PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Takem Downem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Cottero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Downem
vs
Cottero

180 cm
37
150 lbs
20 - 23 - 0

170 cm
47
149 lbs
42 - 23 - 0

Great wrestler
Counter fighter
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 20 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takem Downem!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 42 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tommy Cottero!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Ren Mimura and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Downem displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cottero.
Downem looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Cottero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cottero fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cottero ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Downem takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Cottero turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Downem fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cottero sprawls well initially but Downem persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Downem stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Cottero to get to his feet.

Downem closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Cottero's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cottero is trying to control the position but Downem postures up.

Downem stands up and waves to Cottero to follow him.
Downem tries to clinch up but Cottero circles away and keeps his distance.
A countering left hand to the body from Cottero misses.
Cottero throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Downem stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cottero lands the left hand.
Tommy Cottero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cottero circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cottero with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Downem takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

Downem shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Downem is breathing heavily.
Cottero wants to get back to full guard.
Cottero is positioning himself well to prevent Downem advancing to mount.
Cottero wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downem wants to stand but Cottero has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

Downem is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cottero is just riding it out for now. Downem eventually gives up the hold.
Downem content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cottero is looking for a sweep. Downem is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cottero is not content to let Downem control the position.

Downem stands up out of the half guard.
Cottero fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Cottero misses with a head kick.
Cottero with a hook.

Downem shoots in and gets a takedown into Cottero's guard.
Downem being controlled here momentarily.
Downem is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Downem looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Downem controlling from the top position.
Downem trying to control but Cottero is working from the bottom.
Cottero looking for a sweep. Not yet Cottero, not yet.

Downem decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Cottero clinches with his opponent.
Cottero blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cottero lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Downem or not.

Downem gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Cottero is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cottero is controlling Downem's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tommy Cottero will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Downem closes the distance and pushes Cottero back into the cage.
Downem misses with some punches.
Cottero pushes Downem back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Cottero.

Downem breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Downem decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Cottero trying to control here.
Downem sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cottero defending well though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cottero is looking to control Downem's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cottero avoid being mounted?

Downem decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Downem takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Downem decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Cottero wants to improve his position but Downem is controlling well.
Downem sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Cottero tries to roll over but Downem keeps him under control.
Downem is trying to control. Cottero wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cottero is controlling Downem's trapped leg to prevent Downem from advancing to side control.
Cottero wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downem looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Cottero is looking to control Downem's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cottero avoid being mounted?
Downem is keen to just control but Cottero is a slippery customer.
Downem throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Downem landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Downem tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Cottero is looking to improve his position.
Cottero trying to control from the bottom.
Cottero tries to roll over but Downem keeps him under control.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Downem content to control rather than advance.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cottero connects with a solid leg kick.
Cottero with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cottero. That's going to slow Downem down.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Cottero enables Downem to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Cottero manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Downem gets to his feet - Cottero follows without any prompting.
Downem takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Cottero throws a shot to the body.
Cottero lands with a nice body punch.

Downem darts in and lands a nice 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.
Cottero manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cottero looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Cottero has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Downem should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Cottero has tightened it up now! Downem should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Tommy Cottero!
Tommy Cottero thanked the fans post fight for their support.