PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kuuya Ueda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Claudio Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ueda
vs
Costa

188 cm
25
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kuuya Ueda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Claudio Costa!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Alan Glass and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Costa with that takedown attempt.
Costa wants to clinch.
Costa tries to clinch but Ueda moves away
and Ueda makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Costa is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ueda sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Ueda fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Costa, pushing him back against the cage.
Costa prevents the takedown attempt.
Ueda could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ueda prevents a takedown attempt there.
Kuuya Ueda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Claudio Costa.

Ueda breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ueda moves into the clinch.

Ueda pulls guard.
Ueda will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ueda has his hands on Costa's head, controlling the position.
Ueda 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.

Ueda pushes Costa off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Costa gets tackled into the cage by Ueda. Ueda maintains the clinch.

Ueda pulls guard effortlessly.

Ueda pushes Costa off and gets back to his feet.
Costa shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Costa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa shoots in for a takedown but Ueda shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Ueda fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Costa, pushing him back against the cage.

Ueda manages to break the clinch.
Costa moves in looking to clinch but Ueda pushes him off.

Costa gets tackled into the cage by Ueda. Ueda maintains the clinch.

Ueda successfully pulls guard.
Ueda managing to control the position.
Costa tries to free his leg and advance position but Ueda is retaining full guard.
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!
Ueda is pulling down on Costa's head to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Costa looking to sit in guard and control but Ueda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Ueda gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Ueda stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ueda wants it to stay on the feet.
Costa fails with an attempt to clinch.

Costa tries to keep at a distance but Ueda has taken the fight into the clinch.

Ueda pulls guard successfully.
Ueda bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Costa's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ueda is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ueda forces his way into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ueda missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Costa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ueda.
Ueda is taking a breather. Costa says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Ueda seems to be looking for submissions.
Ueda lands with a punch from half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ueda passes to full mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ueda controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kuuya Ueda dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ueda misses with a double jab.
Ueda lands with a thumping leg kick.
Costa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Costa shoots in looking for a takedown but Ueda manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Costa's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Costa scores with a decent looking hook.
Costa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ueda as he jumps to the side.
Kuuya Ueda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Claudio Costa.

Ueda clinches.
Costa is looking for a takedown.

Ueda manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Costa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ueda. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ueda is on top in guard.
Costa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ueda not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Costa doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Kuuya Ueda overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ueda postures up in Costa's guard and throws a big left but Costa blocks it.

Ueda stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Costa gets tackled into the cage by Ueda. Ueda maintains the clinch.
Costa wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ueda has him pressed against the cage.

Ueda drags the fight down to the ground.

Ueda pushes Costa off and gets back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Costa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa shoots in looking for a takedown. Ueda tries to sprawl out of it but Costa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ueda manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Ueda has taken the fight to the clinch.

Ueda manages to break the clinch.

Ueda fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Costa, pushing him back against the cage.
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!

Ueda's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Costa ducks under a wild hook from Ueda.
Costa closes the distance but Ueda moves to the side

and Ueda moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Costa fails to pull guard.
Costa tries to break free but Ueda pushes him back against the cage.
Ueda tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ueda wants to take the fight to the mat but Costa manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Ueda is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Ueda pulls guard successfully.
Ueda throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Costa looking to sit in guard and control but Ueda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Costa controls Ueda momentarily but Ueda frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Costa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ueda not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ueda passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kuuya Ueda dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Costa throws a right and a left that both miss.
Costa shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ueda pinned against the cage. Ueda gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Costa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ueda throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

It looks like Claudio Costa has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Costa gets tackled into the cage by Ueda. Ueda maintains the clinch.
A short right from Ueda on the inside.

Ueda jumps guard and drags Costa to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Ueda is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Costa fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ueda's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Costa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ueda but Ueda pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kuuya Ueda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Claudio Costa.
Ueda keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Costa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Ueda rushes Costa and presses him up against the cage.
Ueda lands a body shot.

Ueda gets control of Costa's arms and successfully pulls guard. Ueda will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Ueda is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Ueda tries to score a body lock takedown but Costa shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ueda gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Costa.
Costa wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ueda has him pressed against the cage.
Ueda is pushing Costa up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Ueda drags the fight down to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ueda wriggles free and stands up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ueda with a knee to the head.
Costa is trying to pull guard but Ueda turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ueda effectively controlling the action here.
Ueda is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Costa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Ueda has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Costa uses from the top position.
Ueda pulls Costa in close to his closed guard and prevents Costa from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ueda throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ueda throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Ueda uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Ueda misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Costa looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ueda is fending him off so far but Costa persists. Nope, Ueda circles away and we're back to standing.
Ueda is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Costa can do to turn this around?
Costa lands a two punch combo.
Claudio Costa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kuuya Ueda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Costa on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kuuya Ueda showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ueda has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kuuya Ueda!