Matt Brown Vs Erick Silva Fight : UFC Fight Night 40

Matt Brown's tremendous run up the UFC welterweight ranks merited a main event spot in front of his fellow Ohioans, as he took on Brazilian talent Erick Silva in the UFC Fight Night headliner in Cincinnati. It was expected to be a thriller, and boy did it deliver. Silva took Brown down in just 20 seconds but Brown quickly reversed and got back to his feet. Brown was doubled over by a Silva body kick and looked to be in grave danger. Silva was unable to get the TKO finish so he went to work on a potential neck crank but Brown fought out of it and got back to his feet. Brown badly hurt Silva with punches and elbows and knees, kept coming forward, and nearly turned the tables and got his own TKO stoppage in what was an epic 1st round.In the second, Brown again rushed forward before another Silva kick to the body briefly changed the momentum. But Brown would not be denied, and he quickly recovered and came back to batter Silva with punches, knees and elbows from all angles. Silva showed heart in the face of the assault, but the fatigue of the early work was evident. Silva’s best moments came when he scored to the body with both kicks and punches, but Brown took control of the action by taking the fight to the floor and looking to set up first an inverted triangle choke and then a D’Arce choke. Silva survived both holds, but Brown transitioned into mount and looked to punch away from the dominant position. Brown eventually turned out for an armbar that missed and saw his opponent score with a sweep, but Silva was unable to capitalize on top position late in the round.Silva nearly had him finished in the first round, delivering a kick to the body that floored the contender. He worked for a potential rear-naked choke, but was unable to secure it. Brown quickly recovered and went on the attack. By the time the third round came to be, Brown was in complete control. He dropped Silva with a flurry and pounced, attacking him before the ref finally stepped in and stopped the action. The Brazilian had to be escorted out of the Octagon on a stretcher.