This is the UFC Fight Night 29 live blog for Thiago Silva vs. Matt Hamill, a catchweight bout at Wednesday's UFC event at the Ginasio Jose Correa in Barueri, Brazil.
Silva, who is 1-2 (with two no-contests) over his past five fights, will face Hamill, who has won three of his past five fights, on the main card.
Check out the UFC Fight Night 29 live blog below.
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Round 1: Here we go. Keith Peterson is the referee. Hamill moves first, comes in with a combo. Silva, slouched, wings a right hand which doesn't connect. Leg kick by Silva, which initiates a good exchange between the two. Hamill may have taken the worst of that, but he's fine. Hamill working the jab, and in a brief clinch a big knee from Silva. They trade leg kicks. Now they trade body shots. Silva working the inside of Hamill's leg. Silva circles, and comes over the top with a right. It glazes Hamill. He throws it again, this time it's errant. Hamill's wrestling not yet in play. For just a second there Hamill does change levels and flirts with a takedown, but doesn't pursue. They are standing in the middle of the cage, with Silva continues to hack away at Hamill's lead leg with his leg kicks. Hamill comes up top with a head kick, but Silva blocks it off his forearms. MMA Fighting scores R1 10-9 for Silva.
Round 2: Big leg kick from Hamill drops Silva for a moment. He's back up, and now it's Silva dropping a big left flush to the face of Hamill that momentarily stuns him. They go back to the center of the cage. And boom, Hamill goes low and dumps Silva to the canvas. Can't keep him there, however, as Silva stands right back up. Silva sucking some air here. Hamill working Silva's body a little big with his punches. Silva snapping off that left jab to set up his leg kicks. Hamill also has lost considerable steam. Hamill grabs a single-leg and Silva falls down for a moment while spinning out. Back to the jab for Silva. Big , big right from Silva! Totally rocks Hamill. He lands another one, and now Hamill is down. It's close. Silva lands a couple of shots on the ground, but Hamill somehow manages to stagger back up. He's showing some chin and heart here, but you wonder how much he has left. Now Silva teeing off. He's landing shots, though they are isolated. Hamill can barely keep his hands up. But he does manage to grab Silva's back, and he holds on along the fence to dump him there. He minimized further damage at the end of the round, and somehow was showing some offense after a steady beating. MMA Fighting scores R2 10-9 for Silva (20-18 overall).
Round 3: Hamill still there. He takes the center of the cage, and grabs a single-leg. Silva spins out and able to take the back of the exhausted Matt Hamill, who was still on the canvas. Both guys are tired; Hamill the more beat up. They are trading leg kicks in the middle of the cage. Hamill half-heartedly goes for a takedown, Silva easily pushes him aside. As Silva comes in for a combo, Hamill pokes Silva's eye with an open hand. Halt in the action. Silva is looked at, and, after blinking wildly for a few seconds, deems himself able to fight. Silva throwing the leg kicks, and they are heavy and they are landing. Hamill still standing, but unsteadily. He clinches with Silva, and pushes him into the cage. Both guys just tired. Not a lot of action. Big knee from Silva lands to Hamill's face. And another, as Hamill falls forward but remains on his feet. Mercy. Hamill just can't do much, and is swaying while he gets punched. Peterson was ready to move in, but it was within 15 seconds, and he lets it go. That's it. Silva should have this. MMA Fighting scores R3 10-9 for Silva (30-27 overall).
UFC Fight Night 29 results: Thiago Silva def. Matt Hamill via decision (30-27, 30-27. 29-27)