PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Merlin Charles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Merlin Charles has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Charles
vs
Silva

223 cm
24
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Merlin Charles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anderson Silva!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Charles feints and as Silva raises his hands in defense, Charles changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Charles throwing strikes but missing.
Charles makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Charles has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Charles working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Charles is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Charles throws an elbow that misses. Silva uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Charles's guard. Nice move by Silva!
Charles looking to control.
Charles seems keen to control Silva's posture.
Silva won't allow Charles to get back to his feet.

Silva drops back looking for a leg! Charles is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Charles manages to kick Silva off! Silva jumps back into Charles's guard.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Silva jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Charles trying to control the position here.
Silva trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Silva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Charles looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Merlin Charles wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Charles gets tackled into the cage by Silva. Silva maintains the clinch.
Charles is trying to break the clinch but Silva has him pressed against the cage.
Silva jumps guard but Charles stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charles has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Silva jumps guard but Charles turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Charles is looking for a takedown.
Charles tries to break the clinch but Silva is controlling the position.
Charles wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Charles manages to break the clinch.

Silva gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Charles to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Charles trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Charles missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Charles throwing strikes from guard but Silva blocks nicely.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Charles stops Silva from standing up.
Silva trying to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Charles stands up and waves to Silva to follow him.

Silva clinches up with Charles and pushes him back against the cage.
Charles tries to break the clinch but Silva is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Charles has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Silva is trying to pull guard but Charles has him pressed against the cage.
Merlin Charles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.
Charles working hard to break the clinch.
Charles wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.
Silva is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Silva jumps guard but Charles stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Charles is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Merlin Charles dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.
Silva fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Charles is trying to push Silva away but Silva has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Charles manages to break the clinch.
Anderson Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Silva gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Silva fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Charles wants to break free but Silva has control.
Charles is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Charles lands a knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles is trying to break free.

Charles breaks the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Silva tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Merlin Charles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.
Charles wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.
Charles wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.

Charles breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Charles looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva clinches up against the cage.
Charles fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Charles misses with a body punch.
Silva fails to pull guard.
Silva keeps control of Charles as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Silva jumps guard but Charles stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Silva jumps guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Charles is working Silva over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Merlin Charles overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Charles trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Charles is proving a slippery customer.
Charles trying to stand up but can't free himself from Silva's guard.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva controls Charles momentarily but Charles frees himself.

Anderson Silva has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Silva fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Charles, pushing him back against the cage.
Silva tries to pull guard but Charles holds him up against the cage and eventually Silva drops back down to his feet.

Silva pulls Charles into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Charles has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Silva is proving hard to escape from.
Charles lands a couple of digs.
Charles missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Charles.
Charles throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Silva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Charles stops Silva from standing up.
Charles with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Charles is working Silva over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Charles accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Charles connects with a couple of short punches.
Charles tries to stand but Silva is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Merlin Charles will probably get the nod.
That's time! Charles's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Silva rushes Charles and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Charles just stands there and leans against the cage.
Charles tries to break the clinch but Silva is controlling the position.
Silva jumps guard but Charles turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Charles smiles and moves away.
Merlin Charles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Silva.

Silva clinches up with Charles and pushes him back against the cage.
Charles is looking to break free of the clinch but Silva has double underhooks.
Silva fails to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Charles manages to break the clinch.

Charles clinches up against the cage.

Charles breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Charles looks for a takedown but Silva sprawls well.
Charles shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Charles.
Charles really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Silva clinches up against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Silva.
Silva tries to pull guard but Charles holds him up against the cage and eventually Silva drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Charles to keep the fight standing.
Merlin Charles has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Charles wants to break free but Silva has control.

Silva pulls guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Charles accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Charles throwing strikes from guard but Silva blocks nicely.
Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Charles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Charles postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Silva lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Charles!
Silva pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Silva is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Charles has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Charles is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Silva moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Charles has worked his arm free - good work by Charles!
Silva avoids the strikes from the bottom by Charles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Silva lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Charles is trying to control Silva's posture but Silva avoids it.
Silva lands an elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Charles struggling a bit here.
Silva scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh Charles is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Silva can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anderson Silva!