PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Silva
vs
Gracie

170 cm
26
158 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

175 cm
23
155 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rodrigo Silva !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Antonio Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shirou Masuda and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gracie sprawls well. Gracie wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Gracie 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.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Silva quickly recovers to half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Gracie content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Silva wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Silva manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Silva is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.
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 utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Silva looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gracie looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Silva controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
Gracie won't allow Silva to sweep him here.
Gracie makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gracie really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Silva escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Silva .
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Silva trying to strike off his back.

Silva is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Silva is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Silva looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
Gracie postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Silva seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Silva is trying to keep Gracie in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Gracie off and has taken his back!

Silva looking for the RNC.
Silva wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rodrigo Silva will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Silva shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gracie tries to clinch up

and Silva counters with a single leg into guard. Gracie didn't expect that.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Silva drops back looking for a leg! Gracie is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gracie manages to kick Silva off! Silva jumps back into Gracie's guard.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Silva trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to stand and escape but Silva is having none of it.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie is looking to stand up but Silva isn't so interested in that idea.
Silva stands and throws Gracie's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Gracie parries the strikes from Silva easily there. Silva is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Gracie to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to score with some ground and pound. Gracie controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Silva is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gracie is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Gracie is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Silva with the ground and pound but Gracie regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Silva is taking a breather. Gracie says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Silva wants to work for an arm triangle but Gracie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Silva wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to stand up here but Silva is controlling him well.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie tries to kick Silva off but Silva keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Silva is controlling the pace.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rodrigo Silva .
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Silva throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Gracie regains guard immediately.

Silva thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gracie is looking to stand up but Silva isn't so interested in that idea.

Silva drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gracie looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gracie looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gracie!
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo 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!

Gracie is looking to clinch.
Gracie tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.

Silva gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Silva controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Gracie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Silva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Silva looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracie trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Gracie passes into half guard.

Silva actively working from the bottom here.

Silva looking for submissions off his back.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Silva is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gracie scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Silva is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva moves into full guard.
Gracie working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gracie working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gracie makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gracie throwing strikes from guard but Silva blocks nicely.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Silva lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gracie!
Silva throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Gracie is trying to stand up.
Silva putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Silva content just to control the position here.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.
Silva trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Gracie to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Gracie shrugs it off.
Silva is landing with some decent strikes but Gracie is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

It looks like Antonio Gracie 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 won't let Gracie get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Gracie is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Silva wants to finish this one by submission but Gracie is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Silva .
Gracie takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

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 Rodrigo Silva .
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Silva , 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Silva !
Rodrigo Silva thanked the fans post fight for their support.