PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesse The Devil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Costa
vs
The Devil

183 cm
22
185 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
190 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Nemesis Cage Clothing

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jesse The Devil!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Thiago Cunha and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The Devil pushes Costa up against the cage in a clinch.
The referee calls for The Devil to work.

The Devil has picked Costa up - he's going for a ride! The Devil dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Costa tries to roll over but The Devil keeps him under control.

The Devil is working for a kimura but Costa is defending it quite comfortably.
Costa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The Devil seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Costa does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Costa wants to get back to full guard.

Costa actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Costa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Costa fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Costa tries to close the distance and clinch but The Devil swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by The Devil.
Costa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The Devil thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The Devil cracks Costa with a big right hand but Costa just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Costa is trying to control The Devil's posture but The Devil avoids it.

The Devil goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Costa rolls with the submission and now he's on top in The Devil's guard! Nice work there by Costa!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The Devil looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The Devil looks gassed!

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
The Devil is looking for a triangle but Costa pushes his legs off easily.
The Devil throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

The Devil is looking for a triangle here but Costa uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Costa trying to control the position but The Devil is working away.
The Devil struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa working the head and body with strikes.
Costa tries to advance to mount but can't.

Costa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The Devil is looking to regain half guard here but Costa keeps moving and retains side control.
Costa working away.
The Devil sneaks back into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The Devil trying to hold on to Costa's head to control him but Costa postures up.
The Devil gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The Devil working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Costa doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Costa manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The Devil keeping full guard, as Costa tries to pass.
Costa won't allow The Devil to sweep him here.
The Devil keeping moving, preventing Costa from controlling successfully.
Costa preventing the sweep.

The Devil is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

The Devil is looking for a triangle but Costa pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse The Devil dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Costa throws a nice looking combination but The Devil bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Costa.
The Devil doesn't manage to clinch there - Costa circles away.
The Devil misses with a wild body shot.
The Devil sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

The Devil closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - The Devil lands in his opponent's guard.
Costa is looking to sweep but instead, The Devil has passed into half guard.

The Devil seems to be working for a kimura but Costa defends the submission attempt.
Costa trying to hold on to The Devil's head to control him but The Devil postures up.
The Devil is breathing heavily.

The Devil is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Devil looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Costa is staying active underneath The Devil, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ground and pound from The Devil.
Costa is staying active underneath The Devil, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The Devil is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Costa is pressing down on The Devil's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Costa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The Devil trying to move into half guard but instead Costa has managed to sweep!
Costa has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Costa passes into half guard.

Costa is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Costa looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The Devil flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
The Devil makes his way to full guard. A much better position for The Devil.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now The Devil is on top in guard.
The Devil content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Costa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but The Devil can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Devil lands a couple of digs.
The Devil is stalling in the full guard.
The Devil lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Costa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The Devil works over Costa with some ground and pound from guard.
The Devil works over Costa with some ground and pound from guard.

The Devil thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Costa looking for a sweep. Not yet Costa, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The Devil working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The Devil scoring with punches to the head and body.
The Devil trying to control the position from guard on top but Costa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The Devil passes Costa's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The Devil is looking to take a break and control but Costa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Costa wants to control but The Devil is keeping busy.

The Devil in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Costa tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from The Devil!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Jesse The Devil!