PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Valentin Kara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Costinha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Costinha's choice of entrance music: IRdEJS7tOs4. This should be a great matchup!

Kara
vs
Costinha

162 cm
24
150 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

170 cm
19
150 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Valentin Kara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leo Costinha!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Luis Engracia and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Costinha fails with an attempt to clinch.

Costinha gets caught flat footed, as Kara shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Kara drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kara jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Kara drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kara jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Kara has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Costinha is proving hard to escape from.
Kara prevents Costinha from getting back to his feet.
Costinha is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Costinha really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kara. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kara advances to half guard.
Kara slows the pace down in half guard.
Costinha wants to get back to his feet.

Kara is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Costinha doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kara.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kara trying to control from Costinha's half guard. Costinha has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Costinha is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Costinha keeping moving, preventing Kara from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Costinha is looking to stand up but Kara isn't so interested in that idea.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kara shoots in for a double leg but Costinha sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kara scores with a punch to the head.
Costinha tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kara closes the distance looking to clinch

and Costinha holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Costinha lands a nice knee to the body.
Costinha scores with a knee to the head.
Costinha is struggling to control the position.
Kara drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Costinha gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Costinha's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Costinha is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costinha tries to land knees in the clinch but Kara avoids the damage to the body.

Costinha's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Costinha is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Costinha clinches up against the cage.
Costinha is struggling to control the position.

Costinha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Costinha is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Costinha throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Costinha looks gassed!
Costinha tries to clinch but Kara moves out of range.
Kara tries to score a power double leg takedown but Costinha sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kara somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Valentin Kara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Costinha is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Valentin Kara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice sprawl there from Costinha as Kara shoots in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Costinha fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kara shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Costinha sprawls well. Costinha wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kara gets slowly back to his feet.
Costinha fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kara scores with a decent looking hook.

Costinha has Kara up against the cage in a clinch.
Costinha lands a knee to the head.
Costinha lands a knee to the body.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Costinha lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kara avoiding damage as Costinha throws knees to the body.
Costinha gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Costinha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kara closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Costinha did well to prevent Kara getting side control.

Costinha manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Costinha tries to clinch but Kara moves out of range.

Kara scores a takedown into full mount!

Kara looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Costinha is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Kara is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Costinha has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Costinha!
Kara has a closed guard, preventing Costinha from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Kara is looking for a triangle but Costinha pushes his legs off easily.

Costinha gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Costinha tries to clinch but Kara is having none of it.
Costinha tries to clinch but Kara moves out of range.
Costinha is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Costinha gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kara has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Costinha avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Costinha stalling against the cage.
A knee to the head by Costinha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costinha working Kara over with knees to the body.
Costinha tries to land a knee to the head but Kara blocks with his arms.
Costinha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kara.
Kara is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Costinha gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Costinha is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kara takes an elbow to the temple.
Costinha throws a knee to the head but misses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kara tries to score a body lock takedown but Costinha shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Valentin Kara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Costinha tries to land knees in the clinch but Kara avoids the damage to the body.
Kara changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Costinha fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Costinha gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kara to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Kara stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Costinha forces Kara back against the cage and clinches.
Costinha effectively controlling the action here.
Kara is working for takedown but Costinha is calmly controlling the position for now.
Costinha lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Costinha is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Costinha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kara is defending well for now.
Costinha has Kara pressed against the cage, preventing Kara from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Costinha prevents Kara from breaking the clinch.
Costinha creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kara's defenses.
Kara takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kara wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Costinha has him pressed against the cage.
Costinha lands a nice elbow.
Costinha looking to throw knees to the head but Kara is blocking nicely.
Kara has had enough of the clinch but Costinha keeps him there for the moment.
Costinha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kara avoids it.

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.
Kara can't get the takedown.
Kara blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kara looking for a takedown.

Costinha manages to break the clinch.
Kara closes the distance and clinches up with Costinha, looking for a takedown. Kara pushes Costinha against the cage but Costinha circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Costinha is looking to clinch.
Costinha wants to clinch.

Kara closes the distance and clinches.
Costinha unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kara lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Costinha crunches a lovely knee into Kara's ribcage.
Kara wants a takedown.

Costinha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kara can't get the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Valentin Kara will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Costinha clinches but Kara breaks the clinch

and Kara counters with a nice double leg into side control. Costinha won't be happy with that.
Costinha is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Kara is trying to get an arm triangle but Costinha is defending well.
Costinha is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Kara has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Kara tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Costinha is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Kara is controlling him well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kara is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Costinha is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Costinha wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Kara looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Kara tries for a kimura but Costinha is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kara thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Costinha wants to get back to his feet but Kara drags him back down.

Kara wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Costinha, who protects the arm well.
Costinha is trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kara is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Costinha has escaped the position, nice work there.
Valentin Kara overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Costinha is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Kara controls the position from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Costinha throws Kara to one side and escapes!
Costinha looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Kara gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Costinha counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costinha with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Costinha with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Costinha missing with knees to the body.
Kara is working for takedown but Costinha is calmly controlling the position for now.
Come on Costinha - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Costinha with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Costinha putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kara in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kara has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Costinha is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Valentin Kara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A frustrated look appears on Kara's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kara managing to block the knees to the body from Costinha.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Costinha takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Costinha putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kara in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Costinha with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kara on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Costinha is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Costinha trying to land knees to the body.
Costinha misses with an elbow over the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valentin Kara showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kara 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valentin Kara!