PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Riviera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riviera is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Dirty hous' - Rohff. Cain Riviera has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Silva
vs
Riviera

186 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

192 cm
19
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Tesla Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thiago Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cain Riviera!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riviera slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Silva wants to clinch.
Silva tries to clinch but Riviera is having none of it.
Riviera circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva tries to clinch but Riviera is having none of it.
Silva wants to clinch.
Silva walks into a straight right hand from Riviera.
Riviera digs a good hook to Silva's body.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt - Riviera sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riviera avoids the head kick by Silva.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Silva.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Riviera lands a nice looking body shot.

Riviera drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Riviera wants to control for a moment but Silva uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Riviera is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Riviera avoid being mounted?
Riviera is staying active underneath Silva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riviera tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.

Silva is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Riviera is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Riviera avoid being mounted?

Silva decides to stand and escape the position.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Riviera circles away.
Riviera on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Silva. Silva obviously looking to wear him down.
Riviera wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Silva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Riviera moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Silva looks to clinch
and Riviera counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Silva looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Riviera pulls Silva in close to his closed guard and prevents Silva from doing any damage or advancing position.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Riviera is keeping the position.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Riviera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Riviera pulls Silva in close to his closed guard and prevents Silva from doing any damage or advancing position.
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.

Riviera working for a triangle but Silva defends it easily.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riviera swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silva being controlled here momentarily.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Riviera working for a triangle but Silva defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Riviera dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Riviera misses with a two punch combination.

Riviera rushes Silva and presses him up against the cage.
Riviera stops a takedown attempt from Silva.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
Riviera shoots for a double leg takedown but Silva sprawls well. He's pushed Riviera's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riviera scores with a three punch combo!
Riviera is breathing heavily.
Silva misses with a takedown
and Riviera counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Riviera gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Silva trying to control here.
Silva is trying to stand back up but Riviera is controlling him
Riviera is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Silva manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Silva wants to control but Riviera is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to improve his position.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Riviera.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Riviera is tying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Riviera blocks the strikes from Silva.
Riviera wants to control but Silva is keeping him busy.
Riviera looks to land a strike but Silva avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Riviera is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva tries for a takedown but Riviera circles away easily
and Riviera counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva blocks a head kick by Riviera.
Riviera shoots and misses

and Silva counters with a single leg into guard. Riviera didn't expect that.
Riviera looking for a sweep. Not yet Riviera, not yet.
Riviera is controlling Silva's posture.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Silva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Riviera is proving hard to escape from.

Riviera has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Riviera has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Riviera is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Riviera is keeping the position for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
An inside leg kick lands from Silva.
Riviera misses with a takedown

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into side control. Riviera won't be happy with that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Silva dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva misses with the combination.
Silva tries to clinch up but Riviera circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva tries to clinch but Riviera is having none of it.
Silva has his takedown stuffed
and Riviera counters with a nice uppercut.
Riviera shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Riviera misses with a takedown attempt

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Riviera is trying to control Silva's posture. Silva takes advantage of the lull and advances to side control. He also appears to have an arm triangle here! Uh oh, big trouble for Riviera! Silva is rotating here... this could be the end... Riviera is out! Silva has ended this one emphatically! Great submission!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Thiago Silva!