working for a triangle but Silva defends it easily.

Mboma is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silva defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mboma keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but Mboma blocks nicely.

Mboma is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.

That's four 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.

Mboma has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.

Mboma has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Silva is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Joel Mboma has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Anderson Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva scoring with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anderson Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Silva 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:26
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:26

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