PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andre Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alaric Cosenza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy's entrance music is Ambitionz Az A Ridah. A fine choice. Andre Hardy has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Hardy
vs
Cosenza

178 cm
27
202 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

185 cm
20
214 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

CEC Nutrition Q160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Hardy!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alaric Cosenza!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Felipe Paraventi and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy lands an overhand right.
Cosenza misses with a takedown
and Hardy counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hardy stuffs the takedown attempt from Cosenza. Cosenza gets slowly back to his feet.
Cosenza looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hardy is fending him off so far but Cosenza persists. Nope, Hardy circles away and we're back to standing.
Andre Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alaric Cosenza.
Hardy misses with a few strikes there.
Cosenza with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hardy counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cosenza shoots in for a double leg but Hardy sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cosenza shoots and misses
and Hardy counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Cosenza shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hardy counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cosenza with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hardy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cosenza has his takedown stuffed
and Hardy counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hardy catches Cosenza with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cosenza misses with a two punch combination.
Cosenza fails with the takedown
and Hardy connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cosenza tries for a takedown but Hardy circles away easily
and Hardy counters with a three punch combo that has Cosenza backing up. Cosenza nods at Hardy to acknowledge the strikes.
A combination from Hardy does no damage.
Hardy scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Hardy scores with a three punch combo!
Cosenza's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Hardy connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Cosenza scrambles back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cosenza takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Andre Hardy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Cosenza shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hardy's guard.
Cosenza trying to control but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Cosenza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hardy swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cosenza throws a big elbow that misses.
Hardy is looking to stand up but Cosenza isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cosenza working some strikes from top position.
Hardy preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hardy on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hardy tries to get out of the position.
Cosenza preventing the sweep.
Cosenza trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cosenza looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Cosenza throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Cosenza postures up in Hardy's guard and throws a big left but Hardy blocks it.
Cosenza has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cosenza looking to pass the guard.
Cosenza connects with a couple of short punches.
Hardy keeping moving, preventing Cosenza from controlling successfully.
Cosenza is looking to pass into half guard but Hardy pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Hardy is in guard.
Cosenza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cosenza is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Cosenza prevents Hardy from standing back up.
Cosenza trying to control the action but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Cosenza lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardy regains full guard. Nicely done.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hardy is pulling down on Cosenza's head. It's preventing any offense from Cosenza, at least for the moment.
Hardy looking to control.
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 Andre Hardy will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cosenza fails with a takedown attempt.
Cosenza closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hardy circles away.
Hardy displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Nice sprawl there from Hardy as Cosenza shoots in.
Andre Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alaric Cosenza.
Cosenza throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hardy's waist but Hardy gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cosenza off to one side.
Cosenza misses with a few strikes there.
Hardy with a jab.
Cosenza shoots for a double leg takedown but Hardy sprawls well. He's pushed Cosenza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Cosenza has a takedown stuffed.
Cosenza misses with a low kick.
Hardy throws a one two combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Hardy misses with a series of wild punches.
Hardy defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cosenza.
Hardy displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Cosenza takes a jab right on the kisser.
Hardy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cosenza misses with a takedown attempt
and Hardy counters with a three punch combo that has Cosenza backing up. Cosenza nods at Hardy to acknowledge the strikes.
Hardy throws a series of punches but Cosenza moves out of range.

Cosenza is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Hardy's half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardy wants to control but Cosenza is keeping busy.
Hardy tries to get to full guard but Cosenza has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cosenza trying to control the action but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Hardy is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cosenza wants to take a breather but Hardy is having none of it.
Hardy controlling the position well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Cosenza gets the takedown into side control.

Cosenza is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hardy has escaped the position, nice work there.
Alaric Cosenza has got the better of the ground game so far.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cosenza wants to control but Hardy is keeping him busy.
Cosenza throwing strikes but Hardy manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Cosenza tries to buck Hardy off but Hardy is having none of it.
Cosenza can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy working away.
Cosenza is trying to improve his position.
Cosenza is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy in side control, just content to control the action for now.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Cosenza is not content to let Hardy control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Hardy dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Cosenza looks for a takedown but Hardy sprawls well.
Hardy throws a series of strikes that have Cosenza backpedaling.
Cosenza gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hardy counters with a one-two to the body.
Hardy lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Hardy scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Andre Hardy is winning the standup battle so far.
Cosenza misses with a head kick.
Hardy moves out of range as Cosenza throws a body kick.
Hardy rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cosenza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hardy lands with a hook. Cosenza tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Cosenza misses with a takedown attempt - Hardy sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Andre Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alaric Cosenza.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cosenza gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hardy counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A combination from Hardy does no damage.
Cosenza with a poor takedown
and Hardy counters with a series of strikes. Cosenza will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hardy is working the combinations to good effect here.
Cosenza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cosenza tries for a takedown but Hardy circles away easily
letting Hardy counter with a right hand.
Hardy misses with a series of wild punches.
Hardy works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Cosenza shoots in for a takedown but Hardy shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cosenza shoots for a double leg takedown but Hardy sprawls well. He's pushed Cosenza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hardy tries to bum rush Cosenza with a series of wild strikes but Cosenza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cosenza shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hardy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy scores with a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hardy misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cosenza has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Hardy scores with a punch to the head.
Cosenza on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cosenza shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hardy defends it nicely.
Hardy throws a series of strikes that have Cosenza backpedaling.
Cosenza is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hardy.
Hardy scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Cosenza fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cosenza looks for a takedown but Hardy sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Nice shot by Hardy.

Cosenza is rocked!
Cosenza shoots and misses
and Hardy counters with a straight right hand.
Cosenza is still on wobbly legs! Can Hardy finish him?
Hardy uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cosenza misses with a takedown
and Hardy counters with a crisp right that sends Cosenza to the canvas! Hardy follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Andre Hardy!
Andre Hardy retains his light heavyweight title!
A relieved looking Andre Hardy thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.