PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Valente (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Kossu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kossu is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Viunaa. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Valente
vs
Kossu

170 cm
22
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
155 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Leonardo Valente!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Frank Kossu!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kossu wants to clinch.
Kossu tries to close the distance and clinch but Valente swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kossu is looking to clinch but Valente is avoiding it.
Kossu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kossu is looking to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Kossu as Valente shoots in.
Kossu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kossu tries to clinch there but Valente circles away.
Kossu tries to clinch up.
Kossu is looking to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valente keeps the fight on the outside.
Kossu wants to clinch up but Valente keeps it at a distance.
Kossu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Valente circles away from the clinch attempt.

Valente shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kossu napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kossu is letting Valente control him for a moment.
Kossu is trying to get back to his feet.
Kossu seems a little lost for a moment, as Valente dominates the positioning.
Valente's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Valente wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kossu keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Valente taking a breather here.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Leonardo Valente just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Kossu closes the distance and pushes Valente back into the cage.

Kossu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kossu doesn't manage to clinch there - Valente circles away.
Frank Kossu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kossu tries to clinch but Valente moves out of range.
Kossu tries to clinch up but Valente circles away and keeps his distance.
Kossu moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Leonardo Valente has been cut.
Kossu tries to clinch there but Valente circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kossu tries to clinch up.
Valente shoots in but no luck this time.

Kossu gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kossu keeping moving, preventing Valente from controlling successfully.
Kossu wants to stand but Valente is controlling the position.
Valente pushing down on Kossu's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kossu is not content to let Valente control the position.
Valente wants to free his trapped foot but Kossu is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valente stops Kossu from getting back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Valente keeps the fight on the outside.
Valente avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kossu moves in looking to clinch but Valente pushes him off.
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 Leonardo Valente will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Leonardo Valente's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kossu is looking to clinch.
Kossu tries to clinch up but Valente circles away and keeps his distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kossu connects with a knee to the head.
Kossu tries a knee to the head but Valente blocks it.
Kossu lands a damaging elbow.
Kossu using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Valente has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kossu has a couple of punches blocked by Valente.
Kossu misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Valente.
Valente tries to circle away but Kossu has him pinned against the cage.
Kossu prevents a takedown attempt there.
Kossu is stalling here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valente has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kossu is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Kossu is trying to break the clinch but Valente is controlling him.

Kossu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kossu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kossu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kossu tries to clinch but Valente moves out of range.
Kossu tries to clinch but Valente is having none of it.
Nice takedown defense from Kossu. No joy for Valente on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Valente. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kossu tries to clinch but Valente is having none of it.
Valente shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kossu as he avoids it easily.

Valente gets a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Valente wants to pass to mount but Kossu is defending the position.
Kossu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Valente. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Valente wants to control but Kossu is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valente looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Valente is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Valente wants to control from the top but Kossu keeps moving.
Valente trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Valente prevents Kossu from getting back to his feet.

Kossu uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Kossu gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valente trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Kossu pushes Valente off and scrambles back to his feet.
Kossu tries to close the distance and clinch but Valente swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Frank Kossu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kossu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kossu defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Valente.
Kossu moves in looking to clinch but Valente pushes him off.
Kossu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kossu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Valente paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kossu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Frank Kossu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kossu displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Valente.

Valente scores with a takedown into Kossu's guard.
Valente won't allow Kossu to get back to his feet.
Valente controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Valente trying to control the position from guard on top but Kossu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kossu wants to stand and escape but Valente is having none of it.
Valente is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Leonardo Valente will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Leonardo Valente's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Valente keeps the fight on the outside.
Kossu tries to clinch but Valente is having none of it.
Kossu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Valente staying out of range there.
Kossu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Valente swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Valente shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kossu as he avoids it easily.
Kossu doesn't manage to clinch there - Valente circles away.

Kossu forces Valente back against the cage and clinches.
Valente blocks an elbow strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kossu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kossu tries to clinch up.
Kossu doesn't manage to clinch there - Valente circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kossu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Valente fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kossu tries to close the distance and clinch but Valente swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kossu displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Valente.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Valente. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kossu moves in looking to clinch but Valente pushes him off.
Kossu wants to clinch up but Valente keeps it at a distance.
Kossu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kossu tries to clinch but Valente is having none of it.
Kossu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kossu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kossu wants to clinch up but Valente keeps it at a distance.
Valente shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kossu as he avoids it easily.
Valente circles away from the clinch attempt.

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.
Valente fails with the takedown.
Kossu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kossu tries to clinch up.
Kossu wants to clinch.
Valente shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kossu but Kossu pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kossu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Valente circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kossu wants to clinch up but Valente keeps it at a distance.
Kossu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kossu tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kossu moves in looking to clinch but Valente pushes him off.
Nice sprawl there from Kossu as Valente shoots in.

Kossu gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Valente trying to control but Kossu is working from the bottom.
Frank Kossu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Valente won't allow Kossu to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kossu throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Valente wants to pass the guard but Kossu is keeping the position.
Leonardo Valente is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kossu wants to stand but Valente is controlling the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Valente misses with a takedown attempt - Kossu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kossu tries to clinch up but Valente circles away and keeps his distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Frank Kossu.
I think Valente has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Leonardo Valente!