PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robert Sylvia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luis Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sylvia
vs
Costa

187 cm
27
180 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

183 cm
21
180 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Down Under Supplements (AXES)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Robert Sylvia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Luis Costa!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Edson Gomes and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Costa keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Sylvia cracks Costa with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Sylvia walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Costa checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Costa throws a body kick that misses.

Costa forces Sylvia back against the cage and clinches.
Sylvia is leaning against Costa and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Sylvia looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Costa fails to pull guard.
Costa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sylvia walks away with a smile on his face. Costa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Costa avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Sylvia throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sylvia throws a low kick but Costa avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa walks into a left hand.
Costa takes a shot to the body in his stride.
The crowd cheers as Sylvia lands an impressive looking overhand right. Costa doesn't seem phased though.
Sylvia fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Sylvia fails to land with a series of punches.
Sylvia throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sylvia lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sylvia.
Costa tries to close the distance and clinch but Sylvia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sylvia throws a low kick, looking for Costa's leg but Costa calmly moves out of range.
Costa has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sylvia.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sylvia throws out a leg kick but Costa moves out of range and Sylvia only half commits.
Costa pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Robert Sylvia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Costa keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Sylvia wants to clinch

and Costa counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sylvia's guard now.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sylvia wants to get back to his feet but Costa is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Costa is stalling in the full guard.
Costa won't allow Sylvia to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Costa pushing down on Sylvia's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sylvia pushes Costa off looking to stand but Costa dives back in and keeps control.
Costa controlling the action here.

Costa is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Costa trying to control the pace.
Sylvia is trying to stand up here but Costa is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Costa controlling from mount.
Sylvia is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

Costa looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sylvia is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sylvia is breathing heavily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Sylvia 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.

Costa throws the kick towards the body but Sylvia avoids it.
Costa checks a low kick from Sylvia.
Sylvia tries to work over Costa's front leg with a kick but Costa checks it.
Sylvia changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sylvia tried to score with a low kick but Costa checks it.
Costa defending well as Sylvia loads up on a big left hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sylvia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Costa avoids the body shot from Sylvia.
Sylvia looks to land a left hand but Costa moved out of range nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sylvia swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Sylvia thows a leg kick but Costa checks it

and Costa counters with a takedown into side control.

Costa looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Sylvia is pushing Costa's head away, looking to escape. Costa manages to hold on to the position though.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Costa controlling the position from side mount.
Sylvia knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Costa on the ground.

Costa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Costa prevents Sylvia from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sylvia trying to remain calm as Costa controls from the top position.

Costa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sylvia tries to escape but Costa is in control.

Costa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Costa wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sylvia, who protects the arm well.
Sylvia wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa trying to control the action but Sylvia is working from the bottom.

Costa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sylvia wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Costa looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Costa is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sylvia has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa trying to control the action but Sylvia is working from the bottom.
Sylvia is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Costa moves into full mount!
Costa sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Costa wants to finish this one by submission but Sylvia is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Costa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luis Costa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Sylvia will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Costa blocks a low kick nicely.

Sylvia moves into the clinch.
Sylvia is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sylvia tries to break the clinch but Costa is controlling the position.
Sylvia tries to circle away but Costa has him pinned against the cage.

Costa pulls Sylvia into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa looking for a sweep. Not yet Costa, not yet.
Costa seems keen to control Sylvia's posture.
Costa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Costa might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sylvia kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Luis Costa wasn't active enough on the ground.
Costa walks into a stiff left hand from Sylvia.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sylvia throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Sylvia tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Costa counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sylvia's guard now.
Costa trying to control but Sylvia is working from the bottom.
Costa stops Sylvia from standing up.
Sylvia being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sylvia is looking to stand up but Costa isn't so interested in that idea.
Costa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sylvia swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa prevents Sylvia from getting back to his feet.
Costa trying to control but Sylvia is working from the bottom.
Sylvia wants to get back to his feet but Costa is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Costa moves into the clinch successfully.
Sylvia tries to circle away but Costa has him pinned against the cage.

Sylvia manages to break the clinch.
An inside leg kick lands from Sylvia.
Sylvia keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sylvia.
Sylvia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Costa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sylvia throws a low kick but Costa moves out of range easily.
Sylvia throws a leg kick but Costa sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Sylvia tries to score with a low kick but Costa moves his leg out of the way.
Costa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sylvia as he avoids it easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sylvia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Costa darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Luis Costa.
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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luis Costa!
Luis Costa gave a mention to Down Under Supplements (AXES) in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).