PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Steven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Litran Kossu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steven comes to the cage accompanied by "Hip To Be Square," by Huey Lewis and the News. Kossu is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Holy Diver - Dio. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Steven
vs
Kossu

185 cm
29
220 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

190 cm
29
212 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Steven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Litran Kossu!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Felipe Paraventi and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kossu misses with a jab to the body
and Steven counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Steven tries to clinch up.
Steven moves in looking to clinch but Kossu pushes him off.
Kossu throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Steven sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Steven is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kossu.
Kossu throws a poor cross that misses

and Steven counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Steven manages to break the clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kossu.
Steven moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Kossu checks a leg kick.
Kossu throws a shot from downtown. Steven moves away and avoids it.
Steven throws a head kick that misses.

Steven shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kossu's guard.
Kossu looking for a sweep. Not yet Kossu, not yet.
Steven trying to control the position from guard on top but Kossu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kossu looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Steven trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steven trying to control the position from guard on top but Kossu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kossu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Kossu working for a triangle but Steven defends it easily.
Steven is looking to stand up but Kossu won't let him.

Kossu has his foot on Steven's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Steven works his way back into a safe position though.
Kossu trying to strike off his back.
Steven pushes down on Kossu's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Steven is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Steven passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kossu is trying desperately to improve position.
Kossu wants to hold on but Steven pushes him away.
Kossu is in a horrible position here. Steven smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Kossu can't escape the position.
Steven looking to control but Kossu is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kossu is trying to escape the mount.
Steven lands a big elbow.

Steven looking to secure an arm triangle but Kossu defends it well.
Kossu tries to hold on but Steven pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steven lands a nice shot to the head.
Kossu tries to buck Steven off but he can't manage it.
Steven controlling from the full mount.
Kossu really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Steven wants to finish this one by submission but Kossu is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Steven.
Steven with a couple of short strikes.
Kossu is looking to get to half guard.
Steven lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steven looking to finish Kossu with some ground and pound. This is bad for Kossu!
Steven tries to control but Kossu wriggling away.

Steven goes for an armbar but Kossu turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Kossu.
Steven 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.
Kossu advances position into side control!
Kossu working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steven tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kossu in side control, throwing shots but Steven defends.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Steven dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kossu misses with a hook

and Steven counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kossu won't be happy with that.
You can see the frustration on Kossu's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Steven lands a decent elbow from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kossu tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Steven wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kossu is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Kossu moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Steven stands and steps away. Kossu gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Kossu misses with a right hand
and Steven counters with a body kick that stops Kossu in his tracks momentarily.
Steven has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Kossu.
Kossu lands with a right hand.
Kossu is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Steven.

Steven clinches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kossu tries for a takedown. No joy.
Steven on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kossu can't break the clinch.
Steven doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Steven stalling in the clinch but Kossu improves position.
Kossu missing with knees to the body.
Steven looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Steven missing with knees to the body.
Kossu avoiding damage as Steven throws knees to the body.

Kossu breaks from the clinch.
Kossu throws an overhand right that lands on Steven's shoulder, as Steven tries to avoid the shot.

Steven takes the fight into the clinch.
Steven is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Kossu gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Steven pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kossu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kossu lands a nice shot to the body.
Steven uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kossu.
Steven is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Steven will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steven misses with a hook.
Kossu misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kossu tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Steven swivels and escapes.
Kossu keeps the fight on the outside.
The fighters circling - Kossu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nice jab there from Kossu.
Kossu misses with a looping left.
Kossu shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Steven eats them both and turns towards Kossu to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

It looks like Mike Steven has been cut.
Kossu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Steven moves away.
Kossu connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Kossu keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Steven moves out of range as Kossu strikes.
Steven lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kossu scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Steven doesn't seem bothered though.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Steven fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Steven. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steven avoids the body shot from Kossu.
Kossu darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Kossu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Steven moves away.
Steven ducks under a wild hook from Kossu.
Steven tries to close the distance and clinch but Kossu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kossu jabs Steven to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Kossu misses the shot to the body.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Steven checks a leg kick.
Kossu fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Steven. Kossu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kossu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Steven moves away.
Kossu throws a looping overhand right but Steven ducks down to avoid it.
Kossu lands a nice looking kick to the body. Steven takes a step back to recover.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kossu circles away from the clinch attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Kossu.
Kossu lands a body shot.
Kossu defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Steven.
Steven tries to close the distance and clinch but Kossu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kossu lands a head shot.
Kossu misses with a hook.
Steven tries to clinch but Kossu is having none of it.
Kossu fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Steven has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kossu lands a body shot.
Kossu looks to land a right hand but Steven moved out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steven slips a jab from Kossu.
Kossu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kossu scores with a punch to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Litran Kossu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mike Steven's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kossu is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Steven.
Kossu misses with an uppercut. Steven saw that one coming.
Kossu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kossu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Steven.
Kossu blocks a low kick nicely.
Kossu throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Steven counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Kossu wants to sweep here but Steven controlling him for the moment.
Kossu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Steven preventing the sweep.
Mike Steven overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kossu lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Steven!

Kossu swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Steven is now in Kossu's guard. A big mistake from Kossu there, giving up the dominant position!
Steven has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kossu wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steven content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kossu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Steven working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Kossu isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Steven stacks Kossu on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Steven!

Steven is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kossu has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kossu is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Steven's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Steven throwing shots but Kossu is blocking nicely.
Steven working Kossu over with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kossu is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Steven's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Steven's back!

Kossu is persistently looking for the submission but Steven is defending it well.
Kossu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Steven trying to control the position but Kossu manages to sink in the hooks.

Steven defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Kossu's arms.
Kossu is riding his opponent, not letting Steven buck him off.

Kossu is persistently looking for the submission but Steven is defending it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steven manages to reverse the position and now he's in Kossu's guard. Nice work there by Steven.
Kossu manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Kossu working Steven over with strikes here.
Kossu scoring with strikes but Steven is staying in there.
Kossu with a couple of short strikes.
Kossu unloads with some shots from mount but Steven bucks and avoids them well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kossu trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steven holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Kossu tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Kossu looking to finish Steven with some ground and pound. This is bad for Steven!
Steven tries to reverse the position but Kossu maintains control.
Kossu with shots to the head and body - Steven looks very uncomfortable down there.
Kossu looking to control but Steven is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Steven is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Kossu has taken his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steven prevents Kossu from getting a body triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Litran Kossu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kossu 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Litran Kossu!