PBP Commentary

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

Maia
vs
Silva

183 cm
24
186 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

194 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Demian Maia!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Emerson Silva!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Luis Engracia and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maia closes the distance and clinches up with Silva, looking for a takedown. Maia pushes Silva against the cage but Silva circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Maia shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Silva defends it nicely.
Maia with a poor takedown

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Demian Maia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Silva not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Maia trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Silva prevents Maia from getting back to his feet.

Silva gets to his feet - Maia follows without any prompting.
Demian Maia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Maia's half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva trying to mount his opponent but Maia defends it.
Maia is refusing to be controlled, as Silva sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia trying to control but Silva postures up.
Silva looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Maia is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Silva is trying to control. Maia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Maia drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Maia is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Maia is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva looking for subs off his back but Maia has passed one foot through into half guard.

Silva kicks Maia off and gets back to his feet.
Donk. Maia catches Silva right on the button with a cross.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Silva dives in and grabs Maia's left leg, looking for a takedown. Maia pushes down on Silva's head and hops out.
Maia dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Silva has a takedown stuffed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Silva as Maia shoots in.

Maia throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Silva tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Maia is in Silva's guard.
Silva is adopting a defensive guard.
Maia might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Maia trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

Silva looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Maia is defending well. Silva quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Maia has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Silva celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:05 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Emerson Silva!
Emerson Silva is the new middleweight champion!