PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Frankie Costello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darwingh Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Costello
vs
Alvarez

182 cm
20
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
22
130 lbs
2 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Frankie Costello !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Darwingh Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Stewart Dunkirk and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Costello gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Alvarez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Alvarez misses with a punch to the body.
Costello lands with a short shot to the head.
Alvarez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Costello .
Costello has Alvarez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Alvarez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frankie Costello . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Costello is breathing heavily.
Alvarez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Costello avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Costello lands a nice knee to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Costello can't get the takedown.
Costello missing with knees to the body.
Alvarez effectively controlling the action here.
Costello jumps guard but Alvarez turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alvarez pulls guard.
Costello won't allow Alvarez to sweep him here.
Alvarez will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Costello stopping the sweep attempt from Alvarez.
Costello is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Beast Playground that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Alvarez has his hands on Costello 's head, controlling the position.
Costello really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Alvarez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costello has hold of Alvarez's hands but Alvarez slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Alvarez lands strikes from half guard.
Alvarez takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Alvarez lands a nice short elbow.
Alvarez sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Alvarez working over Costello with some ground and pound. Costello looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Alvarez is going to stand back up.
Alvarez working Costello over with strikes.

Alvarez is trying to work for a kimura but Costello is defending well.
Alvarez controlling the action here.
Alvarez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Alvarez working Costello over with strikes.
Alvarez is controlling the pace.

Alvarez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Costello doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Alvarez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Costello tries to sprawl but Alvarez drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Costello wants to get back to his feet.
Alvarez controlling the action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Costello is defending against the submission attempts here by Alvarez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Alvarez 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.
Costello has hold of Alvarez's hands but Alvarez slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Costello wants to control but Alvarez is keeping busy.

Alvarez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Alvarez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Costello taking some punishment here, with Alvarez in his half guard.
Alvarez perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Darwingh Alvarez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Alvarez's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Alvarez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Alvarez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Alvarez lands a nice short elbow.
Alvarez with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Alvarez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Costello knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Costello is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Alvarez scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez moves nicely into side control.
Alvarez working the head and body with strikes.
Costello is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Alvarez controlling the position from side mount.
Alvarez lands an elbow.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Alvarez taking a breather here.
Alvarez is continuing to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darwingh Alvarez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Alvarez looking to score a takedown here. Costello is defending well but Alvarez drives through and ends up in Costello 's guard.
Alvarez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Alvarez lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Costello is trying to control the position but Alvarez postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarez tries to free his leg and advance position but Costello is retaining full guard.
Alvarez advances to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alvarez perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The adventures of Alvarez the control monster continue. Boring.

Alvarez 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.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Costello is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Alvarez is taking a breather. Costello says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Alvarez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Costello defends it well.
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. Alvarez connects with a nice short shot to Costello 's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez wants to stand up but Costello is controlling the position.
Alvarez looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Alvarez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Alvarez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Alvarez moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Costello is trying to work for a sweep but Alvarez has mounted him!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez landing shots from mount.
Alvarez landing strikes from the mount and Costello is in trouble!
Alvarez controlling from the full mount.
Alvarez pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Costello tries to hold on but Alvarez postures up.
Alvarez controlling the pace for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Darwingh Alvarez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Alvarez 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 25:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 25:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darwingh Alvarez!