PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Freddy Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and TJ Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Costa
vs
Smith

196 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
25
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Freddy Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, TJ Smith!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Joseph Jones and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith stuffs the takedown attempt from Costa. Costa gets slowly back to his feet.

Smith drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Smith content to stall in guard here.
Smith with a flurry of punches that miss.
Costa seems keen to control Smith's posture.
Costa trying to control the position.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Smith stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Smith shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Smith was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Costa regains half guard.
Smith with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Smith thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Costa's head.

Smith is looking for a kimura here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith prevents Costa from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa won't allow Smith to pass to mount.

Smith decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
TJ Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Costa.
Smith throws a solid leg kick but Costa takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Smith.
Costa misses with a takedown attempt

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Smith is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Costa keeps working.
Costa is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith decides to return to a standing position.
Costa is breathing heavily.
Costa misses with a takedown attempt

and Smith decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Costa's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Freddy Costa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith wants to control from the top but Costa keeps moving.
Smith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Smith pushes down on Costa's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Smith content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Smith is trying to control the action in half guard but Costa is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Smith is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Smith 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 looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Smith jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Smith takes a kick to the side of the head.
Costa misses with a takedown

and Smith counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Smith.
Smith works over Costa with some ground and pound from guard.

Smith gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Costa throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
Costa wants to clinch but Smith slips to the side

and Smith counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Smith looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Smith looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Smith has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Smith controlling from mount.
Smith lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith raining down shots from the mount!
Smith controlling the pace for now.
Smith putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Costa defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Smith.

Smith wants to finish this one by submission but Costa is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Smith.
Smith has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Smith takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Costa is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Smith working Costa over with strikes here.

That's four 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.
Smith takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Costa swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Costa really wants to buck Smith off and get back to his feet.
Smith looking to control and managing it successfully.
Costa is in all sorts of trouble here.
TJ Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Costa takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TJ Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Costa misses with a few strikes there.
Costa closes the distance but Smith moves to the side

and Smith counters by clinching up.

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

and Smith counters with a single leg into guard. Costa didn't expect that.
Smith looking to pass the guard.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Smith gets to his feet - Costa follows without any prompting.

Smith gets the takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Costa bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Freddy Costa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Costa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Costa has his takedown stuffed

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Costa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Smith is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Costa is retaining full guard.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Costa.
Smith sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Costa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Costa looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith gets to his feet. Costa looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Smith moves into range and clinches up with Costa.
Come on Smith - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
Costa misses with a takedown

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Smith slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Costa is striking but Smith is not phased and passes to half guard.
Costa is looking for a sweep. Smith is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa wants to control but Smith is keeping busy.
Smith winds up and cracks Costa with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Smith connects with a nice short shot to Costa's temple.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Smith lands a nice short elbow.
Smith works his foot free and advances to mount.
Smith controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
TJ Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smith 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... TJ Smith!