PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Xandao Couceiro (ranked 2451 p4p, 3345 weight class) and Rock Batista (ranked 293 p4p, 377 weight class). Couceiro comes to the cage accompanied by Welcome to my Nightmare- Alice Cooper. Rock Batista will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Couceiro
vs
Batista

179 cm
25
240
3 - 1 - 0

190 cm
24
270
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xandao Couceiro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rock Batista!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Robert Douchet and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Batista shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Couceiro manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Batista trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Batista trying to control but Couceiro is working from the bottom.

Couceiro is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Couceiro wants to sweep here but Batista controlling him for the moment.
Batista pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Couceiro is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Batista drops back, looking for a kneebar! Couceiro looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Couceiro looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Couceiro!

Batista is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Couceiro thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Couceiro working the body and head with strikes.
Couceiro taking a breather here.
Couceiro wants to control but Batista is keeping him busy.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Couceiro looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couceiro is looking to take a break and control but Batista is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Couceiro tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Couceiro has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Batista tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Couceiro presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Batista is looking to get to half guard.
Batista has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
You can see the frustration on Batista's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couceiro seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Couceiro working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Batista is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Couceiro off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Batista turns into Couceiro and is now in his guard.
Couceiro might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Batista trying to control but Couceiro is working from the bottom.
Batista slips nicely into half guard.
Couceiro is pressing down on Batista's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Batista won't allow Couceiro to sweep him here.

Couceiro is looking for a triangle but Batista pushes his legs off easily.
Batista pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Couceiro is keeping the position for now.
Couceiro not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Couceiro manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Batista manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batista trying to control the position.
Couceiro trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Batista throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Batista looking for a sweep. Not yet Batista, not yet.
Couceiro content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Batista looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Batista keeping moving, preventing Couceiro from controlling successfully.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Batista working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Couceiro has passed into half guard!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Xandao Couceiro dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Couceiro closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Batista to the mat! Batista manages to get full guard.
Couceiro advances position into side control!
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Couceiro here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Couceiro wants to control but Batista is keeping him busy.
Couceiro is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Batista can do to turn this around?
Batista is trying to control Couceiro's posture but Couceiro avoids it.

Couceiro is trying to get an arm triangle but Batista is defending well.
Batista is looking for a sweep.
Xandao Couceiro overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couceiro controlling from side mount.

Couceiro tries for a kimura but Batista is defending well.
Couceiro has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Batista!
Couceiro with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Batista keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Batista manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Batista trying to control but Couceiro postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couceiro keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Batista wants to improve his position but Couceiro is controlling well.

Couceiro is trying to work for a kimura but Batista is defending well.
Batista wants to improve his position but Couceiro is controlling well.
Couceiro keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Couceiro is looking to advance position but Batista won't allow it.
Batista is looking for a sweep. Couceiro is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Couceiro is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Batista has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batista tries to get to full guard but Couceiro has control of the leg.
Couceiro wants to pass the guard but Batista is defending well.

Couceiro maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Batista could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Couceiro has cracked it and Batista is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Couceiro!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Xandao Couceiro!
Xandao Couceiro gave a mention to Maximum Human Performance in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).
Rock Batista was interviewed post fight and said 'Don't worry I will be back!!'.