PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sergio Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edson Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Silva
vs
Mendes

185 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
188 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sergio Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Edson Mendes!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Alexandre Firmino and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva misses with a leg kick.

Mendes gets caught flat footed, as Silva shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Mendes looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

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

Mendes 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.
Mendes looks gassed!
Silva working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mendes's head.
Silva slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Silva advances to half guard.
Silva wants to stand up but Mendes is controlling the position.
Mendes on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Silva stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Mendes showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.

Silva rushes Mendes and presses him up against the cage.

Silva jumps guard.
Mendes stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Silva doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Mendes tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva has Mendes pulled in close to control his posture.
Mendes won't allow Silva to sweep him here.
Mendes looking to pass the guard.
Silva wants to stand and escape but Mendes is having none of it.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Mendes is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mendes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Silva stands and steps away. Mendes gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Mendes tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva counters by clinching up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Silva.

Silva has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mendes uses from the top position.
Silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mendes takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Mendes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Silva pulls Mendes in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mendes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Silva is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
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.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Mendes is keeping the position.
Silva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Silva controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Silva is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Mendes's half guard.
Silva tries to stand and escape but Mendes is controlling the position.
Silva lands with a punch from half guard.
Still in half guard, Silva seems content to control.
Mendes wants to get back to full guard.
Mendes moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Silva passes Mendes's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva is trying to control. Mendes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva stands up out of the half guard.
Silva connects with a high kick.

Silva bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Silva scoring with punches and elbows.

Silva is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mendes knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mendes tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Silva wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Silva is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Mendes will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Mendes is trying to control Silva's posture but Silva avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Sergio Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mendes with a lazy takedown attempt

and Silva counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva stands and throws Mendes's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Silva controlling from side mount.
Mendes sneaks back into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Silva in particular looking to stall.
Sergio Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to control the action in half guard but Mendes is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Silva tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Mendes.

Mendes actively working from the bottom here.
Mendes won't allow Silva to pass to mount.
Mendes is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mendes avoid being mounted?
Mendes is looking to get back to full guard here but Silva has managed to pass to side control instead.
Mendes tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mendes tries to hold on but Silva postures up.
Mendes taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Silva wants to finish this one by submission but Mendes is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Silva.
Mendes tries to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
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!
Mendes wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Silva just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
I really don't envy Mendes right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergio Silva dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Silva is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Silva working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mendes on the ground.
Mendes is looking for a sweep. Silva is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Silva is working for a submission of some sort.
Silva wants to stand but Mendes has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Mendes gets back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mendes 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva with a nice head shot there.

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

Silva is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Mendes is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silva defends well.

Silva is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Silva scores a takedown into full mount!
Silva lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Silva prevents Mendes from getting the reversal.
Silva is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Silva lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Mendes is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendes is looking to improve his position but Silva isn't that keen on the idea.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Mendes is looking to get to half guard.
Mendes is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Silva lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Silva controlling the position easily from mount.
Silva manages to capitalize on a mistake by Mendes to take his back!
Mendes wants to escape the position.
What can Mendes do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Silva is punishing Mendes with strikes - can he finish him?!
Silva has good solid back control here.
Mendes manages to reverse the position and now he's in Silva's guard. Nice work there by Mendes.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sergio Silva.
Well Silva 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sergio Silva!