PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Takem Downem (ranked 4183 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Cottero (ranked 5364 p4p, 0 weight class). Tommy Cottero has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Takem Downem's chin.

Downem
vs
Cottero

180 cm
38
150 lbs
22 - 26 - 0

170 cm
48
149 lbs
43 - 25 - 0

Great wrestler
Counter fighter
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

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 22 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takem Downem!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 43 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tommy Cottero!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Kenichi Hosakawa and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cottero scores with a body shot.
Downem is looking to clinch.
Cottero lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Downem forces Cottero back against the cage and clinches.
Cottero lands a shoulder strike.
Downem swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cottero blocks an uppercut.
A body shot lands from Cottero.
Downem struggles to land a body shot inside as Cottero controls his hands.
Cottero lands a nice shot to the body.

Downem pulls Cottero into guard.

Downem working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cottero doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cottero manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Downem is looking to stand up but Cottero isn't so interested in that idea.
Downem keeping moving, preventing Cottero from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cottero trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cottero is looking to pass into half guard but Downem pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Downem is in guard.

Downem landing with the ground and pound.
Downem preventing the sweep.
Cottero trying to keep a closed guard but Downem is proving a slippery customer.
Downem is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Downem postures up.
We've been hearing that Downem has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cottero pulls Downem in close to prevent any damage.
Downem wants to pass the guard but Cottero is keeping the position.
Downem slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Downem has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Downem is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cottero's half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cottero is looking to improve his position.
Cottero makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cottero.
Cottero pulls Downem in to control the position.
Downem postures up and lands a big shot to Cottero's brow.
Cottero trying to control the position.
Downem throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Downem tries to free his leg and advance position but Cottero is retaining full guard.
Downem trying to control the position from guard on top but Cottero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Downem engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Downem trying to control the position from guard on top but Cottero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cottero 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.
Downem postures up.

Downem stands up from Cottero's guard - Downem perhaps looking for a knockout.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Downem shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Cottero napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cottero is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takem Downem dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Downem has closed the distance and engaged Cottero in a clinch.

Downem has picked Cottero up - he's going for a ride! Downem dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Downem trying to control from half guard but Cottero is working away.
Cottero is trying to get back to full guard.

Downem is working for a kimura but Cottero is defending it quite comfortably.
Downem wants to free his trapped foot but Cottero is holding on for dear life with his legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cottero is trying to maintain the position but Downem is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Downem in particular looking to stall.
Cottero wants to control but Downem passes into side.
Cottero is looking to regain half guard here but Downem keeps moving and retains side control.
Takem Downem overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Downem decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Cottero lands a leg kick that knocks Downem off balance momentarily.
Cottero connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Cottero buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Downem shoots in and bounces Cottero off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cottero looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Downem gets to his feet - Cottero follows without any prompting.
No joy there for Downem, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Downem tries to clinch up
and Cottero connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cottero lets loose with a powerful body kick. Downem will feel that in the morning.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cottero tests Downem's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cottero digs a good hook to Downem's body.
Downem rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cottero finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Nice shot by Cottero.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cottero throws a push kick but Downem slaps the foot to one side.
Cottero scores with a kick to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cottero.
Cottero turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cottero scores with a jab to the body.
Downem walks into a jab.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cottero, right into the meat.
Cottero scores with a shot to the body.
A lazy left from Cottero finds it's target.
Takem Downem is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Downem is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cottero's half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cottero controlling the position for now.
Cottero wants to improve his position but Downem is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cottero is staying active underneath Downem, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Downem is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Cottero is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Cottero wants to control but Downem is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Downem thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cottero's head.
Cottero is trying to maintain the position but Downem is very close to passing his half guard.
Downem throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cottero wants to control but Downem is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Cottero showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Downem feints and as Cottero raises his hands in defense, Downem changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cottero looking to control.
Cottero looking for a sweep. Not yet Cottero, not yet.
Cottero bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Downem's guard.

Cottero looking to sit in guard and control but Downem gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Downem sitting in guard here, content to control.
Downem passes easily into side control. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
You can see the frustration on Cottero's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cottero gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Downem is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Cottero is trying to get back to full guard.
Downem performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Cottero wants to improve his position but Downem is controlling well.

Downem stands up and beckons Cottero to join him on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cottero fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Downem has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Downem drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cottero is trying to keep Downem in close.
Downem has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cottero is proving hard to escape from.
Downem stopping the sweep attempt from Cottero.
Downem engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Downem drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Cottero dives on top into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cottero is stalling in the full guard.
Downem is wriggling around but Cottero manages to pass to half guard.
Cottero prevents Downem from improving his position.
Cottero wants to control but Downem is keeping him busy.
Downem is trying to stand.
Downem won't allow Cottero to pass to mount.
Cottero controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cottero wants to lay and pray for a moment but Downem keeps working.
Downem tries to get to full guard but Cottero has control of the leg.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Downem looking to score a takedown here. Cottero is defending well but Downem drives through and ends up in Cottero's guard.
Cottero wants to sweep but no luck.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takem Downem showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Downem has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takem Downem!