PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Heartman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Costa
vs
Heartman

183 cm
22
185 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

188 cm
22
193 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

Juggernaut Fuel

[†]FALCON CLOTHING[†]
Win Nutritional - proof of quality

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Heartman!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Costa smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Costa fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Heartman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Costa tries a head kick but it misses.
Heartman misses with a takedown attempt - Costa sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Heartman circles away from the clinch attempt.
Costa wants to clinch up but Heartman keeps it at a distance.
Costa works Heartman's body with a nice hook.
Nice shot by Costa.
Costa throws a one two combo.
Heartman on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Costa tries to clinch but Heartman is having none of it.

Costa scores with a takedown into Heartman's guard.
Heartman working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Heartman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Costa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Heartman looking to hit a scissor sweep but Costa is one step ahead there.
Heartman is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Costa landing some decent shots from guard.
Costa wants to control from the top but Heartman keeps moving.
Costa being controlled here momentarily.
Costa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Heartman swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Costa is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Costa trying to control the position from guard on top but Heartman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Heartman is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Costa defends well.
Heartman keeping moving, preventing Costa from controlling successfully.
Costa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Heartman working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heartman is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Heartman looks gassed!
Heartman trying to mount his opponent but Costa defends it.

Heartman 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 working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Heartman's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Heartman's back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Costa doesn't have the hooks in and Heartman manages to turn into his guard.

Costa throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Heartman escapes and throws Costa's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Costa tries to buck Heartman off but Heartman is having none of it.
The ground and pound from Heartman seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Heartman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Costa keeps working.
Heartman wants to control for a moment but Costa uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Costa uses his free foot to push down on Heartman's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Heartman.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Costa wants to control the pace but Heartman is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Costa dominated that round.
That's time! Costa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Heartman drives through and clinches with Costa against the cage.

Costa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Heartman takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Costa moves in looking to clinch but Heartman pushes him off.
Heartman with a poor takedown

and Costa counters with a nice double leg into side control. Heartman won't be happy with that.
Costa working the head with strikes.
Costa tries to move into full mount but can't pass Heartman's legs.
Costa misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Heartman tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Costa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Costa working away.
Heartman is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Costa swings around for an armbar but Heartman sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Costa's guard.
Heartman throwing strikes but missing.

Costa working for a triangle but Heartman defends it easily.
Costa trying to control the position.
Heartman tries to free his leg and advance position but Costa is retaining full guard.

Heartman postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Costa is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Heartman, into his guard.
Costa with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Heartman is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Heartman keeping full guard, as Costa tries to pass.

Heartman looking for a guillotine here but Costa defends easily.

Heartman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Costa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heartman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Costa trying to control the position from guard on top but Heartman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Costa!
Thiago Costa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Heartman misses with a takedown attempt

and Costa counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Costa controlling from the top position.

Heartman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Costa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa tries to stand but Heartman is controlling from the bottom.
Costa scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Heartman is trying to control the position but Costa postures up.
Heartman wants to control but Costa passes easily into half guard.
Heartman is looking to control Costa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Heartman avoid being mounted?
Thiago Costa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Costa tries to stand but can't do so whilst Heartman controls his leg.
Heartman is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Costa dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Costa shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Costa is thwarting Heartman's attempts to control the position.
Costa uses his free foot to push down on Heartman's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Heartman.
Heartman keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Heartman regains half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa is looking to stall here but Heartman recovers full guard.
Heartman lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Costa!
Costa bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Heartman is trying to control the position but Costa postures up.

Heartman has an active guard here but Costa has managed to pass into half guard.
Costa is thwarting Heartman's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Costa moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Heartman.
Costa creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Costa in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Costa trying to control the position but Heartman is working away.

Costa goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Heartman has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Costa but great work by Heartman.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Heartman trying to control from the bottom.
Costa is trying to control. Heartman wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Heartman looking for submissions off his back.
Andre Heartman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Heartman is trying to control but can't.
Costa wants to take a breather but Heartman is having none of it.
Costa wants to pass the guard but Heartman is defending well.
Heartman works his way to full guard. Good work.

Heartman is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Costa defends well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heartman keeping moving, preventing Costa from controlling successfully.
Heartman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Costa has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Costa connects with a couple of short punches.

Costa got a little sloppy there for a moment and Heartman has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Costa has managed to get both his arms back between Heartman's legs - danger averted.

Costa has gone for a leg lock! Heartman slips out almost immediately though and dives into Costa's guard.
Costa keeping moving, preventing Heartman from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Thiago Costa.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Costa, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Costa!