PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gilberto da Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex DeLarge (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.

da Silva
vs
DeLarge

187 cm
20
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
19
197 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gilberto da Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex DeLarge!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
DeLarge uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from da Silva.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from da Silva.
DeLarge moves out of range of the body kick from da Silva.

da Silva closes the distance and clinches.
DeLarge wants to stall.
da Silva tries to score a body lock takedown but DeLarge shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
DeLarge drops to a knee looking for a takedown but da Silva gets the underhooks and prevents it.
DeLarge wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
DeLarge stalling.

da Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
da Silva stuffs the takedown.
da Silva takes a jab right on the kisser.
da Silva looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
da Silva sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
da Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but DeLarge swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gilberto da Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
da Silva fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
da Silva is breathing heavily.

da Silva scores with a takedown into DeLarge's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
DeLarge wants to sweep but no luck.
DeLarge not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
DeLarge wants to sweep but no luck.
da Silva postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
DeLarge seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
DeLarge working a defensive guard here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
da Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
DeLarge throws a body punch but da Silva moves out of range.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by da Silva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by da Silva or perhaps it was just good defense by DeLarge which made him look bad.
da Silva fakes high and swings low for a body shot but DeLarge manages to avoid it.
da Silva misses with a takedown attempt - DeLarge sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
DeLarge throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck da Silva on the side of the head.
da Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.
da Silva wants to clinch up but DeLarge keeps it at a distance.
da Silva throws a head kick but DeLarge moves out of range.
da Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
DeLarge lands a front kick.
da Silva blocks the body kick.

Excellent takedown into side control there by da Silva.

da Silva stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
da Silva misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from DeLarge.

da Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
DeLarge is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
da Silva controlling the position easily from mount.
DeLarge working to try and regain half guard.
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 Gilberto da Silva will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

da Silva tries for a takedown but DeLarge circles away easily
and DeLarge counters with an inside leg kick.
Gilberto da Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
DeLarge stuns da Silva with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
DeLarge throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
The fight stays on the outside here - da Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
da Silva looks for a takedown but DeLarge sprawls well.
da Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
A big left from da Silva misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
da Silva lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Alex DeLarge has been cut.
DeLarge throws a low kick but it's checked well by da Silva.
DeLarge looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
DeLarge gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and da Silva counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by da Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
DeLarge wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
DeLarge tries to land a knee to the head but da Silva blocks with his arms.
da Silva has a couple of punches blocked by DeLarge.

DeLarge escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
DeLarge tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
da Silva moves out of range as DeLarge throws a body kick.
da Silva misses with a two punch combination.
DeLarge keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

DeLarge shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in da Silva's guard.
da Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in DeLarge's guard.
da Silva not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
DeLarge has his hands on da Silva's head, controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
da Silva trying to control but DeLarge is working from the bottom.
DeLarge manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. da Silva manages to get himself to full guard.
DeLarge trying to control the position from guard on top but da Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
da Silva is trying to keep DeLarge in close.
DeLarge trying to control but da Silva is working from the bottom.
DeLarge trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
DeLarge trying to control but da Silva is working from the bottom.
DeLarge passes da Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
da Silva avoiding damage under a succession of punches from DeLarge.
da Silva blocking the ground and pound attempt from DeLarge.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

DeLarge forces da Silva back against the cage and clinches.

DeLarge breaks from the clinch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from DeLarge, right into the meat.
DeLarge looks to clinch

and da Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in DeLarge's guard now.
da Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
da Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but DeLarge is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
da Silva passes DeLarge's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gilberto da Silva will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alex DeLarge's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

da Silva instigates a clinch.
da Silva goes for a takedown attempt but DeLarge pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
DeLarge looks to land a body kick but da Silva moved away.
DeLarge looking to land some kicks to the body here.
da Silva ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
DeLarge throws a body kick that misses.
Gilberto da Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

da Silva clinches with his opponent.
DeLarge misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from da Silva.
da Silva has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. DeLarge avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
da Silva can't break the clinch.

da Silva manages to break the clinch.
DeLarge keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gilberto da Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
DeLarge doesn't manage to clinch there - da Silva circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
da Silva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts DeLarge as he jumps to the side.
da Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and DeLarge counters with a nice body kick.

DeLarge clinches up against the cage.

DeLarge breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
da Silva clinches but DeLarge breaks the clinch
and DeLarge counters with an outside leg kick.

da Silva shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in DeLarge's guard.
da Silva wants to control from the top but DeLarge keeps moving.
da Silva connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
da Silva advances to half guard.
da Silva throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
da Silva moves nicely into side control.

da Silva has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
da Silva misses with a takedown attempt - DeLarge sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

da Silva shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in DeLarge's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
DeLarge can't keep his opponent in guard - da Silva advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
da Silva with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
DeLarge wants to control but da Silva is keeping busy.
DeLarge is pressing down on da Silva's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
da Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as DeLarge works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
da Silva trying to control but DeLarge is working from the bottom.

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.
da Silva postures up and lands a big shot to DeLarge's brow.
da Silva looking to sit in guard and control but DeLarge gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Alex DeLarge has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
da Silva keeping moving, preventing DeLarge from controlling successfully.
da Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

da Silva uses the cage to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gilberto da Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for da 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

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