PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Felipe Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Arona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Silva
vs
Arona

170 cm
21
160 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

180 cm
18
181 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Arona!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arona tries for a takedown but Silva sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Silva looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Silva feints a jab promting Arona to slip. Silva then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Arona slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Arona working to try and regain half guard.
Arona is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Arona throwing hammer fists to the chest of Silva. What's that going to do exactly?
Silva prevents Arona from getting the reversal.
Arona really wants to buck Silva off and get back to his feet.
Silva content just to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona is working to get back to half guard.
Arona tries to improve his position but instead Silva has taken his back!
Silva controlling well, preventing Arona from escaping the position.
Arona is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Silva.

Arona showing good submission defense here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is not going to allow Arona to sit and survive in this position.
Arona is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Arona turns into Silva and is now in his guard.
Silva is trying to keep Arona in close.
Arona trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Arona pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Arona from controlling successfully.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Arona on the ground.
Silva trying to control the position.

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

Silva rushes Arona and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona looking for a takedown.

Silva has Arona pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Silva pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Arona tumbling to the mat - Silva dives into Arona's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva postures up.
Silva controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Arona controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Silva dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Arona wants to clinch.

Silva shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Arona makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Arona.

Arona throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Arona tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Arona controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
Silva postures up in Arona's guard and throws a big left but Arona blocks it.

Silva stands and steps away. Arona gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Silva stuffs the takedown attempt from Arona. Arona gets slowly back to his feet.
Silva throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva drives through and clinches with Arona against the cage.
Arona keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Silva's efforts to push away.
Arona tries to stall but Silva uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Arona tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Silva smiles and moves away.
Silva scores with a one two! Arona had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Arona shoots in but Silva avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Felipe Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Arona.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arona keeps the fight on the outside.

Silva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Arona sprawls well initially but Silva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Arona is looking for a sweep. Silva is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Arona looking for subs from the bottom but Silva mounts him!
Arona can't escape the position.
Arona is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Arona is trying to reverse the position but instead Silva has taken his back - oops!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Silva doesn't have the hooks in and Arona manages to turn into his guard.
Silva pulls Arona in to control the position.

Arona gets to his feet - Silva follows without any prompting.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Silva moves into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arona keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Silva's efforts to push away.
Arona is trying to pull guard but Silva turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Silva dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Silva moves into the clinch successfully.

Arona jumps guard.
Arona is trying to keep Silva in close.

Silva stands up from Arona's guard - Silva perhaps looking for a knockout.
Silva wants to clinch up but Arona keeps it at a distance.
Felipe Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arona tries to score with a low kick but Silva moves his leg out of the way.

Arona tries to sprawl but Silva drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Arona blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silva.
Arona trying to hold on to Silva's head to control him but Silva postures up.
Arona is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Arona flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Silva controlling the pace.
Arona is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva stops Arona from getting back to his feet.
Arona punching from the bottom.
Arona wants to control but Silva is keeping busy and won't allow it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Arona stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Arona wants it to stay on the feet.

Silva shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Arona manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Arona swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva got a little sloppy there for a moment and Arona has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Silva has managed to get both his arms back between Arona's legs - danger averted.
Silva wants to stand but Arona has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Arona is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
Arona has Silva pulled in close to control his posture.

Arona throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arona is trying to control the position but Silva postures up.
Arona looking for a sweep. Not yet Arona, not yet.
Silva pushing down on Arona's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arona wants to get back to his feet.
Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Arona keeps working.
Ricardo Arona has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Felipe Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Arona tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

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 Felipe Silva.
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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:28

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