PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Monroe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wanderlei Silva will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Monroe
vs
Silva

185 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
193 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Syndicate Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Monroe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wanderlei Silva!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Paulo Santos and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Monroe closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.
Monroe tries for a takedown but Silva sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Monroe avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Monroe shoots in but Silva avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Monroe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Silva missing with a left hand there. Monroe was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Monroe looks for a takedown but Silva sprawls well.
Monroe on the wrong end of a nice hook.

It looks like Michael Monroe has been cut.

Monroe changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Silva looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Silva is looking to regain half guard here but Monroe keeps moving and retains side control.
Silva sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Monroe is very close to passing his half guard.

Silva looking for submissions off his back.
Silva is looking to control Monroe's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Silva avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Monroe is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Silva works his way to full guard. Good work.
Monroe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Monroe passes into half guard.

Silva looking for submissions off his back.
Monroe frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The referee warns Silva that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Silva is desperately trying to improve his position but Monroe has a good base and remains in mount.
Silva is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Silva looks gassed!
Monroe breaks from Silva's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monroe cracks Silva with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Monroe lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Monroe avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Monroe cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Silva is working to get back to half guard.
Monroe has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Silva's face.
Monroe lands a nice shot to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva wants to control but Monroe is having none of it.
Silva is trying to escape the mount.
Monroe looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Monroe punishing his opponent with strikes.
Monroe knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monroe landing shots from mount.
Monroe avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
Silva sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Silva manages to get to full guard.
Monroe connects with a couple of short punches.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva controls Monroe momentarily but Monroe frees himself.
Monroe postures up in Silva's guard and throws a big left but Silva blocks it.
Monroe postures up.
Monroe with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Monroe throwing strikes from guard but Silva blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Monroe has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Monroe closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Silva as Monroe shoots in.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Monroe as he avoids it easily.
Silva bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Silva scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Monroe doesn't seem bothered though.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Monroe.
Check out the look on Monroe's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Monroe trying to control from the bottom.
Monroe tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
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 Michael Monroe will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Michael Monroe's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Monroe feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Monroe cracks Silva with a solid left hand.
Monroe chips away with some ground and pound.

Silva working for a triangle but Monroe defends it easily.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Monroe from controlling successfully.

Silva working for a triangle but Monroe defends it easily.
Monroe postures up in Silva's guard and throws a big left but Silva blocks it.
Michael Monroe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Monroe controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Monroe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Monroe wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva controls Monroe momentarily but Monroe frees himself.
Monroe trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Monroe is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Silva is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
A shot to de liver by Silva. Beautiful body shot.
Monroe misses with a takedown attempt
and Silva counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Michael Monroe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva scores with a nice right hand.
Silva moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Silva scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Monroe doesn't seem bothered though.
Monroe misses with a takedown
and Silva counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Monroe takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Monroe 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 connects with a nice looking jab.
Nice sprawl there from Monroe as Silva shoots in.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Monroe.
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!
Monroe in side control, throwing shots but Silva defends.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva sneaks back into half guard.
Monroe scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Monroe is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva missing with punches from the bottom.
Monroe thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Silva's head.
Silva slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Monroe won't allow Silva to sweep him here.
Monroe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

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

Silva working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Monroe doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Monroe manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Silva working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Monroe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Monroe really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Monroe is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wanderlei Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Michael Monroe's cut.
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 keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Monroe moves forwards but Silva connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Silva advances to half guard.
Silva wants to control but Monroe is keeping him busy.
Silva blocks the strikes from Monroe.
Monroe tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Monroe tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva lands with a punch from half guard.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Monroe is working away.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Monroe takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Monroe changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Silva tries to avoid it but Monroe 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 tests Monroe's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Monroe throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Silva's waist but Silva gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Monroe off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Monroe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Monroe looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Monroe closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Monroe lands in his opponent's guard.
Monroe throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Silva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to sweep here but Monroe controlling him for the moment.
Monroe throws a big right hand that misses.
Monroe stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Silva is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Monroe frees his head nicely. Oh but Silva has switched to an armbar! Monroe is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Wanderlei Silva!