PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Alexander Hardy has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Hardy
vs
Silva

187 cm
24
279 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

192 cm
21
246 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

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

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva tries to sprawl but Hardy drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Hardy sits in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hardy in particular looking to stall.
Silva moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hardy prevents Silva from getting back to his feet.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Hardy would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Hardy drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Hardy jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Hardy avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hardy decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Silva, up you get!
Hardy throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Hardy fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Silva sprawls well initially but Hardy persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Hardy tries to stand and escape but Silva actually recovers to full guard.

Hardy drops back, looking for a kneebar! Silva looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Silva looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Silva!

Silva decides to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Silva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rodrigo Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva tries to sprawl but Hardy drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Silva looks winded!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva is trying to stand.
Silva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hardy wants to take a breather but Silva is having none of it.

Hardy is trying to work for a kimura but Silva is defending well.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy thows a huge punch but Silva dodges it nicely.
Hardy trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hardy controlling the pace.
Hardy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.

Hardy is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Silva has managed to free his arm - good work.
Silva trying to control but Hardy postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to stand up here but Hardy is controlling him well.
Hardy tries to stand but can't do so whilst Silva controls his leg.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Hardy is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Silva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hardy sprawls well initially but Silva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva wants to take a breather but Hardy is having none of it.
Hardy is trying to stand.
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 Alexander Hardy will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Silva changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hardy looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Hardy is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Silva asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Hardy is looking to regain half guard here but Silva keeps moving and retains side control.
Hardy is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Silva remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Silva is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hardy knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Silva looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to stand but Hardy is controlling his arm.
Silva wants to control but Hardy is keeping him busy.
Hardy is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy struggling a bit here.
Silva working the ground and pound but Hardy is defending the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hardy sneaks out the side door and pushes Silva away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Silva tries to sprawl but Hardy drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Hardy blocks the strikes from Silva.
Silva keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Silva works his way to full guard. Good work.
Silva wants to stand but Hardy is controlling the position.
Hardy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hardy trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy trying to stand up but can't free himself from Silva's guard.

Hardy gets to his feet - Silva follows without any prompting.
Hardy could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Hardy shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Silva is on top in guard.
Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hardy works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Hardy throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Silva escapes and throws Hardy's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Hardy knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.

Silva in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Hardy is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Rodrigo Silva!
Rodrigo Silva thanked the fans post fight for their support.