PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel da Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tim Horton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

da Silva
vs
Horton

190 cm
20
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
29
195 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 Sydney, Gabriel da Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tim Horton!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, John Mangel and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

da Silva has managed to clinch.
da Silva working hard to break the clinch.
Horton blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Horton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Horton has da Silva up against the ropes in a clinch.
Horton blocks a body shot from da Silva.
da Silva is trying to push Horton away but Horton has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
da Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A hook to the body from da Silva.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

da Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

da Silva shoots in and bounces Horton off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Horton trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Horton lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for da Silva!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Horton postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. da Silva looks a forlorn figure.
Horton with the ground and pound from mount.
da Silva blocking the ground and pound.
Horton lands with some vicious ground and pound - can da Silva hang on?
da Silva avoids a series of strikes thrown by Horton.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horton with good strikes from the mount here!
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!
Horton throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
da Silva is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
da Silva is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
da Silva bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Horton looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
da Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Horton is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
da Silva throws a strike but Horton rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Horton throws a big right hand that misses.
Horton postures up in da Silva's guard and throws a big left but da Silva blocks it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
da Silva wants to get back to his feet but Horton is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Horton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Horton stands up over da Silva, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
da Silva on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if da Silva tries to get out of the position.
Horton wants to pass the guard but da Silva is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horton content to stall in guard here.
Horton in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
da Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Horton trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Horton is looking to advance position but da Silva has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Horton has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Horton tries to reverse the position but da Silva maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Horton dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Horton pushes da Silva up against the ropes in a clinch.
Horton has da Silva pushed against the ropes.
A short left from da Silva.
da Silva slowing the pace effectively.
Horton will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning da Silva up against the ropes.

Horton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

da Silva shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than da Silva was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
da Silva looking to finish with strikes here!
Horton gets back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva wants to take a breather but Horton is having none of it.
da Silva throwing shots but Horton is blocking nicely.

Horton is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but da Silva pulls his head out easily.

Horton is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but da Silva pulls his head out easily.
da Silva trying to control the action but Horton is working from the bottom.
da Silva content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Horton is pressing down on da Silva's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Horton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Horton working for a triangle but da Silva defends it easily.
da Silva trying to control but Horton is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
da Silva throwing strikes from guard but Horton blocks nicely.
Horton keeping moving, preventing da Silva from controlling successfully.
da Silva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Horton controls da Silva momentarily but da Silva frees himself.
da Silva wants to pass the guard but Horton is keeping the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Horton avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Horton working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. da Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. da Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
da Silva stopping the sweep attempt from Horton.
da Silva trying to control but Horton is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
da Silva is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Horton is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gabriel da Silva will probably get the nod.
That's time! da Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Horton clinches with his opponent.
da Silva working some nice short punches in the clinch.

It looks like Tim Horton has been cut.
Horton is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Horton is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and da Silva has denied him.
Horton is trying to drag da Silva to the mat but da Silva just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
da Silva trying to stall but Horton improves his position.
da Silva throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
da Silva misses with a hook from the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on da Silva's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Horton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

da Silva has Horton up against the ropes in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva is trying to force a seperation but Horton has the dominant position.

Horton manages to break the clinch.
Horton fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Horton takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

da Silva rushes Horton and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Horton tries to break the clinch but da Silva is controlling the position.

da Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

da Silva scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Horton struggling a bit here.
da Silva wants to stand but Horton is controlling his arm.
Tim Horton has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sloppy strikes there by da Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
da Silva wants to control but Horton is keeping him busy.
da Silva controlling the position from side mount.
da Silva seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Horton for as long as he can get away with.
Horton manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
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!
da Silva trying to control from the bottom.
Horton wants to take a breather but da Silva is having none of it.
Horton thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horton throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
da Silva is looking to control Horton's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can da Silva avoid being mounted?
da Silva is trying to stand up here but Horton is controlling him well.
Horton trying to control the action but da Silva is working from the bottom.
da Silva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
da Silva is trying to stand up here but Horton is controlling him well.
Horton stalling away here and it's allowed da Silva to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
da Silva trying to control the position.
da Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Horton wants to control from the top but da Silva keeps moving.
da Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Horton is one step ahead there.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

da Silva shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than da Silva was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Horton sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gabriel da Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
I think da Silva has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28

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