PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rex Ruger (ranked 1612 p4p, 79 weight class) and Adriano Silva (ranked 2783 p4p, 139 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ruger
vs
Silva

169 cm
31
145 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

176 cm
32
135 lbs
17 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Riner Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rex Ruger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Adriano Silva!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Dean Styles and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruger closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.
Silva is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Silva is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ruger shoots in looking for a takedown but Silva manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ruger's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Silva missing with a left hand there. Ruger was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ruger changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Ruger throws a leg kick that is checked

and Silva counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Silva.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Ruger 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.
Ruger is looking to stand back up but Silva counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Ruger.
Ruger tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.
Silva is trying to control the action in half guard but Ruger is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruger wants to get back to his feet.
Ruger wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
Ruger wants to control but Silva is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruger is staying active underneath Silva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Silva is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Ruger knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.
Ruger wants to get back to his feet.

Silva is working for a submission of some sort.
Silva missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ruger is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Silva's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Silva's back!
Silva looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Silva is covering up but some of the strikes from Ruger are getting through and doing damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruger cracks Silva with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Silva from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Ruger.
Ruger is punishing Silva with strikes - can he finish him?!
Silva is trying to get back to his feet but Ruger has full control of the position and if anything, Silva has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Even with his hooks in, Ruger manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Silva trying to get back to his feet but Ruger is in full control for now.
Ruger scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruger somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Ruger. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Silva looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Ruger keeps control of the position as Silva tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Ruger misses with an elbow to the head.
Silva is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Ruger scores with punches from the back.
Ruger tries to get the hooks in deep but Silva pushed the leg off.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Ruger not allowing Silva to control his hands.
Ruger connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Silva to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruger lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Ruger has Silva flattened out and is raining down punches.
Ruger lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Ruger.
Silva is covering up but some of the strikes from Ruger are getting through and doing damage.
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!
Ruger lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Ruger lands shots from the back.
Silva tries to escape but Ruger has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Silva covering up well under a series of strikes from Ruger.
Silva is taking damage to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Ruger dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ruger shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Silva sprawls well. Silva wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ruger gets slowly back to his feet.
Silva drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Ruger defends it well.

Silva gets caught flat footed, as Ruger shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Ruger lands a couple of elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruger working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ruger wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva is controlling Ruger's posture.
Ruger has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Ruger from controlling successfully.

Silva is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Ruger presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Ruger.
Ruger wants to take the fight to the mat but Silva manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Ruger is working for takedown but Silva is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rex Ruger. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ruger wants a takedown but no success here.
Silva is trying to stall.
Ruger wants a takedown.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ruger - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ruger scores with a nice hook to the head.
Ruger 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.

Ruger breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruger slips under a jab from Silva.
Silva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ruger moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ruger attempts a counter takedown but Silva avoids it well and moves away.
Ruger bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A punch lands to the side of Ruger 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Ruger shoots in and gets a takedown into Silva's guard.

Silva manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ruger working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ruger goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silva prevents it.
Ruger drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ruger is trying to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruger wants a takedown.
Ruger leaning against his opponent.
Silva looking for a takedown.

Silva has picked Ruger up - he's going for a ride! Silva dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Ruger pushes Silva off but Silva dives into side control.

Silva working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ruger is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Ruger is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruger is trying to improve his position.

Silva looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ruger tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ruger is trying to control Silva's posture but Silva avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adriano Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Silva thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Ruger if he has to take too many more of those.
Silva uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ruger.
Silva with the counter takedown but Ruger avoids it easily.
Silva thuds a left hand into Ruger's body.
Silva just misses with a punch to the body.
Ruger punishes Silva's body with a nice straight punch.
Ruger misses with a low kick.
Silva punishes Ruger's body with a nice straight punch.
Ruger rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Silva moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ruger shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ruger feints and as Silva raises his hands in defense, Ruger changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ruger postures up.
Ruger works over Silva with some ground and pound from guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruger trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruger stops Silva from standing up.
Ruger wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Ruger preventing the sweep.
Silva keeps trying to improve his position.
Silva controls Ruger momentarily but Ruger frees himself.
Ruger won't allow Silva to sweep him here.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Ruger is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Ruger slips under a jab.
Ruger half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Silva cracks Ruger with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Silva misses with a two punch combination.
Ruger ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Silva moves away.
Silva tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Silva drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Ruger is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from Ruger.
Silva wants to stand but Ruger is controlling his posture from full guard.
Silva throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ruger seems keen to control Silva's posture.
Silva trying to control but Ruger is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva won't allow Ruger to get back to his feet.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Silva scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Silva ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Adriano Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva throws a lazy uppercut

and Ruger counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ruger wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Ruger thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Silva has hold of Ruger's hands but Ruger slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ruger not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ruger scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ruger landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ruger not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ruger lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ruger not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ruger passes the guard and advances to mount!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ruger landing strikes from the mount.
Ruger thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Silva trying desperately to get to his feet.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rex Ruger showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ruger 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rex Ruger!