PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hector Cotto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takeshi Naoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cotto
vs
Naoki

168 cm
24
146 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

167 cm
22
145 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hector Cotto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Takeshi Naoki!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Jorge Garcia and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Naoki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Naoki tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cotto sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Naoki somewhat.
Naoki lands a lovely overhand right.
Naoki connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Naoki throws a shot to the body.
Hector Cotto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cotto moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

It looks like Takeshi Naoki has been cut.
Cotto throws a hook but Naoki blocks it.
Cotto takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Cotto just misses with a punch to the body.
Naoki throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cotto misses the jab.
Cotto works Naoki's body with a nice hook.
Cotto misses with an uppercut.
Naoki moves away from the strike by Cotto.
Cotto misses with a looping left.
Naoki throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Naoki fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cotto sprawls well initially but Naoki persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Cotto wants to get back to full guard.
Naoki wants to control but Cotto is keeping him busy.
Naoki looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naoki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cotto trying to control from the bottom.

Cotto looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cotto is breathing heavily.
Naoki wants to take a breather but Cotto is having none of it.
Naoki working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Cotto on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Cotto trying to control from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Naoki moves out of range as Cotto strikes.
Naoki defending well as Cotto loads up on a big left hand.
Hector Cotto is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Naoki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cotto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Naoki.
Naoki slips a straight right by Cotto.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cotto. Naoki does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Naoki lands a jab.
Cotto swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Naoki sizes up Cotto with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Naoki fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cotto looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Naoki throws a series of punches but Cotto moves out of range.
Naoki scores with a one two! Cotto had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Cotto misses the shot to the body.
Cotto throws a combination that misses
enabling Naoki to counter with a crisp jab.
Naoki throws a shot to the body.
Naoki with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Naoki bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cotto's head backwards.
A lazy left from Naoki finds it's target.
Naoki lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Naoki.

Cotto is rocked!
Naoki fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Oh Cotto is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Naoki is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cotto's half guard.
Naoki frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naoki breaks from Cotto's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Cotto is looking to get to half guard.
Cotto seems to have got his legs back now.
Cotto is working hard here to advance position.
Naoki connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Naoki lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cotto working to try and regain half guard.
Cotto gets back to half guard.
Naoki passes to full mount!
Naoki lands a heavy elbow.
Naoki controlling his opponent.
Cotto tries to hold on but Naoki postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cotto is working to get back to half guard.
Naoki controlling his opponent.
Cotto bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Naoki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cotto trying to control but Naoki is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Naoki is pulling down on Cotto's head to control his posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Naoki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Takeshi Naoki's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A looping hook to the body misses from Naoki. Cotto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Danga de danga de dang - Naoki scores with a four punch combination!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Naoki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cotto throws an overhand right that lands on Naoki's shoulder, as Naoki tries to avoid the shot.
Cotto connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Naoki's hands.
Naoki looks to score with a jab to the body but Cotto is just out of range.
Naoki fails to land with a series of punches.
A swing and a miss from Cotto.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Naoki.
Cotto tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Naoki wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Cotto wants to control but Naoki postures up.
Cotto is looking for a sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A lull in the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naoki working the ground and pound.
Cotto is trying to control Naoki's posture but Naoki avoids it.
Naoki creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Cotto is trying to improve his position.
Cotto struggling a bit here.
Naoki cracks Cotto with a big elbow.
Cotto is looking for a sweep.
Naoki is putting a hurting on Cotto here, landing some big shots from side control.
Cotto tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naoki trying to control the position but Cotto is working away.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A jab lands there for Cotto.
Takeshi Naoki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Naoki avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Naoki changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cotto looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Naoki working the ground and pound from side control.
Cotto takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Cotto is looking to reverse the position.
Naoki in side control lands a decent elbow.
Takeshi Naoki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cotto is trying to control Naoki's posture but Naoki avoids it.
Naoki wants to control but Cotto is keeping him busy.
Naoki landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naoki controls the position.
Cotto tries to buck Naoki off but Naoki is having none of it.
Cotto takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cotto thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cotto dodges the punch combination from Naoki.
The fighters circling - Cotto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Naoki throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cotto on the side of the head.
Naoki throws a right hand that Cotto ducks under and follows up with a left that Cotto also avoids with ease.
The fighters circling - Cotto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cotto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Naoki.
Cotto takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Naoki.
Naoki is chipping away with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naoki moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Cotto is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Naoki landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Naoki wants to control but Cotto is keeping him busy.
Cotto sneaks back into half guard.
Cotto misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Cotto is trying to maintain the position but Naoki is very close to passing his half guard.
Naoki perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Naoki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Takeshi Naoki's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Cotto closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Naoki throws a low kick but Cotto avoids it.
Naoki fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cotto looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Naoki connects with a nice looking jab.

Naoki looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cotto keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cotto is trying to maintain the position but Naoki is very close to passing his half guard.

Cotto is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Naoki pulls his head out easily.

Cotto looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Naoki is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Naoki prevents Cotto from getting the reversal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naoki is landing with some decent strikes but Cotto is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Cotto is in all sorts of trouble here.
Naoki pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Naoki lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Cotto tries to reverse the position but Naoki maintains control.
Naoki raining down shots from the mount!
Naoki punishing his opponent with strikes.
Naoki unloading with bombs!
Naoki with a couple of short strikes.
Naoki wants to control the pace but Cotto is squirming around nicely.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Naoki cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naoki postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cotto looks a forlorn figure.
Cotto is in all sorts of trouble here.
Naoki landing strikes from the mount.
Naoki postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cotto looks a forlorn figure.
Cotto tries to hold on but Naoki pushes him away.
Naoki with the ground and pound from mount.
Naoki landing shots from mount.
Naoki working Cotto over with strikes here.
Cotto is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Naoki looking to control but Cotto is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naoki landing strikes from the mount.
Naoki controlling the pace for now.
Cotto is wriggling around trying to escape.
Naoki lands a big elbow.
Cotto is bucking up trying to escape but Naoki cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Naoki scoring with strikes but Cotto is staying in there.
Naoki lands a heavy elbow.
Naoki scores with a couple of good head shots there.
A nice elbow there by Naoki.
Cotto is trying desperately to improve position.
Naoki avoids the attempt from Cotto to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naoki with shots to the head and body - Cotto looks very uncomfortable down there.
Cotto tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Naoki with a couple of short strikes.
Cotto is in all sorts of trouble here.
Naoki is landing with some decent strikes but Cotto is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Naoki scoring with strikes but Cotto is staying in there.
Hector Cotto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Naoki working Cotto over with strikes here.
Cotto taking shots to the head.
Naoki scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cotto?
Cotto is looking to improve his position but Naoki isn't that keen on the idea.
Naoki fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Takeshi Naoki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cotto keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takeshi Naoki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Naoki has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 26:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takeshi Naoki!