PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joe Shadow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hector Cotto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Shadow
vs
Cotto

165 cm
19
135 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

168 cm
21
138 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Shadow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hector Cotto!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Bruno Lombardi and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shadow fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shadow misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cotto is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Shadow.
Cotto tries to clinch there but Shadow circles away.
Shadow keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cotto.
Shadow moves out of range of the strikes.
Cotto moves in looking to clinch but Shadow pushes him off.
Shadow defending well as Cotto loads up on a big left hand.
Shadow doesn't manage to clinch there - Cotto circles away.
Shadow moves in looking to clinch but Cotto pushes him off.
Shadow tries to work over Cotto's front leg with a kick but Cotto checks it.

Shadow gets a clinch.
Shadow is trying to break the clinch but Cotto has him pressed against the cage.
Shadow lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cotto backwards.
Shadow throws an elbow that misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Shadow.

Shadow pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Shadow has Cotto up against the cage in a clinch.
Cotto can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cotto lands with a left to the head.
Cotto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Shadow lands with a right to the head.
Cotto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shadow.
Cotto wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cotto wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cotto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cotto is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cotto lands a hook that snaps the head of Shadow backwards.

Cotto breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cotto looks to throw the jab but Shadow is out of range.
Shadow uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cotto.
Cotto fails in his attempt to clinch.
Good work by Cotto as he checks the leg kick.
Shadow lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The fighters circling - Cotto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cotto fails in his attempt to clinch.
Shadow scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Cotto throws a lazy right hand but Shadow sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cotto blocks a head kick by Shadow.
Shadow lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cotto circles away quickly and effectively.
Cotto misses with a straight right.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Cotto closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Shadow to the mat! Shadow manages to get full guard.
Cotto scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Cotto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Shadow is keeping the position for now.
Cotto tries to stand but Shadow is controlling from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cotto looks gassed!
Shadow manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Cotto that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Cotto is desperately trying to improve his position but Shadow has a good base and remains in mount.
Cotto is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Shadow blocks Cotto's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Shadow pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cotto is trying desperately to improve position.
Shadow has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cotto taking shots to the head.
Shadow scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cotto is bucking up trying to escape but Shadow cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Cotto is bucking up trying to escape but Shadow cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Shadow trying to control but Cotto is having none of it.
Cotto swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cotto is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Cotto can't escape the position.
Cotto tries to hold on but Shadow pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Shadow.
Shadow fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Cotto throwing hammer fists to the chest of Shadow. What's that going to do exactly?
Cotto working to try and regain half guard.
Shadow working the ground and pound effectively.
Shadow tries to control but Cotto wriggling away.
Cotto is trying to escape the mount.
Shadow can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cotto is looking to escape.

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.
Cotto swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Shadow trying to control but Cotto is having none of it.
Shadow lands a big shot there that rocks Cotto but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Shadow raining down shots from the mount!
Cotto tries to lock up and control but Shadow gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cotto is looking to get to half guard.
Shadow lands a big elbow.
Shadow trying to control but Cotto is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Shadow dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Shadow misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cotto misses with a hook. Shadow ducked under it nicely.
Cotto checks a leg kick nicely.
No luck for Cotto with that takedown attempt.
Joe Shadow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cotto misses with a looping right.
Cotto takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Cotto throws a big shot that misses.
Cotto misses with a hook. Shadow ducked under it nicely.
A nice combination there by Shadow.
Shadow moves out of range of the strikes.
Shadow rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cotto moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shadow misses with a few strikes there.
Cotto shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Shadow as he jumps to the side.
Shadow lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Shadow bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cotto's head backwards.
Cotto is breathing heavily.
Cotto shoots in looking for a takedown. Shadow tries to sprawl out of it but Cotto keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Shadow manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Joe Shadow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hector Cotto.
Cotto thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cotto misses with a straight right.

Shadow clinches up with Cotto and pushes him back against the cage.

Shadow escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cotto misses with a hook.
Shadow tries to close the distance and clinch but Cotto swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Shadow is looking to clinch but Cotto is avoiding it.
Cotto might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shadow looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cotto blocks a head kick by Shadow.
Cotto moves in looking to clinch but Shadow pushes him off.
Shadow throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cotto.
Shadow looks to land a combination. Cotto sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Cotto misses with a looping right.
Shadow goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Shadow moves in looking to clinch but Cotto pushes him off.
Shadow throws a body kick that misses.
Shadow's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Shadow duly obliges.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Shadow scores with a four punch combination!

Cotto rushes Shadow and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Shadow keeps control of Cotto as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cotto is trying to break free.

Cotto breaks the clinch.
Cotto lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Shadow tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Cotto counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Shadow!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shadow bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Cotto throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Shadowis looking to pass into half guard but Cotto pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Cotto is in guard.
Shadow lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cotto!
Cotto manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Cotto manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Cotto wants to control but Shadow passes easily into half guard.
Shadow works his foot free and advances to mount.
Shadow blocks Cotto's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

Shadow looking for a guillotine from mount but Cotto is having none of it.
Shadow wants to control the pace but Cotto is squirming around nicely.
Shadow unloads with some shots from mount but Cotto bucks and avoids them well.
Cotto is working to get back to half guard.

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.
Cotto flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Shadow is landing with some decent strikes but Cotto is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Cotto holds on for dear life.
Cotto sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Cotto missing with punches from the bottom.
Cotto is trying to control but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cotto is not content to let Shadow control the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Shadow scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Shadow dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Cotto avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shadow misses with a two punch combination.
Shadow slips a straight right by Cotto.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Cotto.

It looks like Joe Shadow has been cut.
Shadow misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shadow tries to clinch up.

Shadow drives through and clinches with Cotto against the cage.
Shadow blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short left from Cotto.

Cotto pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shadow swats away the attempt to clinch by Cotto.

Shadow has Cotto up against the cage in a clinch.
Cotto is trying to break free.
Cotto tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Shadow can't break the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cotto misses with some punches.
Shadow is pushing Cotto up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Cotto scores with a shoulder strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shadow keeps control of Cotto as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Cotto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cotto tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Shadow swivels and escapes.
Cotto closes the distance but Shadow moves to the side

and Shadow counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Cotto's guard now.
Shadow preventing the sweep.
Cotto is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Shadow trying to control but Cotto is working from the bottom.
Shadow loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Cotto looking for a guillotine here but Shadow defends easily.
Shadow controls from within his opponent's guard.

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

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cotto clinches but Shadow breaks the clinch
and Shadow counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Cotto avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shadow throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Cotto avoids a punch combination nicely.
Shadow takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Cotto looks to land a left hand but Shadow moved out of range nicely.
Shadow swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cotto cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Shadow is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Cotto pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Oh Shadow is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Shadow defending well as Cotto loads up on a big left hand.
Shadow slips under a jab.
Shadow moves away from the strike by Cotto.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cotto jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Shadow bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cotto swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Shadow throws a right hand that Cotto ducks under and follows up with a left that Cotto also avoids with ease.
Shadow doesn't manage to clinch there - Cotto circles away.
Cotto looks to land a left hand but Shadow moved out of range nicely.
Cotto connects with a stiff jab that staggers Shadow - oh and he follows up with a huge uppercut that knocks him out cold! Man, that was brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Hector Cotto!