PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Murilo Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Sunshine. 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

180 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
22
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Murilo Rua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Seu Braga and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Rua.
Rua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Silva's waist but Silva gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rua off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Murilo Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Silva gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Silva.
Silva gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rua.
Silva misses with a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua tries to break the clinch but Silva is controlling the position.
Rua tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the cage.
Silva comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Rua manages to break the clinch.
Silva throws a sloppy head kick and Rua moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua fails with the takedown.

Silva pushes Rua up against the cage in a clinch.
Rua is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Silva.
Rua keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rua wants a takedown but no success here.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rua goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silva prevents it.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rua lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Silva swings away with an uppercut that misses.
With the fighters up against the cage, Silva throws an elbow but misses.
Silva throws an elbow that misses.
Silva lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rua avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva slows down the pace here.
Rua tries to score a body lock takedown but Silva shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rua blocks an elbow strike from Silva.
Rua tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Silva smiles and moves away.
Silva looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rua is fending him off so far but Silva persists. Nope, Rua circles away and we're back to standing.
Silva throws a series of strikes that have Rua backpedaling.
Rua fails to land the takedown.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua shoots in looking for a takedown. Silva tries to sprawl out of it but Rua keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Silva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Silva closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rua holds on and brings the fighters into a 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.
Rua managing to block the knees to the body from Silva.
Silva lands a hook to the side of the head.

Rua is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Silva can't fight it off and eventually Rua manages to take the fight to the floor. Silva looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rua postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rua sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rua throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rua stops Silva from standing up.
Rua sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Silva's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Silva dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rua with a poor takedown

and Silva moves into the clinch.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A bit of stalling here from Rua.
Rua takes a knee right on the jaw!
Silva tries a knee to the head but Rua blocks it.
Silva stops a takedown attempt from Rua.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Murilo Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva trying to land knees to the body.
Silva is looking to control Rua's arms but Rua gets an underhook and turns him. Now Silva has his back to the cage.
Silva lands an elbow inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua misses with a knee strike.
Silva lands a body shot in the clinch.
Silva wants to break free but Rua has control.
Silva using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Silva breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva clinches but Rua breaks the clinch

and Rua counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Silva tries to kick Rua off but Rua keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Rua is controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Rua is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua trying to mount his opponent but Silva defends it.
Silva is not content to let Rua control the position.
Silva is in trouble now - Rua has advanced to mount!
Rua controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Rua connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Rua tries to control but Silva wriggling away.
Rua controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
The referee warns Silva that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rua controlling the position easily from mount.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Murilo Rua just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.

Rua shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rua was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Silva tries to lock up and control but Rua gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Murilo Rua dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rua shoots in but no luck this time.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rua counters with a takedown into side control.
Rua prevents Silva from escaping the position.
Silva is trying to control Rua's posture but Rua avoids it.
Rua controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva struggling a bit here.
Silva is trying to buck Rua off.
Rua controlling the position from side mount.
Rua scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Silva to see if he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rua scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Silva to see if he's OK.
A lull in the action here as Rua stalls from top position.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rua working the head and body with strikes.
Murilo Rua overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva seems a little lost for a moment, as Rua dominates the positioning.
Rua misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Rua is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Silva's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Murilo Rua just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt - Silva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Murilo Rua. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva darts in trying 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.
Silva wants to control but Rua is having none of it.
Silva is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rua looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Murilo Rua showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rua has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28

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