PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ronaldo Silva (ranked 3143 p4p, 352 weight class) and Cain Alvarado (ranked 3686 p4p, 405 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Silva
vs
Alvarado

178 cm
25
159 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
28
155 lbs
4 - 9 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ronaldo Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cain Alvarado!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Alvarado.

Silva clinches up against the cage.
Alvarado is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Alvarado has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A frustrated look appears on Alvarado's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Silva takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Silva has Alvarado up against the cage in a clinch.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A punch combination from Alvarado misses.
Alvarado misses with a series of wild punches.
Alvarado fails to land with a series of punches.
Silva is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Alvarado.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alvarado stuns Silva with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva walks into a left hand.
Silva changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Alvarado tries to avoid it but Silva manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Alvarado to the ground. Alvarado escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Alvarado connects with a high kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Silva pulls guard successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alvarado's guard.

Silva stands and throws Alvarado's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Silva stands up and beckons Alvarado to his feet.
Cain Alvarado is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alvarado lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Silva circles away quickly and effectively.
Cain Alvarado seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Silva lands a takedown into guard.

Alvarado looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Silva passes into half guard.

Alvarado is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva controlling the action here.

Silva is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Alvarado doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Silva.
Silva thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Alvarado actively working from the bottom here.
Silva wants to take a breather but Alvarado is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Alvarado looking for submissions off his back.

Silva is working for a submission of some sort.
Silva is looking to advance position but Alvarado won't allow it.
Silva prevents Alvarado from improving his position.
Alvarado is not content to let Silva control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Alvarado wants to get back to full guard.
Alvarado regains full guard. Nicely done.
Silva is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Silva got a little sloppy there for a moment and Alvarado has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Silva has managed to get both his arms back between Alvarado's legs - danger averted.

Alvarado is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Alvarado, up you get!
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 Ronaldo Silva 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.

Alvarado avoids a punch combination nicely.

Silva gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Alvarado is fighting off a takedown attempt but Silva is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Alvarado to the mat. Alvarado regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Silva pushes down on Alvarado's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Silva postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Alvarado to stand up.
Alvarado misses with a body kick.
Alvarado pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Silva back to the cage. Alvarado follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silva.
Alvarado goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alvarado lands a glancing blow to the side of Silva's head.
Alvarado looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Silva fails to land the takedown.
Alvarado scores with a body shot.
Cain Alvarado seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Alvarado lands the left hand.
Silva seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

Silva closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Alvarado to the mat! Alvarado manages to get full guard.

Alvarado looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Silva has picked Alvarado up and slammed him! Alvarado can't keep hold of the triangle and Silva manages to pass to side control!
Silva trying to control the action but Alvarado is working from the bottom.
Alvarado sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Alvarado looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Alvarado keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alvarado wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
Silva is trying to control. Alvarado wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Alvarado is trying to get back to full guard.
Silva controlling the action here.
Ground and pound from Silva.

Silva is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Alvarado is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Alvarado is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.
Silva is trying to control. Alvarado wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Alvarado looking for subs from the bottom but Silva mounts him!
Alvarado is wriggling around trying to escape.
Silva controlling the pace for now.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Silva cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Silva is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Silva rushes Alvarado and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarado tries to circle away but Silva has him pinned against the cage.

Silva drags the fight down to the ground.
Silva is trying to keep Alvarado in close.
Silva can't keep his opponent in guard - Alvarado advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Alvarado is very close to passing his half guard.

Alvarado is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Alvarado is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Cain Alvarado will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Alvarado enables Silva to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Alvarado manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Alvarado escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Silva gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Silva wants to control from the top but Alvarado keeps moving.

Alvarado is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silva defends well.
Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Silva decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Silva drives through with a takedown into Alvarado's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Alvarado has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Silva has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Silva.

Silva pulls guard successfully.
My spies in Melhor Lutador MMA inform me that Alvarado has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva keeping full guard, as Alvarado tries to pass.

Alvarado drops back looking for a leg! Silva is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Silva manages to kick Alvarado off! Alvarado jumps back into Silva's guard.
Alvarado takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Silva is on top in guard.

Silva 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.
Ronaldo Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Alvarado had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Silva defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is stalling in the full guard.
Alvarado 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.

Alvarado is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Alvarado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Alvarado looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Silva passes into side control.
Silva takes a little break here. Alvarado wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Silva landing a few strikes.
Silva controlling the position.
Silva 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.
Alvarado tries to buck Silva off but Silva is having none of it.
Silva remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva tries for a kimura but Alvarado is defending well.
Alvarado sneaks back into half guard.

Alvarado looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alvarado is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ronaldo Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Silva 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!