PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nonito Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melo's entrance music is fleetwood mac - the chain. A fine choice. Silva comes into a darkened arena with his song building. California Love kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Damian Silva has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Melo
vs
Silva

190 cm
24
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

196 cm
26
185 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

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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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nonito Melo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Damian Silva!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Paulo Santos and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melo misses with a head kick.
Silva checks the leg kick nicely there.

Silva clinches.
Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Melo just stands there and leans against the cage.

Silva pulls guard effortlessly.

Melo stands and steps away. Silva gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Melo.
Silva tries to clinch but Melo moves away
and Melo counters with a low kick, right behind Silva 's knee.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Melo circles away.
Melo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Melo.
Silva moves away from the strike by Melo.
Silva is looking to clinch but Melo is avoiding it.
Melo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silva.
Melo lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nonito Melo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silva is looking to land body kicks.
Melo throws a nice looking combination but Silva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Silva throws a right hand that Melo ducks under and follows up with a left that Melo also avoids with ease.
Melo keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva is looking to clinch.
Melo misses with an attempted mid kick.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Melo misses with a two punch combination.
Silva tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Melo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Melo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Melo circles away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Melo enables Silva to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Melo manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Melo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.
Silva told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Melo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Melo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.
Melo trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Silva trying to control but Melo is working from the bottom.
Silva content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva advances to half guard.
Silva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Melo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Melo keeps moving.
Melo wants to stand up but Silva is controlling him.
Melo is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Soco na mãe - Stand Up Striking that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva trying to control but Melo is working from the bottom.
Melo wants to stand and escape but Silva is having none of it.
Melo can't keep his opponent in guard - Silva advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Melo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.
Silva wants to free his trapped foot but Melo is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Silva seems to be looking for submissions.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Melo is trying to stand back up but Silva is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Damian Silva will probably get the nod.
That's time! Melo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.

Melo tries to keep at a distance but Silva has taken the fight into the clinch.
Silva throws a punch but it's blocked by Melo.
Melo is looking to control Silva's arms but Silva gets an underhook and turns him. Now Melo has his back to the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Silva jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Melo walks away with a smile on his face. Silva gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Damian Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva misses with a kick to the body.
Silva moves to clinch but Melo breaks away
and Melo counters with a solid body kick.
Silva closes the distance looking to clinch
and Melo counters with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to clinch up but Melo keeps it at a distance.
Silva is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Melo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Melo swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Melo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva misses with a kick to the body.
Melo throws a right and a left that Silva avoids nicely.
Melo looks for the body kick but Silva saw that one coming.

Silva clinches up against the cage.
Silva drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Melo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Silva is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Melo is defending well.
Nonito Melo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damian Silva.

Melo manages to break the clinch.
Nonito Melo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Melo's waist but Melo gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Silva off to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva darts in trying to clinch
and Melo counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Melo throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Nonito Melo is winning the standup battle so far.
Silva takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Silva misses with the combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Melo misses with a head kick.
Silva darts in trying to clinch
and Melo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Silva throws a lazy body kick
and Melo counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.
Silva tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Silva walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Melo throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Melo throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Melo.
Silva throws a body kick that misses.
Melo keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Melo scoring well with a low kick there.
Silva blocks a head kick by Melo.
Melo takes a swing at Silva's ribcage but misses.
A shot to the liver by Melo. Beautiful body shot.
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.
Silva blocks a head kick by Melo.
Melo lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Melo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Melo.
Melo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Silva avoids a kick to the body.
Silva defending well as Melo loads up on a big left hand.
Melo pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Silva closes the distance and pushes Melo back into the cage.

Silva jumps guard and drags Melo to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Melo is stalling in the full guard.
Melo has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Silva managing to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nonito Melo dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

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 fails in his attempt to clinch.
Melo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A chopping leg kick lands by Melo.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Silva.

Silva has Melo up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva drops down looking for an ankle pick but Melo pulls his leg out and moves away.
Melo throws a lazy head kick

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Silva stalling.
Damian Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Silva frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Melo is trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva looking to control but Melo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
BOOM! Silva connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Silva with good strikes from the mount here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva won't let Melo get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

Silva wants to finish this one by submission but Melo is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Silva.
Melo tries to buck Silva off but he can't manage it.
Silva tries to control but Melo wriggling away.
Melo is trying to escape the mount but Silva keeps good control and instead manages to take Melo's back.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Melo wants to get back to his feet.

Silva working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Silva working for the choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Melo trying to get back to his feet but Silva is in full control for now.

Silva working for the choke.

Melo manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
Melo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Silva moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melo connects with a high kick.

Silva closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Melo trying to stall but Silva improves his position.
Melo prevents a takedown attempt there.

Melo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Melo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Silva circles away quickly and effectively.
Melo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Melo avoids the head kick by Silva.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Melo.
Silva moves out of range of the strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damian Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Damian Silva!
Damian Silva tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.