PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Set the control. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Dos Santos
vs
Silva

175 cm
19
189 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
185 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Dos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Silva!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva avoids the head kick by Dos Santos.
Silva avoids the head kick by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos stuffs the takedown.
Silva avoids the head kick by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos misses with a wild body shot.
Dos Santos throws a head kick but Silva moves out of range.
Dos Santos throws a nice head kick!
Dos Santos throws a head kick but Silva moves out of range.
Silva shoots for a double leg takedown but Dos Santos sprawls well. He's pushed Silva's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Dos Santos darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Dos Santos tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Dos Santos throws a head kick but Silva moves out of range.
Silva attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Dos Santos throws a head kick but Silva moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Dos Santos.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Dos Santos goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Dos Santos misses with a head kick.
Dos Santos is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rafael Dos Santos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A head kick from Dos Santos lands but Silva takes it in his stride.
Dos Santos tests Silva's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.

Dos Santos breaks the clinch.

Silva closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Dos Santos manages to break the clinch.
Silva shoots in for a double leg but Dos Santos sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rafael Dos Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Silva.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that Silva semi-blocks.
Silva is trying desperately to land a takedown but Dos Santos is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Silva.
Silva wants to clinch.
Dos Santos throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Dos Santos shows good takedown defense.
Dos Santos lands with a nice body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Dos Santos plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Dos Santos dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Silva. That did some damage!
Silva avoids the head kick by Dos Santos.
Silva takes a kick to the side of the head.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Dos Santos lands with a slapping head kick.
Silva lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Dos Santos at a distance.
Dos Santos lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Silva shoots in looking for a takedown. Dos Santos tries to sprawl out of it but Silva keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Dos Santos manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Silva shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dos Santos defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dos Santos bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Dos Santos throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Silva's head.
Dos Santos pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dos Santos wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Silva changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Dos Santos looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Dos Santos's face as Silva controls the position.
Dos Santos can't do much from the bottom here.
Dos Santos looking for a sweep but Silva has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Dos Santos tries to hold on but Silva postures up.
Dos Santos is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Silva trying to control but Dos Santos is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dos Santos holds on for dear life.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Dos Santos dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dos Santos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dos Santos pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dos Santos misses with a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silva blocks a head kick by Dos Santos.
Rafael Dos Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dos Santos throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Dos Santos pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Dos Santos as Silva shoots in.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Dos Santos stuffs the takedown attempt from Silva. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva tries to clinch up but Dos Santos circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos misses with a head kick.
Silva walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rafael Dos Santos is winning the standup battle so far.
Dos Santos scores with a head kick.
Silva blocks the body kick.
Dos Santos lands with a nice body kick.
Dos Santos waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Silva.
Dos Santos looks to land a left hand but Silva moved out of range nicely.
A head kick misses from Dos Santos.
Silva misses with a hook.
Dos Santos tries a head kick but it misses.
Dos Santos throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Dos Santos scores with a head kick.
Dos Santos scores with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Silva shoots in for a double leg but Dos Santos sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rafael Dos Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Silva.
A head kick misses from Dos Santos.
Dos Santos keeps Silva at a distance using the push kick.
Dos Santos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Silva.
A head kick from Dos Santos lands but Silva takes it in his stride.
A head kick by Dos Santos misses

and Silva counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Dos Santos!
Dos Santos wants to control but Silva is having none of it.
Dos Santos tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva won't let Dos Santos get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Silva controlling the position easily from mount.
Silva looking to ground and pound but Dos Santos is blocking nicely.
Dos Santos tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dos Santos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.
Dos Santos tries to control the position but Silva now has his back.

Dos Santos manages to escape to his feet.
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Dos Santos shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Dos Santos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Dos Santos lands a high kick!
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dos Santos as he jumps to the side.
A head kick by Dos Santos misses

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Silva wants to clinch up but Dos Santos keeps it at a distance.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses

and Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Dos Santos's guard now.

Silva drops back, looking for a kneebar! Dos Santos looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Dos Santos looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Dos Santos!
You can see the frustration on Silva's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Dos Santos stands up and beckons Silva to his feet.
Dos Santos misses with a head kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos scores with a leg kick.
Dos Santos catches Silva with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Dos Santos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dos Santos tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dos Santos throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Silva shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Dos Santos pinned against the cage. Dos Santos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Silva wants to clinch up but Dos Santos keeps it at a distance.
A head kick misses from Dos Santos.
Dos Santos lands a nice looking body kick.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dos Santos tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two 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 slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A head kick by Dos Santos misses

and Silva counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Silva.
Dos Santos seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Silva content to stall in guard here.
Felipe Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dos Santos trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Dos Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to stand but Dos Santos is controlling from the bottom.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Dos Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Dos Santos uses the cage to get back to his feet.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Silva crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Dos Santos - the referee stops the clock and Silva gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Dos Santos. Silva manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Dos Santos lands a high kick!
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dos Santos scores with a spinning back kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Dos Santos tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A slapping body kick lands there for Dos Santos.
Silva closes this distance looking for a takedown but Dos Santos circles away.
Silva looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rafael Dos Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Silva.
Nice uppercut lands for Dos Santos. That snapped Silva's head back.
Dos Santos keeps Silva at a distance using the push kick.
Silva closes the distance and clinches up with Dos Santos, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes Dos Santos against the cage but Dos Santos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Silva shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dos Santos defends it nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dos Santos throws a lazy head kick

and Silva counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Silva.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dos Santos smiles and moves away.
Dos Santos throws a lazy head kick

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva wants to pass the guard but Dos Santos is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Felipe Silva.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

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