PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruno Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Rua
vs
Silva

185 cm
27
204 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

187 cm
26
205 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Silva!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva throws out a loose jab but Rua uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice defenses there by Rua.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
Rua wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Rua wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rua tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva misses with an uppercut. Rua saw that one coming.
The fighters circling - Silva throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rua wants to clinch.
Silva misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Silva connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bruno Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva throws a series of punches but Rua avoids them all with ease.
Rua wants to clinch.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rua tries to clinch up.
A swing and a miss from Silva.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rua tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rua.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva throws a hook but Rua avoids it easily.
Rua wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Silva throws a shot from downtown. Rua moves away and avoids it.
Rua tries to clinch up
and Silva counters with a stiff right hand.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rua tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Silva throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
Rua slips under a jab from Silva.
Rua tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rua closes the distance looking to clinch
and Silva counters with a three punch combo that has Rua backing up. Rua nods at Silva to acknowledge the strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rua darts in trying to clinch
letting Silva counter with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a few strikes there.
Silva connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rua takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Silva throws a shot from downtown. Rua moves away and avoids it.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Rua looks to clinch
and Silva counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A big left from Silva misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rua slips under a jab.
Silva misses with a two punch combination.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva looks to throw the jab but Rua is out of range.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Rua tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rua clinches up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Silva breaks the clinch.
Rua tries to clinch up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rua slips a straight right by Silva.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Mauricio Rua is winning the standup battle so far.
Silva throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.
Rua tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Rua wants to clinch but Silva slips to the side
and Silva counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rua wants to clinch.
Silva scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rua wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Rua looks to clinch
and Silva counters with a left to the body.
Rua takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Silva in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Rua moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Silva looks to land a combination. Rua sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rua tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Rua tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
A big left from Silva misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silva. Rua does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rua tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bruno Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rua tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva connects with the punch.
Rua slips under a jab from Silva.
Rua on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rua is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rua moves into range and clinches up with Silva.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rua with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silva is trying to push Rua away but Rua has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Silva is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rua lands a nice knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.
Silva takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua landing knees to the head.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Silva wants to break free but Rua has control.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Silva is defending well for now.
Rua has Silva pressed against the cage, preventing Silva from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rua gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rua throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Silva blocks it with crossed arms.
Rua tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rua prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Silva can't break the clinch.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Silva is defending well for now.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Silva is trying to push Rua away but Rua has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Silva avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Silva is defending well for now.
Rua scores with a knee to the head.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Rua scores a nice knee to the body.
Rua tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Silva avoids it.
Silva on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Silva blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rua lands a nice elbow.
Silva can't break the clinch.
Rua lands a knee to the body.
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!
Rua comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Rua drags the fight down to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws an elbow that misses. Rua uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Silva's guard. Nice move by Rua!

Rua stands up from Silva's guard - Rua perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rua doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
Rua wants to clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Silva counters with a straight right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Rua 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!

Rua wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Rua is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Silva connects with a nice looking jab.
Rua fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rua tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rua fails in his attempt to clinch.

Rua clinches with his opponent.
Silva avoiding damage as Rua throws knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Rua.
Rua keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Silva wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Silva is trying to break free.
Mauricio Rua has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Rua is controlling the position.
Rua prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Silva wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Rua is controlling the position.
Silva managing to block the knees to the body from Rua.
Rua prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.
Rua lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Bruno Silva has been cut.
Rua putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Silva in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rua landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.
Rua landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rua.
Silva takes an elbow to the temple.
Rua lands an elbow inside.
Rua utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Silva on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua misses with a knee strike.
Rua is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rua.
Rua lands an elbow inside that Silva shrugs off.
Rua using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Silva has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rua obliges.
Rua lands a good knee to the midsection. Silva won't want to take too many of those.
Rua is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?
Rua is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Rua with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silva on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Rua.
Rua landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rua scores with a knee to the head.
Rua is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Rua connects with a nasty looking knee right to Silva's face.

Silva is rocked!
Rua lands a good knee to the midsection. Silva won't want to take too many of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Silva is still on wobbly legs! Can Rua finish him?
Rua lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Rua is controlling the position.
Silva seems to have recovered his senses.
Rua unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Silva is defending well for now.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.
Silva wants to break free but Rua has control.
Rua tries to land knees in the clinch but Silva avoids the damage to the body.
Rua tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Silva avoids it.
A frustrated look appears on Silva's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rua tries to land a knee to the head but Silva blocks with his arms.
Rua is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Silva is defending well for now.
Knees to the body from Rua.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Silva takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua landing knees to the head.
Rua landing knees to the head.
Rua tries to land a knee to the head but Silva blocks with his arms.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rua tries for a takedown but Silva manages to get underhooks.
Rua lands a nice knee to the body.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.
Rua connects with a knee to the head.
Rua lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Silva takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.
Silva wants to get back to striking at distance but Rua won't allow it.
Rua crunches a lovely knee into Silva's ribcage.
Rua lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua has Silva pressed against the cage, preventing Silva from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Silva.
Bruno Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mauricio Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua lands an elbow just above Silva 's eye.
Silva throws a punch but it's blocked by Rua.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauricio Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rua 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mauricio Rua!