PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dan Macker (ranked 1961 p4p, 2120 weight class) and Rickson Silva (ranked 275 p4p, 286 weight class). The key to victory for Dan Macker has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Macker
vs
Silva

185 cm
29
185
18 - 11 - 1

195 cm
31
188
17 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

HELLBENT
Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

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 18 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Dan Macker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rickson Silva!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Topper Green and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Macker throws a nice looking combination but Silva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Macker blocks a head kick by Silva.
Silva looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Macker misses with a straight right.
Macker misses with a straight left.
Silva clobbers Macker with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Silva scores with a body shot.
Silva throws a jab when Macker was well out of range.
Macker was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Silva scores with a hook to the body. Macker takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Silva looks to land a right hand but Macker moved out of range.
Macker misses with a two punch combination.
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Silva misses with a wild body shot.
A quick step to the side and Macker tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've been hearing reports that Macker has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Macker tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Silva was well out of range. Poor timing from Macker.
Macker lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Macker misses with a combination
and Silva counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Macker takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Macker fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Macker takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Macker buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Silva throws out a leg kick but Macker moves out of range and Silva only half commits.
Dan Macker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Silva!
Silva throws a leg kick
and Macker counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva lands a right hook to the body.
Silva will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Silva closes the distance and clinches up with Macker, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes Macker against the cage but Macker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Macker misses with a jab to the body
and Silva cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Macker throws a looping overhand right but Silva ducks down to avoid it.
Macker throws a jab when Silva was well out of range.
Silva misses the shot to the body.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Macker counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Dan Macker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rickson Silva.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Silva works his foot free and advances to mount.
Macker really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Macker is squirming around, avoiding Silva's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Macker is in a horrible position here. Silva smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Silva connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Silva looking to control but Macker is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Silva tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Silva with a couple of short strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva lands a big shot there that rocks Macker but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Macker is looking to get to half guard.
Silva lands a big elbow.
Macker tries to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
Macker is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva raining down hammerfists from mount.
Silva scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Macker is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Silva prevents Macker from getting the reversal.
My spies in Iron Sharpens Iron inform me that Silva has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Silva scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Silva working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Macker tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Macker in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Silva postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Macker looks a forlorn figure.
Macker tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rickson Silva dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Silva dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Macker walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Silva is looking to score with low kicks.
A jab from Macker misses.
A shot to the liver by Silva. Beautiful body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Macker misses the target.
Silva misses with a body shot.
Silva scores with a jab to the jaw.
Silva swings away with a body shot that misses
and Macker counters with a lovely shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body punch from Silva.
Macker displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva misses with a right hand
and Macker connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Silva scores with a one two! Macker had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Silva shoots in looking for a takedown but Macker manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Silva's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Macker swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Silva is defended easily by Macker.
Silva has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Macker throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Silva lands a lovely overhand right.
Silva throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Silva on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Some wild striking there from Silva.
Silva throws a body shot but no joy.
A counter left hand to the body from Macker misses its target.
Macker misses the shot to the body.
Silva is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Silva or perhaps it was just good defense by Macker, which made it look bad.
Dan Macker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rickson Silva.
Silva throws a nice inside leg kick.
Macker takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Rickson Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva gets a double leg takedown into Macker's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva postures up in Macker's guard and throws a big left but Macker blocks it.
Macker keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

Macker is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Silva is aware though and is defending well.
Silva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Macker looking for a guillotine here but Silva defends easily.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva with a nice head shot there.
Silva working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Macker working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Macker working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silva.

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

Macker throws his legs up looking for a submission but Silva uses it to pass to side control.
Silva working the ground and pound.
Silva working the ground and pound from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Macker is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva landing a few strikes.
Silva scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Macker to see if he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Macker's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Silva trying to control the position but Macker is working away.
Macker takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
A lull in the action here as Silva stalls from top position.

Silva goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Macker rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Silva's guard! Nice work there by Macker!
Silva looking to control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rickson Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Silva just misses with a punch to the body.
Macker misses the shot to the body.
Silva swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Macker connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Silva is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Macker rather than just go for the knockout.
Silva fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Some wild striking there from Silva.
Silva has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Silva throws a right and a left that Macker avoids nicely.
Silva scores with a body shot.
Silva misses with a double jab
and Macker counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Macker.
Silva shoots and misses

and Macker counters with a leg kick then a big left hand that sends Silva down! Macker is looking to finish but Silva is intelligently defending himself.

Silva is rocked!
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!
Macker stands and throws Silva's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Silva is still in real trouble! Can Macker finish him?
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Macker advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Macker controlling from mount.
Silva seems to have recovered his senses.

Macker is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Silva is surviving well by controlling Macker's body position as best he can.
Macker tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Silva is in all sorts of trouble here.
Silva is still trying to improve position.
Macker looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva gets back to half guard.
Dan Macker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Silva is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Macker blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silva.
Silva scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rickson Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Silva looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Macker blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silva.
Silva is controlling the pace.

Macker looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Macker blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silva.
Silva performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Silva drops an elbow to the side of Macker's head.
Macker is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Macker is trying to get back to full guard.
Silva tries to pass the half guard into mount. Macker knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Macker looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rickson Silva is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Macker is refusing to be controlled, as Silva sits in half guard.
Silva might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Macker haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Silva works his way into full mount!
Silva tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Macker really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Silva trying to control but he's not successful this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rickson Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Silva 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rickson Silva!
Our winner, Rickson Silva, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.