PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Thiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Koscheck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Paulo Thiago has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Thiago
vs
Koscheck

188 cm
26
170 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

182 cm
19
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paulo Thiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Josh Koscheck!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Wagner Zegers and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thiago with a lazy takedown attempt

and Koscheck counters by clinching up.
Thiago throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Koscheck blocks it with crossed arms.
Koscheck looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.
Thiago takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Paulo Thiago has been cut.
Koscheck throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thiago blocks it with crossed arms.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Thiago blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Koscheck misses with a knee strike.
Koscheck lands a knee to the body.
Koscheck misses with a knee strike.
Thiago is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Koscheck is defending well for now.
Koscheck looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.
Thiago is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Koscheck scores with a knee to the head.
Thiago with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Koscheck tries a knee to the head but Thiago blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Koscheck with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Koscheck looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.
Koscheck throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thiago blocks it with crossed arms.
Koscheck unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but Thiago blocks with his arms.
Koscheck with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Koscheck as Thiago tries to tie him up.
Koscheck throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thiago blocks it with crossed arms.
Koscheck looks gassed!
Koscheck using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thiago has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Koscheck throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thiago blocks it with crossed arms.
Koscheck using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thiago has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thiago is looking to control Koscheck's arms but Koscheck gets an underhook and turns him. Now Thiago has his back to the ropes.
Koscheck lands a nice knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiago blocks an elbow strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but Thiago blocks with his arms.
Koscheck connects with a knee to the head.
Koscheck tries a knee to the head but Thiago blocks it.
Koscheck trying to land knees to the body.
Thiago misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Koscheck.
Koscheck misses with a knee strike.
Koscheck looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.
Koscheck with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Thiago throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Koscheck blocks it with crossed arms.
Koscheck looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.
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!
Thiago avoiding damage as Koscheck throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koscheck misses with a knee to the head.
Thiago is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Koscheck misses with a knee strike.
Thiago tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Koscheck's elbow.
Thiago has Koscheck pushed against the ropes.
Koscheck landing knees to the head.
Thiago missing with knees to the body.
Koscheck with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Thiago blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Koscheck as Thiago tries to tie him up.
Thiago lands with a right to the head.
Thiago is trying to maintain a safe position but Koscheck gets an underhook and turns Thiago into the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thiago has Koscheck pushed against the ropes.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Paulo Thiago.
Thiago shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Koscheck counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Koscheck connects with a nasty looking knee right to Thiago's face.
Thiago tries to stall but Koscheck uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Thiago is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Koscheck is defending well for now.
Koscheck throws a knee to the head but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koscheck with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Thiago is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Koscheck throws a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Koscheck dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paulo Thiago's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Thiago has his takedown stuffed
and Koscheck counters with a big head kick but Thiago shrugs it off.
Thiago doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Koscheck counters by moving into the clinch.
Thiago taking a breather.
Koscheck unloads a knee to the mid-section. Thiago lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Koscheck tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Thiago looking to stall.
Koscheck connects with a knee to the head.
Koscheck tries a knee to the head but Thiago blocks it.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but Thiago blocks with his arms.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but Thiago blocks with his arms.
Koscheck is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koscheck creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Koscheck misses with a knee strike.
Thiago looking to stall.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Thiago trying to stall but Koscheck improves his position.
Koscheck tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Koscheck looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.
Koscheck misses with a knee strike.
Thiago effectively controlling the action here.
Thiago throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Koschecks head.
Koscheck landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Koscheck.
Koscheck misses with an elbow over the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koscheck throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thiago blocks it with crossed arms.
Koscheck misses with a knee strike.
Koscheck missing with knees to the body.
Thiago throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Nice body punch from Thiago - that landed with a thud.
Thiago tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Koscheck avoids it.
Thiago is trying to stall.
Koscheck unloads a knee to the mid-section. Thiago lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Koscheck with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Thiago misses with a body punch.
Koscheck looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
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!
Koscheck tries a knee to the head but Thiago blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koscheck on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Koscheck misses with a knee to the head.
Thiago looking to stall.
Thiago lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Koscheck tries a knee to the head but Thiago blocks it.
Thiago throws a head punch that misses.
Thiago taking a breather.
A left hand lands to the body for Thiago.
Thiago tries to stall but Koscheck uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Thiago misses with a hook from the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Koscheck connects with a nasty looking knee right to Thiago's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thiago struggles to land a body shot inside as Koscheck controls his hands.
Koscheck misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thiago.
Koscheck misses with a knee to the head.
Thiago presses Koscheck against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Thiago tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Koscheck avoids it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thiago looking to slow down the pace here.
Thiago misses with a body punch.
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!
Koscheck scores with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Josh Koscheck will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Paulo Thiago's cut.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Thiago fails to land the takedown.
Thiago looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Thiago shoots and misses

and Koscheck moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paulo Thiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but Thiago blocks with his arms.
Koscheck misses with a knee to the head.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Koscheck tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Thiago misses with a hook to the ribs.
Koscheck takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Koscheck throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thiago blocks it with crossed arms.
Thiago looking to slow down the pace here.
Koscheck connects with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koscheck misses with an elbow over the top.
Koscheck throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thiago blocks it with crossed arms.
Koscheck looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.
Koscheck tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Thiago lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

It looks like Josh Koscheck has been cut.
Thiago trying to control the position but instead, Koscheck has worked for underhooks and has pushed Thiago into the ropes.
Thiago missing with knees to the body.
Thiago is trying to maintain a safe position but Koscheck gets an underhook and turns Thiago into the ropes.
Koscheck throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koscheck misses with a knee strike.
Koscheck throws a knee to the head but misses.
Koscheck misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thiago.
Thiago lands a shoulder strike.
Thiago misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Koscheck.
Thiago tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Koscheck's elbow.
Koscheck looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.
Thiago misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Koscheck.
Thiago displaying some good clinch control by pressing Koscheck up against the ropes.
Thiago is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Koscheck is keeping busy.
Josh Koscheck seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Koscheck throws a knee to the head but misses.
Thiago trying to stall but Koscheck improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Paulo Thiago.
Thiago doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Koscheck counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Thiago fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Thiago gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Koscheck counters with a head kick.
Thiago will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Koscheck moves in looking to clinch but Thiago pushes him off.
Thiago shoots in looking for a takedown. Koscheck tries to sprawl out of it but Thiago keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Koscheck manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koscheck moves in looking to clinch but Thiago pushes him off.
Thiago keeps the fight on the outside.
Koscheck throws a quick inside leg kick.
Thiago shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Koscheck sprawls well. Koscheck wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Thiago gets slowly back to his feet.
Koscheck misses with a right hand

and Thiago counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Koscheck's guard now.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Paulo Thiago.
I think Koscheck 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight for Josh Koscheck!
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight for Josh Koscheck!
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight for Josh Koscheck!

Josh Koscheck wins by unanimous decision!