PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Minowa Shittu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Shittu
vs
Silva

195 cm
22
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Fast

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Minowa Shittu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wanderlei Silva!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Edson Gomes and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shittu tries to clinch up.
Shittu sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A solid leg kick lands there for Silva.
Shittu moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Silva should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Silva looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Shittu.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.

Shittu closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Shittu lands in his opponent's guard.

Shittu decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Silva, up you get!
Shittu swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
A low kick from Shittu misses
and Silva counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Shittu closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva is looking for a sweep.
Shittu will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Shittu tries for a kimura but Silva is defending well.
Shittu is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Silva can't do much from the bottom here.
Shittu working the head with strikes.
Silva is looking for a sweep.

Shittu is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Silva knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva throws a series of punches but Shittu moves out of range.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt - Shittu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silva.
Silva wants to clinch up but Shittu keeps it at a distance.

Shittu shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Shittu was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Silva taking shots to the head.
Shittu controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to hold on but Shittu pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shittu scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Silva?
Shittu has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Silva wants to hold on but Shittu pushes him away.
Silva can't escape the position.
Shittu wants to control the pace but Silva is squirming around nicely.
Silva tries to hold on but Shittu postures up.
A nice elbow there by Shittu.

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.
Silva tries to reverse the position but Shittu maintains control.
Shittu is landing with some decent strikes but Silva is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Silva is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Shittu tries to control but Silva wriggling away.
Silva tries to lock up and control but Shittu gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
BOOM! Shittu connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Shittu looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva wants to hold on but Shittu pushes him away.
Silva is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Shittu is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Silva can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Minowa Shittu dominated that round.
That's time! Shittu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Shittu shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Silva's guard.
Shittu wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Shittu looking to sit in guard and control but Silva gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Shittu is looking to stand up but Silva isn't so interested in that idea.
Silva is looking to stand up but Shittu won't let him.
Shittu is trying to hold Silva in close to prevent damage but Silva has managed to pass into half guard.
Shittu regains full guard. Nicely done.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shittu trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Shittu looking for a sweep. Not yet Shittu, not yet.
Shittu keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Shittu looking to control but Silva passes into half guard.
Shittu tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Shittu trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Silva tries to stand and escape but Shittu is controlling the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Shittu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Shittu counters with a single leg into guard. Silva didn't expect that.

Silva has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Shittu can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Shittu decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Silva, up you get!
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Shittu pushes him off.
Shittu fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Silva will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Silva with a lazy takedown attempt

and Shittu counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Silva's guard now.
Minowa Shittu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wanderlei Silva.
Silva is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva working a defensive guard here.
Minowa Shittu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.
Shittu trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Silva is trying to control the position but Shittu postures up.

Silva is looking for a triangle but Shittu pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Shittu.
Silva gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Silva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva.
Silva controls Shittu momentarily but Shittu frees himself.
Shittu distracts Silva with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shittu with a nice head shot there.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Minowa Shittu dominated that second round.
That's time! Shittu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Shittu scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Shittu wants to control but Silva is keeping him busy.
Shittu moves into full mount!
Shittu putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Shittu stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Silva looks to clinch
and Shittu counters with a nice body shot.

Shittu shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Shittu can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Silva is looking to escape.
Silva is in all sorts of trouble here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shittu controlling his opponent.
Silva wants to control but Shittu is having none of it.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.
Shittu trying to control but Silva is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Silva is looking to get to half guard.

Shittu is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Silva is surviving well by controlling Shittu's body position as best he can.
Silva is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.
Silva regains half guard.
Silva wants to control but Shittu passes into side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shittu working away.
Shittu tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Silva sneaks out the side door and pushes Shittu away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.
Silva has his takedown stuffed

and Shittu counters with a takedown into side control.
Silva is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva pushes Shittu away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Shittu gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Silva is not content to let Shittu control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva taking a bit of punishment here - Shittu scoring with strikes.

It looks like Wanderlei Silva has been cut.
Shittu working the head with strikes.
Silva takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Shittu decides to stand back up. Shittu steps back and let's Silva get back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shittu shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.
Silva fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Shittu doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva tries for a takedown but Shittu circles away easily

and Shittu counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Silva keeps control of Shittu as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Wanderlei Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A left hand lands to the body for Silva.
Knees in the clinch landing for Silva.

And that's the end of the fight!
Minowa Shittu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Shittu, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Minowa Shittu!