PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robot Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joao Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Costa is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by The Coasters - Down In Mexico. Joao Costa told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Joe
vs
Costa

180 cm
22
180 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

179 cm
22
182 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Self confident

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Dark Knight Design
Syndicate Drugs

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Robot Joe!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joao Costa!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Costa.
Costa misses with a head kick.
Joe moves out of range as Costa strikes.

Joe fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Costa sprawls well initially but Joe persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Joe moves into full mount! Costa won't be happy about that!
Costa is desperately trying to improve his position but Joe has a good base and remains in mount.
Costa is trying to stand.
Joe trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Joe jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Costa manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Costa wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Costa tries to buck Joe off but Joe is having none of it.
Joe trying to control the position but Costa is working away.
Costa is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Joe is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Costa is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Joe trying to control the position but Costa is working away.
You can see the frustration on Costa's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Costa tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Joe is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Costa is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Costa can't do much from the bottom here.

Joe tries for a kimura but Costa is defending well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Costa is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa manages to get back to half guard.
Costa gets back to full guard.
Joe passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Joe tries for a kimura but Costa is defending well.
Costa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Costa is not content to let Joe control the position.
Costa is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joe tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Joe has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Costa is looking for a sweep.
Costa is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Joe is controlling him well.
Costa is trying to get back to half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Joe bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Costa struggling a bit here.

Joe working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Joe prevents Costa from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Joe is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Costa is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Joe wants to lay and pray for a moment but Costa keeps working.
Costa is trying to get back to half guard.
Costa is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Joe is controlling him well.
Costa manages to get back to half guard.
Costa looks gassed!
Costa wants to control but Joe is keeping busy.
Costa tries to kick Joe off but Joe keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Joe is working for a submission of some sort.
Joe wants to take a breather but Costa is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robot Joe dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Costa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Costa misses with a head kick.
Costa tries for a takedown but Joe circles away easily

and Joe counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Joe.
Joe stands and throws Costa's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Joe tries for a kimura but Costa is defending well.

Joe is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Costa knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Joe tries to move into full mount but can't pass Costa's legs.
Costa sneaks back into half guard.
Costa is trying to stand.
Costa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Joe looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Costa is trying to get back to full guard.
Costa is trying to stand up here but Joe is controlling him well.
Joe wants to pass to mount but Costa is defending the position.

Joe is trying to work for a kimura but Costa is defending well.
Costa is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Joe prevents Costa from improving his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Costa misses with a takedown attempt

and Joe counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Costa's guard now.
Robot Joe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Joe trying to control but Costa is working from the bottom.

Costa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Joe doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Joe manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Joe advances to half guard.
Joe controlling the pace.
Joe is keen to just control but Costa is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe moves into full mount! Costa won't be happy about that!
Costa slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Costa is looking to improve his position.
Costa is trying to stand.
Joe is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Costa!
Joe controlling his opponent.
Costa stops Joe from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Joe looking to control and managing it successfully.
Costa is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Costa trying to control but Joe is working from the bottom.

Joe has his feet on Costa's thighs here. He's pushed Costa off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Costa screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Robot Joe!
Robot Joe retains his welterweight title!