PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Da Silva (ranked 776 p4p, 599 weight class) and Georges St. Georges (ranked 94 p4p, 73 weight class). Da Silva comes into the arena with Lil Uzi Vert - XO Tour Llif3 blaring out of the sound system. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Da Silva
vs
St. Georges

167 cm
36
135
27 - 15 - 0

167 cm
27
138
7 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

SynCity Fightwear
Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 15 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leonardo Da Silva!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Georges St. Georges!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Da Silva lands a straight punch to the body, keeping St. Georges at a distance.
Da Silva feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits St. Georgess jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Da Silva scores with a crisp jab that stopped St. Georges in his tracks.
Horrible takedown attempt by St. Georges or perhaps it was just good defense by Da Silva, which made it look bad.

St. Georges feints and as Da Silva raises his hands in defense, St. Georges changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Da Silva keeping moving, preventing St. Georges from controlling successfully.
St. Georges might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Da Silva haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

St. Georges drops back, looking for a kneebar! Da Silva looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Da Silva looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Da Silva!

Da Silva taking a breather here.
St. Georges is trying to control Da Silva's posture but Da Silva avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Silva tries to advance to mount but can't.
Da Silva advances to mount.
St. Georges felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
St. Georges regains half guard.
St. Georges wants to get back to full guard.
St. Georges is pressing down on Da Silva's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Da Silva passes St. Georges's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
St. Georges trying to hold on to Da Silva's head to control him but Da Silva postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Da Silva is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so St. Georges is just riding it out for now. Da Silva eventually gives up the hold.
St. Georges is not content to let Da Silva control the position.
Da Silva is thwarting St. Georges's attempts to control the position.
St. Georges is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Da Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but St. Georges is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
St. Georges tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
St. Georges will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
St. Georges moves into range and connects with a jab.
St. Georges throws a hook but Da Silva blocks it.
No joy there for St. Georges, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A counter left hand to the body from Da Silva misses its target.
A chopping leg kick lands by Da Silva.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
St. Georges throws a half hearted mid kick.
St. Georges tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
St. Georges tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Da Silva swivels and escapes.
Da Silva takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Da Silva throws a lazy right hand but St. Georges sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Leonardo Da Silva will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Da Silva tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Da Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Georges St. Georges seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slow jab from St. Georges misses its intended target.
St. Georges ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Da Silva moves away.
St. Georges keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Da Silva throws a nice inside leg kick.
St. Georges misses with a wild body shot.
Good shot there by Da Silva.
Da Silva wants to clinch up but St. Georges keeps it at a distance.
St. Georges swats away the attempt to clinch by Da Silva.
A swing and a miss from St. Georges.
St. Georges throws a good cross that connects.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Da Silva throws a head kick but St. Georges moves out of range.
Da Silva misses with a low kick.
Da Silva misses with a low kick.
Da Silva takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
St. Georges blocks a jab.
Da Silva on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by St. Georges. St. Georges obviously looking to wear him down.

That's one minute gone in the round.

St. Georges shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Da Silva's guard.
Da Silva wants to sweep here but St. Georges controlling him for the moment.
St. Georges slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Da Silva gets back to half guard.
St. Georges is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

St. Georges looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
St. Georges wants to control the pace but Da Silva is squirming around nicely.
St. Georges cracks Da Silva with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Da Silva is desperately trying to improve his position but St. Georges has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

St. Georges looking for a guillotine from mount but Da Silva is having none of it.
Da Silva regains half guard.
St. Georges is pressing down on Da Silva's thigh, looking to free his foot. Da Silva is holding on for now.
St. Georges thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Da Silva's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
St. Georges has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Da Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

St. Georges is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Da Silva has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Da Silva!
Da Silva wants to pass the guard but St. Georges is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva stopping the sweep attempt from St. Georges.
St. Georges working a defensive guard here.
Georges St. Georges has got the better of the ground game so far.
St. Georges is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

St. Georges looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Da Silva avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Da Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. St. Georges is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Da Silva avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Da Silva is pushing down on St. Georges's leg trying to pass to half guard. St. Georges is fighting to maintain full guard but Da Silva has managed to sneak the leg through.
Da Silva prevents St. Georges from improving his position.
Da Silva trying to mount his opponent but St. Georges defends it.
St. Georges is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Da Silva's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Da Silva's back!
Da Silva wants to control his opponent's hands but St. Georges gets his hands free.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Georges St. Georges 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!

St. Georges misses the jab.
An attempted straight right counter from Da Silva misses the target.
Da Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Da Silva clinches.
Da Silva tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Da Silva misses with a hook to the ribs.
Da Silva throws a punch but it's blocked by St. Georges.

St. Georges ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. St. Georges no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Da Silva trying to control but St. Georges is working from the bottom.
Da Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. St. Georges swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Da Silva controls from within his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Da Silva looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Silva trying to control but St. Georges is working from the bottom.

St. Georges has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Da Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Da Silva pushes down on St. Georges's leg and manages to get into half guard.
St. Georges trying to control here.
Da Silva trying to control from half guard but St. Georges is working away.

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.
Da Silva trying to mount his opponent but St. Georges defends it.
St. Georges is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are battling for position here. St. Georges manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
St. Georges keeping full guard, as Da Silva tries to pass.
St. Georges trying to keep a closed guard but Da Silva is proving a slippery customer.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

St. Georges has his feet on Da Silva's thighs here. He's pushed Da Silva off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Da Silva screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Georges St. Georges!
Georges St. Georges is the new featherweight champion!
Georges St. Georges tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.