PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Busta Rhymes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Silva
vs
Rhymes

179 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tiago Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Busta Rhymes!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Cecil Peabody and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva wants to clinch up but Rhymes keeps it at a distance.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Rhymes pushes him off.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch.

Rhymes pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rhymes is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Rhymes keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Rhymes has his hands on Silva's head, controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Rhymes is retaining full guard.
Rhymes trying to strike off his back.
Rhymes is controlling Silva's posture.
Rhymes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Rhymes keeping busy on the bottom but Silva has passed one foot through into half guard.
Rhymes tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rhymes controlling the position for now.
Rhymes is trying to get back to full guard.
Rhymes keeping control of the position.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Rhymes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Rhymes desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Rhymes tries to kick Silva off but Silva keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rhymes is controlling Silva's trapped leg to prevent Silva from advancing to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Busta Rhymes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva wants to clinch but Rhymes slips to the side

and Rhymes counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Rhymes stays in close to Silva's body and controls the position.

Rhymes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Silva, up you get!
Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rhymes counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rhymes.
Rhymes stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Silva can't keep his opponent in guard - Rhymes advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Busta Rhymes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rhymes tries for a takedown but Silva sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Silva.
Tiago Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva has his takedown stuffed

and Rhymes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Silva being controlled here, momentarily.
Rhymes preventing the sweep.
Silva is looking to stand up but Rhymes isn't so interested in that idea.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
Rhymes tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhymes is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Rhymes stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Silva moves out of range as Rhymes throws a body kick.

Rhymes takes the fight into the clinch.

Rhymes pulls guard successfully.
Rhymes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.
Rhymes with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Rhymes from controlling successfully.
Silva not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhymes content to stall in guard here.
Rhymes passes Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rhymes is tying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rhymes is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Silva is trying to stand up here but Rhymes is controlling him well.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Rhymes is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhymes works his way into full mount!
Rhymes controlling the position easily from mount.
Rhymes prevents Silva from getting the reversal.
Rhymes controlling from the full mount.
Rhymes lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rhymes looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva prevents Rhymes from taking his back.
Silva tries to hold on but Rhymes postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Busta Rhymes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rhymes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Silva is looking for a sweep.
Rhymes taking a breather here.
Silva pushes Rhymes away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Rhymes gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Rhymes taking a breather here.

Despite being in the dominant position, Busta Rhymes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva with a poor takedown

and Rhymes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Rhymes 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.
Rhymes is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhymes wants to pass the guard but Silva is defending well.

Rhymes decides to stand up.

Silva gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rhymes controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhymes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rhymes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rhymes won't allow Silva to sweep him here.
Rhymes is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Silva wants to sweep here but Rhymes controlling him for the moment.
Rhymes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhymes is in close to Silva's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rhymes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rhymes wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.

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.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
Silva can't keep his opponent in guard - Rhymes advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Silva trying to hold on to Rhymes's head to control him but Rhymes postures up.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Rhymes controlling the action here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Busta Rhymes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rhymes winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Busta Rhymes!