PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fabricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva has chosen Sandstorm as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rua
vs
Silva

175 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Solid chin

Drugs Galore

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 Las Vegas, Fabricio Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Wanderlei Silva!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Silva moves into range and clinches up with Rua.
Silva lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Silva is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The referee calls for Silva to work.
Silva lands an elbow inside.

Rua jumps guard and drags Silva to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Silva is looking to stand up but Rua won't let him.

Rua looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Silva is looking to stand up but Rua won't let him.

Rua is working an open guard so Silva takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Silva rushes Rua and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Rua tries for a takedown but Silva manages to get underhooks.
Rua fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Silva connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rua's face.
Knees to the body from Silva.
Silva stops a takedown attempt from Rua.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fabricio Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but Rua blocks with his arms.

Rua ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rua no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rua is proving hard to escape from.
Silva looks gassed!

Rua looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Silva wants to get up but he can't break Rua's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Rua working for a triangle but Silva defends it easily.

Rua is working an open guard so Silva takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Silva forces Rua back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Rua 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!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.

Rua has his opponent's back but Silva is looking to stand. He manages to get to his feet and shakes off Rua.
Silva scores with a head kick.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Rua clinches up against the cage.
The is referee keeping an eye on Silva - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rua as Silva tries to tie him up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to drag Rua to the mat but Rua just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Rua manages to pull guard.

Silva avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Silva wants to stand but Rua is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rua is trying to control the position but Silva postures up.

Silva gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Silva wants to clinch

and Rua counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Silva!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rua stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Silva rushes Rua and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but Rua blocks with his arms.
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
Silva prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva with a knee to the head.
Rua drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Silva gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Silva tries to stall but Rua uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rua lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rua avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.
Rua on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Rua gets control of Silva's arms and successfully pulls guard. Rua will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Rua had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Silva is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Rua Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Silva's back instead.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rua has his opponent's back but Silva is looking to stand. He manages to get to his feet and shakes off Rua.
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 Fabricio Rua will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.
Silva wants to clinch.

Rua drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rua stops Silva from standing up.
Rua trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Rua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Silva manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Silva closes the distance but Rua moves to the side

and Rua counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rua wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva pushes Rua off and scrambles back to his feet.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rua counters with a takedown into side control.

Silva sneaks out the side door and pushes Rua away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Silva fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Silva throws a head kick that half lands.
Silva clinches but Rua breaks the clinch

and Rua counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Silva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rua trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Rua has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to stand and escape but Rua is having none of it.

Silva scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Silva tries to clinch but Rua moves away

and Rua counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.
Silva is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Rua is controlling him well.

Rua is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Silva has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rua tries to advance to mount but Silva denies him.
Rua trying to control the position but Silva is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua in side control, throwing shots but Silva defends.
Silva pushes Rua away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Rua gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva wants to clinch

and Rua decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Silva's guard.

Silva uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Rua showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
Silva tries to clinch up

and Rua counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Silva's guard now.
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!
Rua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva pushes Rua off and gets back to his feet.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Silva tries to clinch up

and Rua counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Silva won't allow Rua to pass to mount.
Silva is not content to let Rua control the position.
Silva is trying to stand back up but Rua is controlling him
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rua trying to advance position but Silva counters by regaining guard.
Rua stops Silva from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fabricio Rua dominated that second round.
That's time! Rua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Silva tries to clinch there but Rua circles away.

Silva takes the fight into the clinch.
Rua is trying to drag Silva to the mat but Silva just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Silva lands an elbow inside.
Silva lands a knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Silva prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Silva looking to throw knees to the head but Rua is blocking nicely.
Silva stops a takedown attempt from Rua.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fabricio Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua wants a takedown.
Silva lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Nice elbow from Silva.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Silva landing knees to the body.
Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rua.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silva scores with a shot to the side of Rua's head.
Rua can't get the takedown.

Silva drags the fight down to the ground.
Silva wants to stand up but Rua is controlling him.
Rua throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Silva pushes Rua off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Silva closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rua is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rua trying to pass the guard but Silva defending well.
Silva pushes Rua off looking to stand but Rua dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Rua sits in half guard.
Silva tries to kick Rua off but Rua keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Silva kicks off Rua and gets to his feet.

Rua instigates a clinch.
Silva lands a damaging elbow.
Silva throws a head punch that misses.
Silva gets underhooks to prevent Rua's takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Silva.
Silva creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rua's defenses.
Rua wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Silva keeps control of Rua as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rua wants a takedown but no success here.
Silva lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rua can't get the takedown.

Rua has hold of one of Silva's legs. Silva is fighting the takedown attempt but Rua gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Rua missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rua won't allow Silva to get back to his feet.

Silva kicks Rua off and gets to his feet.

Silva gets a takedown into half guard.
Silva tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Rua.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua is holding on to half guard well.
It looks like Silva is going to stand back up.
Rua slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Silva postures up.

Silva gets to his feet. Rua looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rua looks for a takedown but Silva sprawls well.
Silva tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rua decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Silva's guard.
Fabricio Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rua stops Silva from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Fabricio Rua.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rua, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fabricio Rua!