PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Santiago Costa (ranked 883 p4p, 601 weight class) and Alex Parker (ranked 119 p4p, 83 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Costa
vs
Parker

183 cm
30
190
17 - 15 - 0

185 cm
38
191
23 - 18 - 2

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition
Hardcore Alchemy

Core Combat
Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Santiago Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 18 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Alex Parker!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Chris Edwards and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Parker throws out a powerful jab.
Costa tries to bum rush Parker with a series of wild strikes but Parker uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Parker looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Parker keeps the fight on the outside.
Costa on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Costa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Parker.
Parker appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Costa looks to land a combination but Parker avoids it well.
Costa misses with a hook.
A shot to the liver by Costa. Beautiful body shot.
Parker throws a looping overhand right but Costa ducks down to avoid it.

Costa has taken the fight to the clinch.
Parker misses with a short punch on the inside.

Parker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Costa tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Costa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Parker uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Costa.
Nice straight punches there by Parker. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Parker.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Parker scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Costa lands a slapping body shot.
Parker's coach down at Tōshi was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Parker's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Parker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Costa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Parker sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Costa somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Parker takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Costa lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Parker throws a leg kick but Costa sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Costa checks a low kick from Parker.

Parker gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Parker wriggles free and stands up.
A leg kick checked by Costa.
Alex Parker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
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!
Parker lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Costa checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Costa has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Costa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Parker moves away.
Costa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Parker.
Costa uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Parker.
Nice straight punches there by Costa. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Costa.
A looping hook to the body misses from Costa. Parker does a little dance to reset his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Costa.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Santiago Costa. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Parker moves away.
Costa connects with a right hand. Parker shakes it off.
Parker lands with a nice body kick.
Costa is looking to wear down Parker with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Costa avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Costa closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Parker quickly recovers to half guard.

Parker has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Costa is on him like a limpet, forcing Parker back against the cage.
Costa wants to break free but Parker has control.
Parker lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Parker lands a nice uppercut.
Parker misses with a body punch.
Costa throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Parker throws a punch but it's blocked by Costa.
Parker lands a nice uppercut.
Costa has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Parker after a bit of a struggle.
Parker prevents a takedown attempt there.
Parker tries a body shot but Costa blocks it.
Costa blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Parker prevents the takedown attempt.
Costa is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Parker to keep the fight standing.
Parker stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Parker can't find room to land a body shot as Costa controls the action.
Parker misses with a hook from the clinch.
Costa blocks a body shot from Parker.
Parker is leaning against Costa and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Parker keeps control of Costa as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Parker scores with a hook to the body.
Costa is breathing heavily.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Costa.
Parker misses with a hook to the ribs.
Parker lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Costa backwards.
Parker presses Costa against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Costa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Parker gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Costa.
Costa wants a takedown but no success here.
Costa is looking for a takedown.
Parker pressing his opponent against the cage.
Parker is trying to maintain a safe position but Costa gets an underhook and turns Parker into the cage.
The referee calls for Parker to work.
Parker is pressed up against the cage. Costa has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Parker down to the mat. Parker avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Parker lands a nice shot that snaps Costa's head back.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Costa swinging wildly here.
Costa throws a hook but Parker blocks it.
The fighters circling - Costa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Costa throws a body punch but Parker moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Parker dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Costa takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Costa has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Parker.
Parker takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
A big right from Parker misses.
Costa lands a really nice looking cross but Parker seems unphased.
Parker works the jab nicely.
Parker throws a looping overhand right but Costa ducks down to avoid it.
Costa throws a body punch but Parker moves out of range.
Parker takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Costa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Parker.
Costa lands with a nice body punch.
Parker takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Costa closes the distance and clinches up with Parker, looking for a takedown. Costa pushes Parker against the cage but Parker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Costa tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Parker swivels and escapes.
Parker misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Costa.
Costa on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A slapping leg kick lands for Parker.
Parker misses with an uppercut

and Costa counters by clinching up.
Costa is working for takedown but Parker is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Santiago Costa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Parker.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Costa.

Costa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A lazy left from Parker finds it's target.
Parker lands a jab to the head.

Costa is rocked!
Parker has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Parker bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Oh Costa is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Costa drops his hands momentarily. Parker doesn't need a second invitation, landing a shot to the temple. Costa staggers and falls to the mat and the ref dives in to save him from any more punishment. Costa doesn't seem happy with the stoppage but he was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Alex Parker!
In his post fight interview, Alex Parker started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.