PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matheus Costa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Sosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Costa has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Costa
vs
Sosa

185 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matheus Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Sosa!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Luis Engracia and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sosa moves into the clinch successfully.
Costa looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Sosa lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Sosa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Costa tries to close the distance and clinch but Sosa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Sosa rushes Costa and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Costa wants to break free but Sosa has control.
Sosa tries a knee to the head but Costa blocks it.
Costa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sosa pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Sosa is leaning against Costa and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Costa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sosa is working for takedown but Costa is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sosa wants a takedown but no success here.
Matheus Costa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Sosa.
Sosa looking for a takedown.

Sosa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sosa shoots in for a takedown but Costa shows good takedown defense.

Sosa instigates a clinch.

Sosa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Sosa scores with a takedown into Costa's guard.
Sosa is in close to Costa's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sosa looking to pass the guard.
Costa looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sosa manages to get himself to full guard.
Costa won't allow Sosa to get back to his feet.
Sosa wants to sweep here but Costa controlling him for the moment.
Sosa manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sosa trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sosa avoids the attempt from Costa to control.
Costa is looking to get to half guard.
Costa tries to lock up and control but Sosa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Costa really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Costa takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Sosa can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Costa is looking to escape.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Costa is wriggling around trying to escape.
The referee warns Costa that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sosa jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Costa manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Sosa avoids the strikes from the bottom by Costa.

Sosa decides to stand up, so the ref orders Costa to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa fails with an attempt to clinch.
Costa doesn't manage to clinch there - Sosa circles away.
Costa darts in trying to clinch

and Sosa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Costa's guard.
Sosa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sosa trying to control but Costa is working from the bottom.
Costa wants to sweep but no luck.
Sosa working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sosa passes Costa's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Sosa blocks the strikes from Costa.
Sosa works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sosa working away.
Costa striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Sosa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Costa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Costa looking for a sweep but Sosa has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Sosa lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sosa working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sosa breaks from Costa's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Costa is looking to get to half guard.
Sosa lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Costa hang on?
Costa can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Sosa dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sosa looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Costa!
Sosa looking to control but Costa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sosa landing shots from mount.
A nice elbow there by Sosa.
Sosa looking to finish Costa with some ground and pound. This is bad for Costa!
Costa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sosa scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Costa tries to hold on but Sosa pushes him away.
Sosa looking to control but Costa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sosa working Costa over with strikes here.
Sosa working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Costa tries to hold on but Sosa postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sosa raining down shots from the mount!
Sosa trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sosa fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Costa manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Costa missing with punches from the bottom.
Sosa wants to take a breather but Costa is having none of it.
Sosa lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Sosa uses his free foot to push down on Costa's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Costa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa is desperately trying to improve his position but Sosa has a good base and remains in mount.
Costa is in a horrible position here. Sosa smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Sosa in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Sosa lands a big elbow.
Costa keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Costa slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Costa is not content to let Sosa control the position.
Costa wants to get back to his feet.
Costa is staying active underneath Sosa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa tries to pass the half guard into mount. Costa knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Sosa is trying to control the action in half guard but Costa is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Costa is looking to control Sosa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Costa avoid being mounted?

Sosa stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
A slow jab from Sosa misses its intended target.
Sosa shoots in but Costa avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Costa drives through with a takedown into guard.
Costa stands up over Sosa, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Costa trying to control the position from guard on top but Sosa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sosa has momentary wrist control but Costa slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Costa trying to control but Sosa is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sosa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Costa working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sosa keeping moving, preventing Costa from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Sosa changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Costa looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sosa grinds an elbow into Costa's temple.
Costa prevents Sosa from improving position.
Costa wants to control but Sosa postures up.
Costa manages to work his way to half guard, despite Sosa's best efforts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Sosa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sosa is looking to clinch but Costa is avoiding it.

Sosa has closed the distance and engaged Costa in a clinch.
Sosa stalling.

Sosa breaks from the clinch.

Sosa rushes Costa and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Costa avoiding damage as Sosa throws knees to the body.

Sosa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sosa wants to clinch but Costa slips to the side
and Costa counters with a one-two to the body.
Costa throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sosa counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sosa.
Costa striking from the bottom here.
Sosa passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Sosa has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Matheus Costa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sosa closes this distance looking for a takedown but Costa circles away.
Sosa has his takedown stuffed
and Costa counters with a three punch combo that has Sosa backing up. Sosa nods at Costa to acknowledge the strikes.
Sosa circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sosa looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Costa!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sosa lands with some strikes.
Sosa blocks Costa's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Costa is working to get back to half guard.
Sosa looking to finish Costa with some ground and pound. This is bad for Costa!
Sosa putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Costa working to try and regain half guard.
Sosa lands a big elbow.
The referee warns Costa that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Sosa lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Costa regains half guard.
Costa tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Sosa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Costa does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Costa trying to control but Sosa postures up.
Costa is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Sosa looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Costa with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Costa wants to improve his position but Sosa is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Costa circles away from the clinch attempt.

Sosa clinches up against the cage.
Costa with a knee to the head.
Sosa has Costa pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Costa manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Matheus Costa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Sosa.
Costa is trying to break the clinch but Sosa has him pressed against the cage.

Sosa breaks the clinch.

Costa gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Costa can't break the clinch.
Sosa gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Costa.
Sosa slows down the pace here.
Costa softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Sosa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Costa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A nice right hand lands inside from Costa.
Costa gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sosa.
Sosa taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Costa is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Costa presses Sosa against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Costa breaks from the clinch.
Sosa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Costa counters with a low kick, right behind Sosa 's knee.
Sosa doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Costa counters with a nice uppercut.
Sosa with a poor takedown

and Costa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sosa's guard.
Costa working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Costa stopping the sweep attempt from Sosa.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rodrigo Sosa.
I've got Sosa winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Sosa!