PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Donatello Cochella (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Donatello Cochella has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cochella
vs
Stevens

185 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 Sydney, Donatello Cochella!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steve Stevens!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Eliza Hachem and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stevens closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cochella circles away.
Stevens shoots in and drives through. Cochella sprawls well.
Stevens looks to land a combination but Cochella avoids it well.
Cochella will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Stevens shoots and misses

and Cochella counters with a nice double leg into side control. Stevens won't be happy with that.
Donatello Cochella has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Stevens.
Stevens struggling a bit here.
Stevens is looking to reverse the position.
Cochella in side control lands a decent elbow.
Stevens prevents Cochella from moving into mount.
Cochella working away.
Stevens takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Stevens is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Cochella lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Cochella's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cochella prevents Stevens from improving his position.
Stevens looks gassed!

Stevens looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevens is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Cochella scores with a couple of nice shots.
Cochella drops an elbow to the side of Stevens's head.
Cochella thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stevens's head.
Cochella working Stevens over with strikes.
Cochella trying to mount his opponent but Stevens defends it.

Cochella stands up out of the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cochella with a lazy takedown attempt

and Stevens counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cochella wants to improve his position but Stevens is controlling well.
Stevens is trying to control. Cochella wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Cochella is defending against the submission attempts here by Stevens.
Cochella is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cochella is trying is best to control the position here.
Cochella pushes Stevens off looking to stand but Stevens dives back in and keeps control.
Stevens trying to control from half guard but Cochella is working away.
Stevens prevents Cochella from standing back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cochella wants to land a leg kick but Stevens is out of range.

Cochella looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stevens keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is trying to control but can't.
Cochella is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Stevens!
Cochella landing strikes from the mount.
Cochella is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Stevens can't escape the position.
Stevens swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Stevens is wriggling around trying to escape.

Cochella working for a submission but Stevens is keeping him at bay.
Stevens is trying to escape the mount.
Cochella avoids the attempt from Stevens to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donatello Cochella dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cochella is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Stevens's half guard.
Stevens wants to improve his position but Cochella is controlling well.

Stevens actively working from the bottom here.
Cochella looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Stevens trying to control here.
Cochella wants to stand but Stevens has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Stevens is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cochella pulls his head out easily.
Cochella performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cochella working the head and body with strikes.
Cochella lands with a punch from half guard.
Cochella stalling.
Cochella prevents Stevens from improving his position.
Stevens on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cochella landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Cochella landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Cochella is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Cochella tries to pass the half guard into mount. Stevens knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Stevens is looking to control Cochella's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Stevens avoid being mounted?
Cochella working Stevens over with strikes.

Stevens manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Cochella lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cochella.

Stevens shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is trying to control the action in half guard but Cochella is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cochella is looking to improve his position.
Cochella wants to get back to his feet.
Stevens trying to control from half guard but Cochella is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Stevens might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Cochella kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Cochella moves into full guard.
Stevens chips away with some ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cochella looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cochella gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Stevens counters with a takedown into side control.
Stevens working away.
Stevens trying to control the position but Cochella is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Stevens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A jab from Cochella misses.

Cochella fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Stevens sprawls well initially but Cochella persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Stevens is not content to let Cochella control the position.
Stevens is trying to maintain the position but Cochella is very close to passing his half guard.
Stevens moves into full guard.
Stevens wants to sweep but no luck.
Cochella is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cochella wants to control from the top but Stevens keeps moving.
Stevens utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cochella manages to get himself to full guard.
Cochella keeping full guard, as Stevens tries to pass.
Stevens stopping the sweep attempt from Cochella.
Stevens trying to control the position from guard on top but Cochella is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two 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.
Cochella looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Stevens loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Donatello Cochella overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cochella wants to control the position but Stevens says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Stevens is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Cochella is not content to let Stevens control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Cochella closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Stevens to the mat! Stevens manages to get full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevens throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cochella throwing strikes from guard but Stevens blocks nicely.
Stevens controlling the position.
Stevens looking to control.

Stevens is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Cochella lands a couple of elbows.
Cochella wants to control from the top but Stevens keeps moving.
Stevens doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

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.
Cochella postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Stevens with a lazy takedown attempt

and Cochella counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Stevens's guard now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Stevens is on top in guard.
Cochella keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
Stevens is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Stevens prevents Cochella from getting back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Donatello Cochella showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cochella has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donatello Cochella!