PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Crixus The Gaul (ranked 2046 p4p, 2173 weight class) and Alex Silva (ranked 277 p4p, 298 weight class). Alex Silva acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

The Gaul
vs
Silva

199 cm
26
220
8 - 6 - 0

186 cm
33
218
15 - 9 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary
FEEBLE FIGHTWEAR

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Crixus The Gaul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Silva!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, David Schapiro and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva lands a jab to The Gaul's midsection.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
The Gaul moves out of range of the strikes.
Silva throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
The Gaul leaves Silva with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
The Gaul lands a head kick. Silva smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
The Gaul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silva.
The Gaul tries a head kick but it misses.
We've been told by The Gaul's head coaches at OFFSEASON Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Silva looks to land a right hand but The Gaul moved out of range.

Silva gets the takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Silva taking a break here but The Gaul is having none of it and regains half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The Gaul looks like he's trying to stand up.
Silva throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Silva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Silva tries to pass to full mount but The Gaul defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva throwing shots but The Gaul is blocking nicely.
Silva missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Silva missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

The Gaul pushes Silva off and gets back to his feet.
A head kick misses from The Gaul.
The Gaul takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from The Gaul.
The Gaul looks to score with a jab to the body but Silva is just out of range.
Silva fakes high and swings low for a body shot but The Gaul manages to avoid it.
A slow jab from Silva misses its intended target.
Jab by Silva.
Silva takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

The Gaul drops Silva with a left and a right! Oh, Silva is hurt - The Gaul dives into side control looking to finish!

It looks like Alex Silva has been cut.
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 is trying to control The Gaul's posture but The Gaul avoids it.
The Gaul wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Silva tries to get to full guard but The Gaul has control of the leg.
Silva wants to control but The Gaul is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Silva holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Silva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Silva trying to hold on to The Gaul's head to control him but The Gaul postures up.
Silva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Gaul is looking to stand up but Silva won't let him.
Silva is pulling down on The Gaul's head. It's preventing any offense from The Gaul, at least for the moment.
Silva wants to sweep here but The Gaul controlling him for the moment.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but The Gaul is proving a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The Gaul takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Silva misses with a wild body shot.

The Gaul moves into the clinch.

The Gaul breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts The Gaul as he jumps to the side.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The Gaul closes the distance and clinches.

The Gaul's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The Gaul misses with a series of wild punches.
The Gaul fails with an attempt to clinch.
Silva digs a good body shot into The Gaul's ribs.
The Gaul lands a really nice looking cross but Silva seems unphased.
Silva is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by The Gaul.
The Gaul leaves Silva with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Crixus The Gaul has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Silva.
Silva misses with a hook.
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!
The Gaul tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The Gaul throws out a loose jab but Silva uses good head movement to avoid it.
The Gaul throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Silva.
The Gaul staying out of range there.
Crixus The Gaul is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The Gaul walks into a stiff left hand from Silva.
Silva throws a body punch but The Gaul moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Crixus The Gaul dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alex Silva's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A jab from Silva finds it's way through The Gaul's defenses.
The Gaul lands with a right hand.
Silva connects with a crisp jab.
The Gaul fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Silva on the side of the head.
Silva scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. The Gaul doesn't seem bothered though.
Silva misses with a wild body shot.
Silva misses the jab.
Silva looks to land a right hand but The Gaul moved out of range.
The Gaul is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The Gaul comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A slow jab from Silva misses its intended target.

The Gaul lands a left and a right that sends Silva crashing to the canvas! The Gaul dives into mount looking to finish!

Silva is rocked!
The Gaul is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?
This has been an exciting period of action!
The Gaul controlling from mount.
Silva is still in real trouble! Can The Gaul finish him?
Silva can't escape the position.
Silva is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Silva seems to have recovered his senses.
Silva tries to lock up and control but The Gaul gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is looking to improve his position but The Gaul isn't that keen on the idea.
Silva tries to hold on but The Gaul postures up.
The Gaul content just to control the position here.
Silva is desperately trying to improve his position but The Gaul has a good base and remains in mount.
Silva is still trying to improve position.
The Gaul tries to control but Silva wriggling away.
Silva wants to hold on but The Gaul pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to escape the mount.
The Gaul controlling his opponent.
Crixus The Gaul overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The Gaul can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Silva is looking to escape.
Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.
The Gaul trying to control but Silva is having none of it.
Silva doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Silva wants to hold on but The Gaul pushes him away.
The Gaul controlling from the full mount.
Silva is trying desperately to improve position.
Silva wants to control but The Gaul is having none of it.
Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Silva sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to hold on to The Gaul's head to control him but The Gaul postures up.
Silva is looking for a sweep. The Gaul is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but The Gaul is very close to passing his half guard.
Silva is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but The Gaul is staying active.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
The Gaul will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Crixus The Gaul dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alex Silva's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Silva avoids the head kick by The Gaul.
The Gaul uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Silva.
The Gaul wants to clinch.
The Gaul lands with a straight right. Silva didn't see that one coming.
The Gaul connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Silva looks to throw the jab but The Gaul is out of range.
The Gaul throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Silva has a takedown stuffed.
Silva cracks The Gaul with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The Gaul drives through and clinches with Silva against the cage.
Silva trying to land knees to the body.

The Gaul breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Gaul throws a hook but Silva blocks it.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Oooh a lovely combination from The Gaul sends Silva down but not out. The Gaul dives into side control looking to finish.
Silva is looking for a sweep.
Silva is trying to control The Gaul's posture but The Gaul avoids it.
The Gaul wants to stand but Silva is controlling his arm.
Silva holding on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to buck The Gaul off but The Gaul is having none of it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
You can see the frustration on Silva's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Silva is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Silva is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but The Gaul is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
The Gaul tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Silva tries to hold on but The Gaul pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Silva wants to control but The Gaul is having none of it.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.
The Gaul trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Silva working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The Gaul controlling the position easily from mount.
Silva sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Silva wants to improve his position but The Gaul is controlling well.
Silva regains full guard. Nicely done.
Silva trying to control the position.
The Gaul trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Crixus The Gaul showed his dominance in that final round.
Well The Gaul has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Crixus The Gaul!
After the fight, Crixus The Gaul was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.