PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Duke Richard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and carmelo costroa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). carmelo costroa struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 156.8lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Duke Richard has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Richard
vs
costroa

176 cm
21
155 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

190 cm
22
165 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Duke Richard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, carmelo costroa!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Richard Clark and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

costroa gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
costroa lands a shot to the body.
costroa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Richard wants a takedown.

costroa jumps guard and drags Richard to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Richard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. costroa swivels though and keeps the full guard.

costroa escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Richard gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Richard throws a big right hand that misses.
Richard won't allow costroa to sweep him here.

costroa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Richard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
costroa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

costroa postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Richard to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
costroa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from costroa.
costroa looks gassed!
costroa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
costroa tries to close the distance and clinch but Richard swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Richard misses with a takedown

and costroa counters by clinching up.
Richard is looking for a takedown up against the cage. costroa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Duke Richard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
costroa stops a takedown attempt from Richard.
Richard drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

costroa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Richard circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
costroa shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Richard pinned against the cage. Richard gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Richard scores with a nice right hand.
Richard fails to land the takedown.
costroa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Richard tries to avoid it but costroa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Richard to the ground. Richard escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Richard fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with costroa, pushing him back against the cage.

Richard has picked costroa up - he's going for a ride! Richard dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Richard missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
costroa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Richard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. costroa defending well though.
costroa wants to get back to full guard.
costroa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Richard. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nice strikes from Richard there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
costroa is looking to improve his position.
costroa tries to kick Richard off but Richard keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Richard shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says costroa as he avoids it easily.

Richard changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. costroa looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Richard fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Richard working the ground and pound but costroa is defending the strikes.
costroa is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Richard asserts his dominance and retains side control.
costroa dodges the ground and pound from Richard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richard creates some space and throws a big elbow, but costroa sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
costroa defending against the ground and pound.
Richard creates some space and throws a big elbow, but costroa sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richard postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
costroa cracks Richard with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Richard shoots in and bounces costroa off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
costroa is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Richard is controlling him.
Richard throws a big right hand that misses.
costroa wants to sweep here but Richard controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Duke Richard will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

costroa is trying hard to land a takedown here. Richard sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Richard shoots for a takedown but costroa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
costroa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Richard swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Richard gets the takedown into side control.
costroa is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Richard asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Richard throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Richard creates some space and throws a big elbow, but costroa sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
costroa wants to control but Richard postures up.
Richard creates some space and throws a big elbow, but costroa sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Richard working the body and head with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
costroa wants to get back to his feet.
costroa is trying to get back to half guard.

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

Richard shoots in and bounces costroa off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Richard throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as costroa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
costroa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Richard prevents costroa from getting back to his feet.
costroa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Richard.
Richard might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Richard trying to control but costroa is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
costroa lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Richard!
Richard throwing hammer fists to the chest of costroa. What's that going to do exactly?
Richard flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

costroa moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Richard has worked his arm free - good work by Richard!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard regains half guard.

costroa is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Richard to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
costroa postures up in Richard's guard and throws a big left but Richard blocks it.

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.
costroa wants to pass the guard but Richard is keeping the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
costroa wants to stand but Richard has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Duke Richard dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Richard scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Richard missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
costroa wants to control but Richard is keeping busy.
Richard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. costroa defending well though.
costroa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
costroa tries to get to full guard but Richard has control of the leg.
Richard not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Richard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. costroa defending well though.
costroa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Richard.
Richard has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Richard swats away the attempt to clinch by costroa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
costroa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
costroa misses with a takedown

and Richard counters with a shoot takedown. costroa fights it but they end up in guard.
Richard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

costroa looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Duke Richard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Richard scoring with punches to the head and body.
Richard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Richard throwing strikes from guard but costroa blocks nicely.
costroa is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richard connects with a couple of short punches.
costroa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
costroa closes the distance but Richard moves to the side

and Richard counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Richard throwing shots but costroa is blocking nicely.
Richard thows a huge punch but costroa dodges it nicely.
costroa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Richard.
costroa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Richard.
Richard moves nicely into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Richard misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
costroa avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Richard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
costroa dodges the ground and pound from Richard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Richard scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
costroa managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Richard.
costroa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
costroa manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
costroa works his way to full guard. Good work.
Richard advances to half guard.
Ground and pound from Richard.
Richard throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Richard takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
costroa tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
costroa is looking to escape.
Richard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Richard missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Richard throwing shots but costroa is blocking nicely.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
costroa looks to clinch

and Richard counters with a takedown into side control.
Richard throws a strike aimed at the side of costroa's head but costroa avoids it well.
Richard is trying to ground and pound but costroa uses the momentary lack of control by Richard to regain half guard.

Richard is looking for a kimura but costroa is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Richard to get the leverage.
carmelo costroa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Duke Richard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Duke Richard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Richard, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Duke Richard!