PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Santiago Costa (ranked 358 p4p, 47 weight class) and Sergei Martynov (ranked 125 p4p, 19 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Costa
vs
Martynov

183 cm
24
190 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

195 cm
24
195 lbs
14 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Santiago Costa!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sergei Martynov!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martynov misses with a body shot.
Costa half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Martynov doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Martynov slips a jab and a cross from Costa.
Martynov throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Costa stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Good standup being displayed there by Costa as he connects with a hook.
Nice uppercut lands for Martynov. That snapped Costa's head back.
Costa dodges the punch combination from Martynov.
Costa attempts a counter takedown but Martynov avoids it well and moves away.
Martynov connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A shot to the liver by Costa. Beautiful body shot.
Costa takes a swing at Martynov's ribcage but misses.
Martynov moves away from the strike by Costa.
Martynov thows a left - swing and a miss!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Martynov just misses with a punch to the body.
Costa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Martynov swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martynov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Martynov takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Costa misses with a jab to the body
and Martynov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Costa is looking to wear down Martynov with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Martynov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Costa circles away quickly and effectively.
Martynov bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Martynov misses with an uppercut

and Costa counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Martynov is in trouble now - Costa has advanced to mount!
Martynov felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Costa has hold of Martynov's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Martynov manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
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!

Costa looking for a guillotine from mount but Martynov is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martynov keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Costa sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Martynov is desperately trying to improve his position but Costa has a good base and remains in mount.
Costa controlling the position easily from mount.
Costa wants to control the pace but Martynov is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa is trying to take his opponent's back.
Costa wants to control the pace but Martynov is squirming around nicely.
Martynov wants to control but Costa is having none of it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Costa tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Costa trying to control but Martynov is having none of it.

Costa is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Martynov has managed to escape the submission attempt.

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.
Martynov tries to hold on but Costa postures up.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Costa can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Martynov is looking to escape.
Costa wants to take Martynov's back but he can't do it this time.
Costa wants to control but instead Martynov manages to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Santiago Costa will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Costa jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Martynov swats away the attempt to clinch by Costa.
The fighters circling - Costa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Costa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Martynov moves away.
Martynov misses the shot to the body.
Costa swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Martynov takes a swing at Costa's ribcage but misses.
Sergei Martynov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Martynov throws a body punch but Costa moves out of range.
Costa misses with a shot to the body
and Martynov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Costa throws a looping overhand right but Martynov ducks down to avoid it.
Martynov has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martynov misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Martynov misses with a straight right.
Martynov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A jab from Martynov misses.
Martynov falls off balance throwing a combination

and Costa counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martynov is staying active underneath Costa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Martynov trying to control from the bottom.
Costa wants to take a breather but Martynov is having none of it.
Costa is controlling the pace.
Costa tries to pass the half guard into mount. Martynov knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Costa is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Martynov doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Costa.
Costa slows the pace down in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A big right from Martynov misses.
A little feinted left hand from Costa on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Martynov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Costa lands a nice shot that snaps Martynov's head back.
Martynov scores with a jab to the body.
Costa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Martynov moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Costa 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Costa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Costa misses the shot to the body.
Sergei Martynov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Martynov throws a hook but Costa avoids it easily.
Martynov looks to land a combination but Costa avoids it well.
Martynov swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Martynov throws a body shot but no joy.
Martynov throws a right hand that misses

and Costa counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Costa trying to control the action but Martynov is working from the bottom.

Martynov actively working from the bottom here.
Martynov is not content to let Costa control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Martynov actively working from the bottom here.
Costa working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Martynov's thigh. Martynov counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Martynov looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Costa is defending well. Martynov quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Costa has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Martynov celebrates on the ropes, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Sergei Martynov! Sergei Martynov retains his middleweight title!
During a confident post fight interview, Sergei Martynov thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.