PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matt Piletich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Piletich comes to the cage accompanied by King of Kings. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Piletich
vs
Silva

185 cm
22
190 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
193 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Blueprint Clothing

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Piletich!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wanderlei Silva!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva fails with the takedown.
Silva uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Piletich.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Piletich.
Piletich shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.

Piletich drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Piletich forces his way into half guard.
Piletich is taking a breather. Silva says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Piletich prevents Silva from improving his position.
Silva is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Silva works his way to full guard. Good work.

Silva has his foot on Piletich's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Piletich works his way back into a safe position though.

Piletich is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piletich trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Silva escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Piletich gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Piletich trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Piletich stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Piletich stays in close to Silva's body and controls the position.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Piletich content to stall in guard here.
Piletich seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Silva for as long as he can get away with.
Silva doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Silva pulls Piletich in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Piletich controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Matt Piletich just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Piletich.

Piletich looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Silva is on top in guard.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Piletich swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Piletich seems keen to control Silva's posture.
Silva is stalling in the full guard.
Piletich controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Piletich has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Silva trying to control but Piletich is working from the bottom.
Piletich looking for a sweep. Not yet Piletich, not yet.
Piletich controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
Silva controls from within his opponent's guard.
Piletich is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Piletich misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Piletich dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Piletich swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Piletich shoots in and bounces Silva off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Piletich is stalling in the full guard.
Silva trying to control the position.
Silva can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Piletich controls the pace.

Silva is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Silva throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Piletich stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Piletich trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Piletich looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Piletich shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Silva manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piletich stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Piletich seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Piletich passes Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.
Piletich controlling the pace.

Silva looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piletich seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Piletich wants to work for an arm triangle but Silva is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Piletich sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Piletich trying to mount his opponent but Silva defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Piletich wants to control but Silva is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Piletich performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Piletich trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.

Silva actively working from the bottom here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Piletich scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Silva wants to improve his position but Piletich is controlling well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Piletich sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Piletich is thwarting Silva's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Piletich dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Piletich drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Piletich thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Piletich avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Silva working for a triangle but Piletich defends it easily.
Silva keeping full guard, as Piletich tries to pass.
Piletich seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piletich wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

Silva has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Piletich can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Piletich slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Piletich is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Piletich from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Piletich wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Piletich misses with a takedown attempt
and Silva counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Piletich throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Silva counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Piletich with a lazy takedown attempt
and Silva counters with a nice body shot.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Piletich.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Piletich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Some wild striking there from Piletich.
Silva is looking to clinch but Piletich is avoiding it.

Silva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piletich is looking for a sweep. Silva is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Silva is looking for a kimura here.

Silva is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Piletich defends it well.
Piletich keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Silva missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Piletich wants to get back to full guard but Silva has mounted him!

Silva jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Piletich manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Silva wants to lay and pray for a moment but Piletich keeps working.

Silva looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva lands a few punches from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wanderlei Silva really dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Piletich fails with the takedown
and Silva counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Piletich lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Silva shoots in but Piletich avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Piletich throws a left and a right that both miss

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Silva works his foot free and advances to mount.
Silva looking to control but Piletich is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Silva quickly switches position and commits to an armbar! It's a big risk for Silva but it's paid off an Piletich is forced to tap! Nice work by Silva.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:56 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Wanderlei Silva!
Wanderlei Silva is the new middleweight champion!