PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Larry Hayes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Silva
vs
Hayes

185 cm
25
235 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

200 cm
19
270 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Larry Hayes!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Mauricio Rocha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hayes pushes Silva up against the cage in a clinch.

Silva has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hayes is trying to keep an underhook but Silva manages to get the takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Hayes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hayes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Hayes kicks off Silva and gets to his feet.

Silva dives in and scores a takedown into Hayes's guard.
Hayes is trying to keep Silva in close.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Silva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Hayes is retaining full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hayes working a defensive guard here.
Silva trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Hayes manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Silva is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hayes is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Hayes has picked Silva up and slammed him! Silva can't keep hold of the triangle and Hayes manages to pass to side control!
Silva is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hayes avoids the strikes from the bottom by Silva.
Hayes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.

Hayes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hayes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Silva stops Hayes from passing to mount.
Silva is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is working hard here to advance position.
Hayes moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hayes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Silva wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Silva might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
You can see the frustration on Silva's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hayes decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Silva gets tackled into the cage by Hayes. Hayes maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hayes pulls guard successfully.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.
Hayes is trying to keep Silva in close.
Hayes will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hayes keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

Hayes 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.
Hayes controlling Silva's posture.

Hayes is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Silva is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayes throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Silva throws a strike but Hayes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hayes pushing down on Silva's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Silva is staying active underneath Hayes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Silva trying to hold on to Hayes's head to control him but Hayes postures up.
Hayes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Silva's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hayes lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Larry Hayes will probably get the nod.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hayes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thiago Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Silva.

Silva is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hayes has escaped the position, nice work there.
Hayes parries the strikes from Silva easily there. Silva is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hayes to escape.
Hayes is not content to let Silva control the position.

Silva is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hayes has escaped the position, nice work there.
Hayes regains half guard, as Silva was trying to land strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayes manages to get to full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hayes is on top in guard.

Hayes drops back looking for a leg! Silva is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Silva manages to kick Hayes off! Hayes jumps back into Silva's guard.
Hayes looking to sit in guard and control but Silva gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Silva keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hayes's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Hayes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Silva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hayes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hayes working a defensive guard here.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.
Hayes keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Hayes is retaining full guard.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Silva here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Silva trying to control but Hayes is working from the bottom.

Silva postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hayes is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Silva, into his guard.
Hayes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.

Silva is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva wants to sweep here but Hayes controlling him for the moment.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayes controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Silva working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hayes has passed into half guard!
Silva trying to control from the bottom.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Hayes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Hayes decides to return to a standing position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hayes throws a right hand that Silva ducks under and follows up with a left that Silva also avoids with ease.

Silva shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Hayes manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hayes wants to stand and escape but Silva is having none of it.
Hayes controlling Silva's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Silva dominated that second round.
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 darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Silva trying to advance position but Hayes counters by regaining guard.
Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hayes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Silva wants to control from the top but Hayes keeps moving.
Silva is looking to work some ground and pound but Hayes has wrist control.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Hayes is retaining full guard.
Hayes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Hayes escapes and throws Silva's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hayes is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hayes tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Hayes is chipping away with strikes.
Hayes tries to move into full mount but can't pass Silva's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to get back to half guard.
Silva sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Silva trying to control here.
Silva is staying active underneath Hayes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hayes wants to stand up but Silva is controlling the position.
Hayes scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva looking for submissions off his back.
Hayes is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Silva trying to control from the bottom.
Hayes prevents Silva from improving his position.
Thiago Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hayes seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Hayes is looking for a kimura but Silva is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Hayes to get the leverage.
Silva is trying to control but Hayes manages to pass to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hayes is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Silva closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Silva lands in his opponent's guard.
Silva trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.
Hayes is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
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 is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hayes lands strikes from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Thiago Silva.
I think 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Thiago Silva!
Thiago Silva took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.