PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tommy Cottero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Testing Inprogress (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cottero
vs
Inprogress

170 cm
42
149 lbs
35 - 21 - 0

190 cm
28
155 lbs
11 - 6 - 2

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 35 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tommy Cottero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 2, fighting out of New York, Testing Inprogress!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Taro Takaoka and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cottero darts in looking for a takedown but Inprogress gets double underhooks and turns Cottero into the cage.
Cottero tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Inprogress misses with a looping right.
Inprogress misses with an uppercut.
Inprogress slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Inprogress throws a head kick that misses.
Cottero blocks a head kick by Inprogress.
Cottero loads up on a big right hand but Inprogress slips the punch.
Inprogress throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
It appears Cottero was looking to counter with a kick there.
Cottero throws the kick towards the body but Inprogress avoids it.
Inprogress lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cottero will feel that in the morning.
A nice inside leg kick there by Inprogress. That's going to slow Cottero down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Inprogress feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Cotteros jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
A head kick misses from Inprogress.
Inprogress avoids the head kick by Cottero.
Inprogress throws a head kick that misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cottero misses with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Inprogress shoots in and gets a takedown into Cottero's guard.
Cottero pulls Inprogress in close to his closed guard and prevents Inprogress from doing any damage or advancing position.
Inprogress trying to control but Cottero is working from the bottom.
Inprogress wants to pass the guard but Cottero is keeping the position.
Cottero looking to hit a scissor sweep but Inprogress is one step ahead there.
Inprogress trying to control the position from guard on top but Cottero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cottero not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cottero seems keen to control Inprogress's posture.
Inprogress is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Inprogress is looking to slow Cottero down with leg kicks.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cottero. Inprogress does a little dance to reset his feet.
Inprogress scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Inprogress throws a shot from downtown. Cottero moves away and avoids it.
Cottero stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Inprogress.
Inprogress is looking to chop away at Cottero's legs.
Cottero ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Crunch! Inprogress slams his shin into Cottero's torso.
Cottero tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Inprogress was well out of range. Poor timing from Cottero.
Inprogress looks to land a combination but Cottero avoids it well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A shot to the liver by Cottero. Beautiful body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cottero cracks Inprogress with a right hand to the side of the head.
Cottero tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Cottero throws a series of punches but Inprogress avoids them all with ease.
Cottero staying out of range there.
A low kick from Inprogress is predictable there
and Cottero counters with a stiff right hand.
Cottero takes a jab right on the kisser.
Cottero misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Inprogress.
Inprogress looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cottero is looking to land body kicks.
Cottero fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Cottero blocks a head kick by Inprogress.
Cottero misses with an attempted mid kick.

Cottero closes the distance and clinches.
Inprogress tries to work over Cottero's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nice body punch from Cottero.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Cottero breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Inprogress walks into a straight right hand from Cottero.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cottero lands with a nice body punch.
Inprogress scores with a jab. Cottero acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Inprogress pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cottero throws out a loose jab but Inprogress uses good head movement to avoid it.
Inprogress misses with a body shot

and Cottero counters by moving into the clinch.
Inprogress blocks a body shot from Cottero.
Cottero tries to work over Inprogress's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Inprogress has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Cottero regains guard immediately.
Inprogress stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cottero swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cottero holds on and takes a little breather.
Cottero wants to sweep here but Inprogress controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Testing Inprogress dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cottero looks to land a right hand but Inprogress moved out of range.
Cottero showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Inprogress.
Cottero slips a jab from Inprogress.
Inprogress lands with a good body shot.
Cottero gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Inprogress connects with a solid leg kick.
Inprogress moves into range and connects with a jab.
Cottero cracks Inprogress with a right hand to the side of the head.
A nice inside leg kick there by Inprogress. That's going to slow Cottero down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Inprogress throws out a loose jab but Cottero uses good head movement to avoid it.
Inprogress walks into a jab.
Cottero throws a leg kick that misses.
Cottero throws a sloppy head kick and Inprogress moves out of range easily.
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!
Inprogress throws a sloppy head kick and Cottero moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Inprogress uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cottero.
Cottero misses with a hook.
Cottero misses the jab.
Inprogress looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Sloppy strikes from Inprogress. Those never looked like landing.
Cottero ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cottero throws a right and a left that both miss.
Inprogress misses with a straight right.
Inprogress misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cottero throws a body shot but no joy.
Inprogress is looking to slow Cottero down with leg kicks.
Inprogress throws a jab when Cottero was well out of range.
Inprogress is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cottero connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Cottero throws a quick inside leg kick.
Cottero blocks a low kick nicely.
Cottero lands a jab to Inprogress's midsection.
A swing and a miss from Inprogress.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cottero throws a head kick but Inprogress moves out of range.
Cottero missing with a left hand there. Inprogress was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Inprogress lands with an uppercut that bounces Cottero off the cage and back into range.
Inprogress looks to score with a jab to the body but Cottero is just out of range.
A head kick from Inprogress lands but Cottero takes it in his stride.
Cottero tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cottero lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cottero connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cottero steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Inprogress.
A lazy left from Cottero finds it's target.
Inprogress scoring well with a low kick there.
Inprogress thuds a left hand into Cottero's body.
Inprogress avoids the head kick by Cottero.
Cottero misses with a wild body shot.
Inprogress ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cottero moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cottero waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Inprogress.
Cottero on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Inprogress. Inprogress obviously looking to wear him down.
Inprogress stalks Cottero and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cottero's face. Cottero staggers backwards, shaken.
Inprogress just misses with a punch to the body.
A chopping leg kick lands by Inprogress.
Inprogress takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Inprogress misses with a wild combination.
Inprogress misses with a low kick.
Cottero lands a nice leg kick that just misses Inprogress's sensitive parts.
Cottero keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Inprogress.
Inprogress pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cottero shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Inprogress with a hook.
Inprogress swings and misses with a shot to the body
letting Cottero counter with a right hand.

It looks like Testing Inprogress has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Inprogress shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Inprogress is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Cottero looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Inprogress trying to pass the guard but Cottero defending well.

Inprogress is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Testing Inprogress showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Testing Inprogress's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cottero stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Inprogress.
Cottero turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cottero looks to score with a jab to the body but Inprogress is just out of range.
Inprogress motions for Cottero to come forward. Inprogress throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Inprogress, right into the meat.

Inprogress drives through with a takedown into Cottero's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Cottero looking to control but Inprogress passes into half guard.

Inprogress seems to be looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Inprogress tries to pass the half guard into mount. Cottero knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Cottero is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Inprogress is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cottero is just riding it out for now. Inprogress eventually gives up the hold.
Inprogress is keen to just control but Cottero is a slippery customer.

Cottero is defending against the submission attempts here by Inprogress.
Inprogress is trying to control. Cottero wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cottero is trying to get back to full guard.
Tommy Cottero has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cottero won't allow Inprogress to pass to mount.
Cottero is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cottero trying to control here.
Inprogress wants to free his trapped foot but Cottero is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Still in half guard, Inprogress seems content to control.
Cottero makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cottero.
Cottero working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cottero keeping moving, preventing Inprogress from controlling successfully.
Cottero can't keep his opponent in guard - Inprogress advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Cottero regains full guard. Nicely done.

Cottero is looking for a triangle here but Inprogress uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Testing Inprogress is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Cottero is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Inprogress taking a break here but Cottero is having none of it and regains half guard.
Cottero might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Inprogress looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Cottero tries to roll over but Inprogress keeps him under control.
Inprogress controlling the action here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cottero is refusing to be controlled, as Inprogress sits in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Testing Inprogress comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Inprogress winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Testing Inprogress!