PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marcos Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcos Silva has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Silva
vs
Gracie

167 cm
25
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

164 cm
25
142 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight 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, Marcos Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Leandro Rodrigues and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Gracie looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Silva!
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Silva defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Gracie.

Gracie is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Silva has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Silva!
Silva is pushing down on Gracie's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gracie is fighting to maintain full guard but Silva has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gracie is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Silva tries to pass to full mount but Gracie defends it.
Gracie is trying to control but can't.
Silva thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gracie's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva is trying to work for a kimura but Gracie is defending well.
Gracie is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gracie avoid being mounted?
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
Silva prevents Gracie from standing back up.

Gracie is defending against the submission attempts here by Silva.

Gracie manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Gracie stuffs the takedown attempt from Silva. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the cage.
Gracie fails to pull guard.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thiago Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gracie gets tackled into the cage by Silva. Silva maintains the clinch.
Silva is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Silva breaks the clinch.

Gracie instigates a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Gracie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Silva uses from the top position.
Gracie trying to control the position here.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Silva wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Silva trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Silva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva preventing the sweep.
Gracie pulls Silva in close to his closed guard and prevents Silva from doing any damage or advancing position.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Marcos Silva wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Silva closes the distance and pushes Gracie back into the cage.
Gracie wants to take the fight to the mat but Silva manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gracie.
Gracie is pressed up against the cage. Silva has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gracie down to the mat. Gracie avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcos Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.
Gracie 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.
Gracie is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gracie stops a takedown attempt from Silva.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to slow down the pace here.
Gracie tries for a takedown. No joy.
Silva is looking to control Gracie's arms but Gracie gets an underhook and turns him. Now Silva has his back to the cage.

Gracie has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Silva is trying to keep an underhook but Gracie manages to get the 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!
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Silva defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie looks gassed!
Gracie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gracie's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gracie's back!
Gracie turns into Silva and is now in his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Thiago Gracie will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Gracie working away.
Gracie trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Silva knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but Silva sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Silva in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is working an open guard so Silva takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Gracie slaps away a takedown attempt from Silva, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Gracie instigates a clinch.
Silva lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Gracie has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Silva regains guard immediately.
Gracie forces his way into half guard.
Gracie is trying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Thiago Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Silva trying to control but Gracie postures up.
Gracie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Silva's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Gracie works his way into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva defending against the ground and pound.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Silva tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Silva is looking to escape.
Silva is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.
Gracie sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Gracie has hold of Silva's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Silva manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Gracie working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is working for a guillotine from mount but Silva frees his head quite easily.
Gracie looking to control but Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gracie looking to ground and pound but Silva is blocking nicely.
Silva tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
Silva tries to hold on but Gracie postures up.
Silva working to try and regain half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Gracie feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Gracie works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Gracie prevents Silva from improving his position.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Silva defends it.

Gracie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Silva sees it coming and defends easily.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
Gracie is pressing down on Silva's thigh, looking to free his foot. Silva is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Gracie is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Silva is defending well.
Silva wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gracie trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Gracie works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control but Silva is having none of it.

Gracie looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Gracie wants to control the pace but Silva is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva regains half guard.
Gracie is thwarting Silva's attempts to control the position.
Thiago Gracie is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Gracie keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Gracie content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.

We're going to have a standup here because Marcos Silva wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Silva defends it nicely.
Silva fails with the takedown.

Silva moves into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Gracie is defending well.
Silva tries to circle away but Gracie has him pinned against the cage.
Marcos Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gracie.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gracie winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Gracie!
During a confident post fight interview, Thiago Gracie thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.