PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Melekh David (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafa Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva has chosen UFC Theme Song as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

David
vs
Silva

170 cm
29
149 lbs
18 - 8 - 0

173 cm
29
142 lbs
28 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

The Big Kabosh
Heisenberg

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Melekh David!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafa Silva!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Eddie Farnsworth and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
David fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Silva has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
David misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
David takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Silva looks to land a left hand but David moved out of range nicely.
Silva tries a low kick but David avoids it.
Silva moves forwards but David connects with a nice, crisp jab.
David tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Silva pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Silva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but David moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Silva is looking to clinch but David is avoiding it.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva throws a leg kick but David sees it coming and moves out of range.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice uppercut there from David.
David dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva misses with a body kick.
David throws a lazy uppercut
and Silva counters with a straight right hand.
Silva fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
David fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Silva moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
David misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Silva.
A punch combination from David misses.
Silva dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
David looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
That kick from Silva tenderised David's leg. David is trying to keep his angry face on.
Rafa Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silva cracks the inside of David's front leg.
Silva lands a straight punch to the body, keeping David at a distance.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a quick inside leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
David takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

David darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
David thows a huge punch but Silva dodges it nicely.
Silva wants to improve his position but David is controlling well.
Silva won't allow David to pass to mount.
Silva is looking for a sweep. David is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
David moves nicely into side control.
Silva regains half guard.
Silva is concentrating on defense, preventing David from advancing position.
Silva regains full guard. Nicely done.
David is fighting to break Silva's control of his arms but Silva is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
David wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rafa Silva hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Silva does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Silva looks to land a right hand but David moved out of range.
Silva uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by David.
Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Silva throws a leg kick but David checks it.
Silva throws a low kick but David moves out of range easily.
David looks to land a left hand but Silva moved out of range nicely.
David loads up on a big right hand but Silva slips the punch.
David uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
David ducks under a wild hook from Silva.
Silva ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Silva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafa Silva 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.

Silva throws a quick head kick that skims the top of David's head.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
David throws a body punch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
David shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
David checks the leg kick nicely there.
Silva on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A slapping leg kick lands for Silva.
David blocks a head kick by Silva.
Rafa Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
David throws a jab but it's blocked by Silva.
Rafa Silva seems to be getting the better of the standup.
David moves out of range of the body kick from Silva.
Silva is looking to clinch.
Silva throws a lazy uppercut

and David counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Silva's guard now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
David distracts Silva with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
David showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
David is looking to pass into half guard but Silva pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Silva is in guard.
David looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
David seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Silva postures up.
David seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
David is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to pass into half guard but David pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now David is in guard.
Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Silva wants to sweep here but David controlling him for the moment.
David is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
David looking to pass the guard.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but David is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
David in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
David throws a big elbow that misses.
David in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
David trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
David stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from David.
David trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
David looking to hit a scissor sweep but Silva is one step ahead there.
Silva is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from David.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva is fighting to break David's control of his arms but David is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melekh David 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.

David buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silva. David does a little dance to reset his feet.
Silva looks for the body kick but David saw that one coming.
David connects with a crisp jab.
David throws a big shot that misses.
David fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
David catches Silva with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
David waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Silva.
A lazy left from David finds it's target.
David misses with the combination.
A solid body kick from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by David.
Silva lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Horrible takedown by David or perhaps it was just good defense by Silva which made him look bad.
David throws a leg kick
and Silva counters with a stiff right hand.
David on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A clash of legs there as David blocks the low kick.
Silva scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Nice shot lands for David.
Silva looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
David shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Silva moves out of range as David strikes.
David throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Silva counters with a head kick. That will keep David thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a nice looking combination but David bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Silva just misses with a punch to the body.
Silva throws a head kick that misses.
Silva lands a nice leg kick that just misses David's sensitive parts.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
David steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Silva.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva uses good head movement to avoid the hook from David.
Silva darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Silva lands with a thumping leg kick.
A slow jab from Silva misses its intended target.
Silva throws a leg kick but David checks it.
Silva chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
David scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Silva on the wrong end of a nice hook.
David misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Melekh David. That's going to take a lot out of him.
David shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
David is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
David throws an overhand right that lands on Silva's shoulder, as Silva tries to avoid the shot.
A telegraphed right hand from David misses the target.
Silva lands a leg kick that knocks David off balance momentarily.
Silva wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
David connects with a nice looking jab.
Silva bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Silva delivers a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Silva finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
David darts in looking for a takedown but Silva gets double underhooks and turns David into the cage.
Silva lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down David.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
David prevents a body shot from Silva.
David is trying to pull guard but Silva has him pressed against the cage.
David is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Silva to keep the fight standing.
David avoids the elbow strike from Silva, against the cage.
Silva content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Silva misses with a punch to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafa Silva really dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

David staying out of range there.
Silva jabs David to the body, keeping him at a distance.
David throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Silva sees it coming and avoids it easily.
David scores with a spinning back kick!
David lands with an uppercut that bounces Silva off the cage and back into range.
David checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Silva scores with a kick to the midsection.
Silva jabs David to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Silva slips a straight right by David.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses David's front leg but catches the back leg as David tries to avoid it.
A solid body kick from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva thows a leg kick but David checks it

and David counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Silva is trying to keep David in close.
Silva lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for David!
Silva can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as David is looking to escape.
Silva controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control the action but instead David gets a body lock and reverses into Silva's guard! Nice work!
David won't allow Silva to sweep him here.
David wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva pulls David in close to his closed guard and prevents David from doing any damage or advancing position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
David trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
David trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Melekh David overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
David wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
David trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
David looking to hit a scissor sweep but Silva is one step ahead there.
David controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva misses with a wild body shot.
David on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
David throws a lazy right hand but Silva sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
David throws a jab but it's blocked by Silva.
David is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Silva.
David missing with a left hand there. Silva was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
David changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Silva tries to avoid it but David manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Silva to the ground. Silva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Silva connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between David's hands.
Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close fourth round but Rafa Silva will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Silva connects with the punch.
David misses with a looping right.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Silva looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! David crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Silva - the referee stops the clock and David gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Silva. David manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
David will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
David takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Silva misses with a leg kick

and David counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
David is just content to waste time from the top position. Silva takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Silva keeping moving, preventing David from controlling successfully.
Silva trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
David trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva pulls David in close to his closed guard and prevents David from doing any damage or advancing position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

We're going to have a standup here because Melekh David wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Silva gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Melekh David has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a hook but David avoids it easily.
David shoots in but Silva avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Silva throws a leg kick

and David counters with a nice double leg into guard.
David advances position into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
David working away.

David goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Silva rolls with the submission and now he's on top in David's guard! Nice work there by Silva!
Silva stays in close to David's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
David wants to control but Silva passes easily into half guard.
David manages to get to full guard.
David has a closed guard, preventing Silva from standing up.
Silva won't allow David to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva controlling from the top position.
David keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Rafa Silva is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Rafa Silva has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Silva misses with a body shot.
Nice shot lands for Silva.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva tests David's chin there with a solid looking shot.
David swings and misses with a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Melekh David showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 47:48
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 47:48
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafa Silva!
A very excited looking Rafa Silva made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
The defeated Melekh David had this to say: 'Upset for the loss, but congrats to Rafa. He's the best fighter in the world.'.