PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Enzo Cardozo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Enzo Cardozo had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 171.1lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Cardozo
vs
Costa

175 cm
26
184 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
170 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Enzo Cardozo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pedro Costa!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cardozo thows a left - swing and a miss!
Costa throws a leg kick which misses Cardozo's front leg but catches the back leg as Cardozo tries to avoid it.

Costa moves into the clinch.
Costa pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Costa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Costa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cardozo is defending well for now.
Costa tries to break the clinch but Cardozo is controlling the position.
Cardozo is trying to break free.
Costa trying to land knees to the body.
Costa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cardozo.
Cardozo avoids a wild elbow strike from Costa.
Costa throws an elbow but it misses.
Cardozo effectively controlling the action here.
Costa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Costa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa throws a head kick that misses.
Cardozo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Costa.
Costa misses with a kick to the body.
Cardozo throws a one two combo.

Costa moves into the clinch successfully.
Costa throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Costa tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Costa trying to land knees to the body.
Costa misses with a knee to the head.
Cardozo blocks an elbow strike from Costa.

Costa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Costa lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Cardozo swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Costa counters with a head kick that crumples his opponent - he's in a world of trouble! Costa looks at the referee who does nothing so Costa lands a crushing right that sends Cardozo to the floor! This time the ref steps in to end the fight.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:08 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Pedro Costa!
During a confident post fight interview, Pedro Costa thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.