PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Cox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Buster Hymen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cox comes to the cage accompanied by Immigrant Song. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cox
vs
Hymen

170 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Stephen Cox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Buster Hymen!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cox.
Hymen is trying to control Cox's posture but Cox avoids it.
Hymen is looking for a sweep.
Cox working away.
Hymen is trying to work for a sweep but Cox has mounted him!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Cox cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Hymen is rocked!

Cox has hold of Hymen's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Hymen manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Hymen is still in real trouble! Can Cox finish him?

Cox looking for a guillotine from mount but Hymen is having none of it.
Hymen in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Hymen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cox cracks Hymen with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hymen is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cox lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Hymen hang on?
Cox tries to control but Hymen wriggling away.
Cox working the ground and pound effectively.
Hymen is squirming around, avoiding Cox's attempts to control the action.
Cox in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Cox lands with some strikes.
Hymen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hymen flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cox working the ground and pound effectively.

Cox jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Hymen is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Hymen and Cox has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Cox is breathing heavily.
Cox landing a few strikes.
Cox trying to control the position but Hymen is working away.
Hymen throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Hymen is trying to get back to half guard.
Hymen manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Hymen slips a nice elbow through Cox's hands, connecting with Cox's forehead.
Hymen seems to have recovered his senses.
Hymen is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Cox!
Cox is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hymen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hymen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hymen content just to control the position here.
Hymen prevents Cox from getting the reversal.
Cox tries to lock up and control but Hymen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Hymen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Cox's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Cox tries to lock up and control but Hymen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cox is trying to escape the mount.
Hymen sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Cox tries to hold on but Hymen postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cox manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Cox is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cox wants to control but Hymen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cox wants to improve his position but Hymen is controlling well.
Hymen passes to full mount!
Cox is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cox tries to hold on but Hymen postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hymen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A head kick misses from Cox.
Hymen scores with a shot to the body.

Cox rushes Hymen and presses him up against the cage.
Hymen tries to pull guard but Cox won't allow it.
The is referee keeping an eye on Cox - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Cox jumps guard.
Cox wants to sweep here but Hymen controlling him for the moment.
Hymen looking to sit in guard and control but Cox gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Cox has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hymen striking off his back but it's not causing Cox any problems.

Hymen has his feet on Cox's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cox lands a high kick!
Cox shoots in but Hymen avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Hymen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Cox is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Cox uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Cox clinches up with Hymen and pushes him back against the cage.
Cox jumps guard but Hymen stands there with Cox around his waist. Cox gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Cox manages to pull guard.
Hymen preventing the sweep.

Cox is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Cox jumps guard but Hymen stands there with Cox around his waist. Cox gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephen Cox. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cox tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hymen smiles and moves away.
Some wild striking there from Hymen.

Cox drives through and clinches with Hymen against the cage.
Cox has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hymen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Cox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hymen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cox's waist but Cox gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hymen off to one side.
Cox fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cox uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hymen.
Cox doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hymen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hymen.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cox working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hymen wants to control from the top but Cox keeps moving.

Hymen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Hymen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Cox is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Cox has escaped and now he's on top!
Buster Hymen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hymen punching to the body, from the bottom.
Hymen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cox!
Hymen working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hymen controlling the pace for now.
Hymen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hymen postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cox looks a forlorn figure.

Cox is rocked!
Hymen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Oh Cox is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Cox is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cox is trying to escape the mount but Hymen keeps good control and instead manages to take Cox's back.
Cox trying to control the hands but Hymen won't let him.

Cox defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Hymen's arms.
Cox tries to break free.
Cox seems to have got his legs back now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cox trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buster Hymen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Cox misses with a head kick.
Hymen throws a good cross that connects.
Cox fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cox needs to keep his hands up - Hymen had a free shot at his head there.
Hymen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Cox shoots in looking for a takedown. Hymen tries to sprawl out of it but Cox keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hymen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephen Cox. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hymen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cox will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hymen throws a right and a left that both miss.

Hymen drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hymen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cox is keeping the position for now.

Hymen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cox keeping moving, preventing Hymen from controlling successfully.
Hymen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cox throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Cox wants to stand and escape but Hymen is having none of it.
Cox trying to control the position.

Hymen postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Cox is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Hymen, into his guard.
Cox trying to control but Hymen is working from the bottom.

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.

Hymen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cox gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Hymen has his foot on Cox's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cox works his way back into a safe position though.
Hymen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Cox is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cox trying to control the position from guard on top but Hymen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hymen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Cox pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hymen is keeping the position for now.
Cox wants to get up but he can't break Hymen's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hymen keeping full guard, as Cox tries to pass.
Hymen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cox's guard.
Hymen looking to sit in guard and control but Cox gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Cox working some strikes from top position.
Hymen is looking to sweep but instead, Cox has passed into half guard.
Cox tries to stand and escape but Hymen actually recovers to full guard.
Hymen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hymen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hymen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cox lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hymen pulls Cox in to control the position.
Cox wants to pass the guard but Hymen is keeping the position.

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

Cox stands up and waves to Hymen to follow him.
Hymen fails to land the takedown.

Cox scores with a takedown into Hymen's guard.
Cox trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cox would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Buster Hymen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hymen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Buster Hymen!