PBP Commentary

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

Silva
vs
Hussain

168 cm
22
143 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

162 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rich Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Saddam Hussain!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hussain throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hussain works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Silva.
Hussain is trying to get back to half guard.
Hussain manages to get back to half guard.
Hussain wants to get back to his feet.
Silva slows the pace down in half guard.
Silva tries to stand but can't do so whilst Hussain controls his leg.
Hussain makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hussain.

Hussain has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Silva gets to his feet. Hussain looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hussain throws a head kick that misses.
Silva lands a head kick. Hussain smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Silva drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Hussain is not content to let Silva control the position.
Hussain is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Silva's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Silva trying to mount his opponent but Hussain defends it.
Hussain is staying active underneath Silva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hussain wants to get back to full guard.
Silva not doing much here.
Silva slips a nice elbow through Hussain's hands, connecting with Hussain's forehead.

Hussain looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Silva wants to take a breather but Hussain is having none of it.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Hussain gets full guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Hussain keeps moving.
Silva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control from the top but Hussain keeps moving.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hussain, up you get!

Hussain gets a clinch.
Hussain tries to pull guard but Silva won't allow it.
Hussain wants to break free but Silva has control.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Hussain tries to pull guard but Silva won't allow it.
Silva prevents Hussain from breaking the clinch.
Silva lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hussain or not.
Hussain fails to pull guard.
Rich Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saddam Hussain.
Hussain tries to break the clinch but Silva is controlling the position.
Hussain can't break the clinch.
A hook to the body from Silva.
Hussain lands with a left to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to stall but Hussain uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Silva pulls guard effortlessly.
Hussain passes Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Silva is trying to control but can't.

Hussain looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Hussain decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Silva closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hussain circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rich Silva will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hussain gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Hussain looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Hussain is retaining full guard.
Silva thows a big elbow that misses.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Silva trying to control but Hussain is working from the bottom.
Silva 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 wants to control from the top but Hussain keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hussain gets caught flat footed, as Silva shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Hussain working for submissions but it's allowed Silva to get to half guard.
Hussain is breathing heavily.
Hussain is looking for a sweep. Silva is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hussain is refusing to be controlled, as Silva sits in half guard.
Hussain moves into full guard.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hussain, up you get!
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Hussain circles away.

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

Hussain looking for a guillotine here but Silva defends easily.

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

Hussain looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva content to stall in guard here.
Silva wants to stand but Hussain has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hussain is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.

Hussain is working an open guard so Silva takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Hussain jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Hussain falls off balance throwing a combination

and Silva counters with a takedown into side control.
Hussain is trying to get back to half guard.
Silva landing a few strikes.
The referee asks Silva politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Silva prefers to stall for the moment though.
Hussain is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Silva off and has taken his back!

Hussain working for the choke.
Rich Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva holding on to Hussain's left wrist, preventing the choke.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hussain is trying to stick to Silva's back but Silva is turning into Hussain. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Hussain's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Silva.
Silva cracks Hussain with a solid left hand.

Hussain 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.

Silva avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Hussain is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rich Silva dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Silva bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Hussain is looking to reverse the position.
Hussain is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Silva is controlling him well.
Hussain is looking for a sweep.
Hussain tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Silva presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Silva prevents Hussain from getting the reversal.
Silva looking to control but Hussain is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Silva punishing his opponent with strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva tries to control but Hussain wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hussain is looking to improve his position but Silva isn't that keen on the idea.
Hussain regains half guard.
Hussain gets full guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Hussain keeps moving.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.
Silva wants to control from the top but Hussain keeps moving.

Hussain is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hussain wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.
Silva has Hussain pushed against the cage.

Silva lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Silva thows a huge punch but Hussain dodges it nicely.
Silva is keen to just control but Hussain is a slippery customer.
Silva is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Hussain!
Silva scoring with strikes but Hussain is staying in there.
Silva landing strikes from the mount.
Hussain is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.
Silva scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hussain?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hussain is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.
Silva controlling his opponent.
Hussain is desperately trying to improve his position but Silva has a good base and remains in mount.
Hussain tries to buck Silva off but Silva takes his back!
Hussain tries to escape the position.
Silva is trying to stick to Hussain's back but Hussain is turning into Silva. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Silva's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Hussain.
Silva is trying to keep Hussain in close.
Hussain slips nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Hussain is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Silva is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Saddam Hussain!