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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Derek Harris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Francisco Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harris comes to the cage accompanied by Not again - You all ready dropped?. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!
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| 173 cm
25
153 lbs
12 - 8 - 0 |
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172 cm
24
158 lbs
13 - 5 - 0 |
Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin |
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Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank |
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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
12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Derek Harris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Francisco Costa!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Sergei Dronov and Valeri Chadov.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Costa jabs at Harris's body.
Harris forces Costa back against the cage and clinches.
Costa jumps guard and drags Harris to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Costa keeping moving, preventing Harris from controlling successfully.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Costa holds on and takes a little breather.
Costa being controlled here, momentarily.
Harris won't allow Costa to sweep him here.
Harris controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Costa lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris trying to keep a closed guard but Costa is proving a slippery customer.
Harris keeping full guard, as Costa tries to pass.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris is adopting a defensive guard.
Costa looking to pass the guard.
Harris has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Costa trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harris is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Costa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Harris swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Costa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Harris is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Harris is on top in guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Costa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Harris has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Harris wants to control from the top but Costa keeps moving.
Costa is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Costa looking for a guillotine here but Harris defends easily.
Harris controls from within his opponent's guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Costa escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Harris gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Costa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Harris doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Harris manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Costa is on top in guard.
Costa won't allow Harris to sweep him here.
Costa trying to control but Harris is working from the bottom.
Costa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa slips nicely into half guard.
Harris trying to hold on to Costa's head to control him but Costa postures up.
Costa wants to free his trapped foot but Harris is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Harris is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Costa's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Costa's back!
Harris trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Costa doesn't escape.
Costa tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Harris tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Costa tries to hold on but Harris postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Harris controlling the position easily from mount.
Harris trying to control but Costa is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Francisco Costa dominated that 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.
Harris doesn't manage to clinch there - Costa circles away.
Costa looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Costa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Harris moves away.
Harris is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harris moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromCosta.
Harris takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Harris moves into range and clinches up with Costa.
Harris breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Costa misses with a right hand
and Harris counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch but Costa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harris takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Costa looks to land a body kick but Harris moved away.
Harris throws a body punch but Costa moves out of range.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris tries to clinch there but Costa circles away.
Harris closes the distance but Costa moves to the side
and Costa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Costa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Costa swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Costa connects with the punch.
Harris fails with an attempt to clinch.
Costa swings widly with a right hand
and Harris counters with a series of strikes. Costa will be more careful next time no doubt.
Harris is looking to clinch but Costa is avoiding it.
Costa with the counter takedown but Harris avoids it easily.
Costa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Harris moves away.
Costa circles away from the clinch attempt
and Costa counters with a nice uppercut.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris moves in looking to clinch but Costa pushes him off.
Harris is looking to clinch but Costa is avoiding it.
Harris closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
The fighters circle momentarily. Costa darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Harris fails in his attempt to clinch.
Costa drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Harris defends it well.
Harris gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Harris pushes Costa back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harris using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A shot in the inside from Harris.
Harris dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
I was talking to Harris's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Costa tries to score a body lock takedown but Harris shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Harris just leaning against Costa, taking a breather.
Harris lands a left hand.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris lands a nice uppercut.
Harris tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Costa avoids it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Harris.
Harris lands a left hand that snaps the head of Costa backwards.
Costa tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Harris smiles and moves away.
Costa lands with an overhand left.
Costa swings away with a body shot that misses
and Harris counters with a nice body shot.
Costa digs a good hook to Harris's body.
Costa tries to clinch but Harris moves out of range.
Harris slips a straight right by Costa.
Costa stalks Harris and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Harris's face. Harris staggers backwards, shaken.
Francisco Costa seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Costa lands a glancing blow to the side of Harris's head.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Costa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Costa throws a lazy right hand but Harris sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Harris takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Costa just misses with a punch to the body.
Harris is looking to clinch but Costa is avoiding it.
Costa unleashes a big counter combination but Harris bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Harris wants to clinch
and Costa counters with a left to the body.
Derek Harris is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Costa lands a nice shot that snaps Harris's head back.
Costa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Harris takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Costa looks for the body kick but Harris saw that one coming.
Harris is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Costa drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Harris defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Francisco Costa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!
Harris thumps Costa with a low kick.
Harris fails with an attempt to clinch.
Costa flicks out a counter leg kick but Harris steps away.
Costa lands with a right hand.
Harris gets tackled into the cage by Costa. Costa maintains the clinch.
Harris using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Harris working aggressively here.
Harris scores with a nice hook to the head.
Costa wants a takedown.
Costa lands with a right to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Harris.
Harris is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Costa is defending well for now.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Harris.
Costa lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Costa takes a shot to the head.
Derek Harris has scored more points in the clinch so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harris breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harris tries to clinch there but Costa circles away.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Harris fails in his attempt to clinch.
Costa rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Harris to counter with a crisp jab.
Harris uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Costa.
It looked like Harris wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Harris doesn't manage to clinch there - Costa circles away.
Costa wants to clinch up but Harris keeps it at a distance.
Harris tries to clinch up.
Costa misses with a jab to the body
and Harris counters with a straight right hand.
Harris pushes Costa up against the cage in a clinch.
Harris tries to land knees in the clinch but Costa avoids the damage to the body.
Harris breaks the clinch.
Harris tries to clinch up but Costa circles away and keeps his distance.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris tries to move into range but Costa moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch but Costa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harris keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Harris gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Harris throws a punch but it's blocked by Costa.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Costa jumps guard but Harris turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Costa drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Derek Harris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Francisco Costa.
Costa drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Harris goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Harris misses with a punch on the inside.
Costa is looking to take this one to the mat.
Costa is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Costa misses with a hook to the ribs.
A knee to the head by Harris.
Costa lands a hook to the side of the head.
Costa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Costa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Costa blocks an elbow strike.
Harris goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Costa manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Harris controls from within his opponent's guard.
Costa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Harris can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Derek Harris has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Costa can't keep his opponent in guard - Harris advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Harris is taking a breather. Costa 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.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa is looking to escape.
Harris controlling the pace.
Costa wants to get back to full guard.
Harris content to control rather than advance.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Harris.
Costa is pressing down on Harris's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Harris looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Harris continues to hold on tight.
And that's the end of the fight!
Derek Harris showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Costa has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Francisco Costa!
An out of breath Francisco Costa thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
In defeat, Derek Harris stepped up to the mic, saying 'I dont have excuse, gym rat beat me.. Whatever, i will fight again and soon!'.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
45% |
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