PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Batalha Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vic Romano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Batalha Silva
vs
Romano

174 cm
21
187 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

177 cm
22
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
Granite 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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Batalha Silva!
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, Vic Romano!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Felipe Paraventi and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Romano fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Romano throws the kick towards the body but Silva avoids it.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Romano counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Romano is one step ahead there.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Romano from controlling successfully.

Silva is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Romano with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Romano doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Romano manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva has his hands on Romano's head, controlling the position.
Romano would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Romano really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Silva has his hands on Romano's head, controlling the position.
Romano stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Silva controls Romano momentarily but Romano frees himself.
Romano wanted to stand there but Silva had control of the position.
Romano works over Silva with some ground and pound from guard.
Silva is trying to keep Romano in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Romano trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva throws a left and a right that both miss

and Romano moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romano lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Come on Romano - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Knees to the body from Romano.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Silva is pressed up against the cage. Romano has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Silva down to the mat. Silva avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Silva tries for a takedown but Romano circles away easily

and Romano counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Silva is looking to stand up but Romano isn't so interested in that idea.
Romano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Silva is controlling Romano's posture.
Romano postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romano connects with a couple of short punches.
Romano seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Romano trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva with a poor takedown

and Romano counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Batalha Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
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 regains half guard.
Silva trying to hold on to Romano's head to control him but Romano postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Romano in particular looking to stall.
Silva manages to get to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva with a poor takedown

and Romano counters with a takedown into side control.
Romano just content to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Silva throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Rodrigo Batalha Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva darts in trying to clinch
and Romano counters with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries for a takedown but Romano circles away easily

and Romano counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Silva wants to sweep here but Romano controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Romano wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva looking to control.
Romano not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Romano lands a couple of elbows.
Romano landing with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romano trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Romano from controlling successfully.
Silva not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Romano trying to stand up but can't free himself from Silva's guard.
Romano won't allow Silva to sweep him here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Romano wants to clinch but Silva slips to the side

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Romano looking for submissions off his back.
Silva is tying to control. Romano wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Romano punching from the bottom.
Romano keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Romano is looking to get back to full guard here but Silva has managed to pass to side control instead.
Romano wants to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
Romano is looking to improve his position but Silva isn't that keen on the idea.
Romano tries to lock up and control but Silva gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Silva could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Romano really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Romano tries to lock up and control but Silva gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Romano can't escape the position.
Romano is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Vic Romano has got the better of the ground game so far.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Romano can do anything to dispel that myth.
Romano is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.
Romano wants to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vic Romano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Romano has managed to clinch.
Knees to the body from Romano.
Romano misses with a hook from the clinch.

Romano breaks from the clinch.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Romano.
Romano wants to clinch but Silva slips to the side
and Silva counters with a thumping low kick.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Silva misses with a takedown
and Romano counters with a solid body kick.
Romano tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into side control. Romano won't be happy with that.
Romano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romano tries to improve position but can't.
Silva advances nicely into full mount.
Silva looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Romano is in a horrible position here. Silva smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Silva fails to take his opponent's back.
Silva with good strikes from the mount here!
Silva trying to control but Romano is having none of it.
Romano throwing hammer fists to the chest of Silva. What's that going to do exactly?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romano wants to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
Romano is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.
Silva with shots to the head and body - Romano looks very uncomfortable down there.
Romano regains half guard.
Romano wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
Silva is keen to just control but Romano is a slippery customer.
Romano tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Silva perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Romano does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Romano is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Romano is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Romano avoid being mounted?

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Romano looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.

Silva closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Romano wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is thwarting Romano's attempts to control the position.
Silva looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Romano with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Romano wants to control but Silva is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rodrigo Batalha Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Romano gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodrigo Batalha Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Romano has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vic Romano!