PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Randall Mercer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freddie Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva has chosen Ludacris - Move bitch get out the way as his entrance music. Freddie Silva has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mercer
vs
Silva

169 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Randall Mercer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Freddie Silva!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Leandro Rodrigues and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Mercer. Mercer obviously looking to wear him down.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mercer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Silva throws a head kick that misses.
Silva lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Mercer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Silva lands a leg kick that knocks Mercer off balance momentarily.
Mercer scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Mercer shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Silva defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randall Mercer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silva is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercer looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Silva is fending him off so far but Mercer persists. Nope, Silva circles away and we're back to standing.

Silva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mercer sprawls well initially but Silva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Mercer is looking to get back to is feet but Silva passes into side control.

Silva decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Mercer drives through and clinches with Silva against the cage.

Mercer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mercer tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Silva lands a head kick. Mercer smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Silva throws a head kick but Mercer moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mercer tries to clinch up.
Mercer pivots, looking for a leg kick but Silva is out of range and Mercer settles back down.
Mercer sets himself, and Silva steps forward looking for the clinch! Mercer avoids it this time.
Mercer blocks a head kick by Silva.
Mercer is trying hard to land a takedown here. Silva sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Silva throws a lazy head kick
and Mercer counters with a leg kick.
Silva looks winded!
Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Silva throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Silva takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mercer just misses with a punch to the body.
Silva replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Mercer blocks it well.
Mercer pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mercer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Silva throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Silva as Mercer shoots in.

Silva clinches up against the cage.

Mercer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mercer dives in and grabs Silva's left leg, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes down on Mercer's head and hops out.
Mercer tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Mercer looks for a takedown but Silva sprawls well.

Silva closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Mercer quickly recovers to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Silva stops Mercer from getting back to his feet.
Silva scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mercer trying to control but Silva postures up.
Mercer tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Silva seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Mercer is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Silva throws a head kick that half lands.
Mercer avoids the head kick by Silva.
A slapping leg kick lands for Mercer.

Mercer manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Silva on his heels. He'll look to pass Silva's guard now, I'm sure.
Silva working a defensive guard here.

Mercer stands up and waves to Silva to follow him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick by Silva misses

and Mercer counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Silva is breathing heavily.

Mercer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mercer.
Silva blocks a head kick by Mercer.
Mercer takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Mercer dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Silva. That did some damage!
Silva fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Mercer has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
We've been informed that Silva has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Mercer drives through and clinches with Silva against the cage.

Mercer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva blocks a head kick by Mercer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva scores with a jab. Mercer acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Mercer gets tackled into the cage by Silva. Silva maintains the clinch.
Silva stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
Mercer throws a head kick that misses
and Silva counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Mercer is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Mercer moves into the clinch.
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!
Silva just leaning against Mercer, taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva manages to break the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Silva.

Mercer bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Silva goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mercer is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Mercer breaks from the clinch.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Mercer shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randall Mercer. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Silva moves into the clinch successfully.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.

Mercer escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Freddie Silva will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Silva lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Silva lands a head kick!
Mercer avoids the head kick by Silva.
Mercer tried to counter with a leg kick but Silva avoided it.
Mercer shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Silva steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Mercer.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Mercer wants to clinch

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Mercer manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
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!

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mercer shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Silva defends it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercer shoots for a takedown but Silva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randall Mercer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mercer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Silva moves into the clinch.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva throws a head kick but Mercer moves out of range.
Freddie Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mercer tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva lands a high kick!
Silva misses with a head kick.
Mercer looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva clinches up against the cage.
Mercer is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Silva is defending well.

Mercer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Silva has closed the distance and engaged Mercer in a clinch.

Mercer has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Silva clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Silva is trying to shake Mercer off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Mercer won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva darts in and clinches Mercer up against the cage.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Silva tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mercer manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mercer blocks a head kick by Silva.
Mercer will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Mercer dives in for a single leg takedown but Silva sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Silva clinches up against the cage.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva rushes Mercer and presses him up against the cage.
Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Mercer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Freddie Silva is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Silva has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Silva lands a head kick!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mercer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Randall Mercer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Silva 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.

Mercer wriggles free and stands up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randall Mercer showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Freddie Silva!
A victorious Freddie Silva thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.