PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo Costa De Andrade (ranked 1231 p4p, 140 weight class) and Monte Cassino (ranked 1873 p4p, 191 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Costa De Andrade
vs
Cassino

175 cm
23
150 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

165 cm
28
150 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marcelo Costa De Andrade!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Monte Cassino!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Cassino.
Cassino fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cassino thows a leg kick but De Andrade checks it
and De Andrade counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
De Andrade throws the left hand but Cassino avoids the punch easily.
Cassino misses with a few strikes there.
De Andrade blocks a head kick by Cassino.
The fighters circling - De Andrade throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cassino throws a body punch but De Andrade moves out of range.
Cassino feints and then cracks De Andrade's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow De Andrade down.
De Andrade throws a body shot but no joy.
Cassino lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Cassino showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from De Andrade.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Andrade fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cassino misses with a shot to the body
and De Andrade counters with a stiff right hand.
De Andrade has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Cassino wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Cassino misses with a low kick as De Andrade jumps back.
Cassino tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
De Andrade went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Left hook, right uppercut from De Andrade.

It looks like Monte Cassino has been cut.
De Andrade misses with a straight right.
A jab from De Andrade misses.
Cassino slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
De Andrade misses with a straight right.
Cassino lands with a slapping head kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
De Andrade throws the left hand but Cassino avoids the punch easily.
Cassino appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Monte Cassino seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cassino lands a nice shot to the body.
Cassino will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
De Andrade misses the shot to the body.
Good exchange - Cassino coming out on top.
Cassino goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
It looked like De Andrade wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A chopping leg kick lands by Cassino.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cassino lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Cassino pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cassino. That's going to slow De Andrade down.
Cassino jabs De Andrade right on the nose. De Andrade blinks but takes it well.
De Andrade on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Cassino looks to land a left hand but De Andrade moved out of range nicely.
De Andrade misses with a lunging right hand
and Cassino counters with a thumping low kick.
Cassino throws a body shot but no joy.
De Andrade throwing a counter right hand but Cassino manages to avoid it.
Cassino rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and De Andrade connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters circling a little - Cassino finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Cassino keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cassino ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
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!
Cassino misses with an uppercut. De Andrade saw that one coming.
De Andrade swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Jab from Cassino.
Cassino throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
De Andrade throws a poor cross that misses
and Cassino counters with a thumping low kick.
De Andrade throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cassino sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cassino tries a head kick but it misses.
De Andrade is looking to counter punch.
Cassino throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Monte Cassino dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Monte Cassino's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

De Andrade throws a series of punches but Cassino moves out of range.
A right-left combo lands from De Andrade.
A head kick misses from Cassino.
De Andrade throws a right and a left that both miss.
A big left from Cassino misses.
Monte Cassino seems to be getting the better of the standup.
De Andrade takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Cassino dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
De Andrade throws a jab when Cassino was well out of range.
Cassino lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Cassino fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and De Andrade has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cassino misses with the body kick
and De Andrade counters with a stiff right hand.
Crunch! Cassino slams his shin into De Andrade's torso.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cassino.
Cassino throws a push kick but De Andrade slaps the foot to one side.
De Andrade swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cassino lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Cassino bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of De Andrade's head.
Nice defenses there by Cassino.
De Andrade throws a jab when Cassino was well out of range.
Cassino throws a sloppy head kick
and De Andrade counters with a straight right hand.
A telegraphed right hand from De Andrade misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cassino attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Cassino ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cassino scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters circling - De Andrade throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
De Andrade throws a hook but Cassino avoids it easily.
A low kick from Cassino is predictable there
letting De Andrade counter with a right hand.
Cassino pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
De Andrade is looking to counter punch.
Cassino wants to slow De Andrade down by chopping away at his legs.
De Andrade looks to land a combination but Cassino avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from De Andrade.
De Andrade throws a right and a left that both miss.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cassino! But no joy.
De Andrade avoids a kick to the body.
Cassino connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
De Andrade takes a swing at Cassino's ribcage but misses.
De Andrade misses with a wild body shot.
De Andrade throws a right and a left that Cassino avoids nicely.
Cassino defending well as De Andrade loads up on a big left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cassino misses with a hook
and De Andrade counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
De Andrade rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cassino moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
De Andrade fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cassino! But no joy.
Cassino scores with a jab to the jaw.
De Andrade throws a big shot that misses.
Cassino waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract De Andrade.
De Andrade is looking to counter punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cassino connects with a good right hand that stumbles De Andrade. De Andrade circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Cassino misses with a body shot.
Cassino digs a good body shot into De Andrade's ribs.
De Andrade misses with a lunging right hand
and Cassino cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Monte Cassino will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Monte Cassino'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. This is the final round!

Cassino ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cassino swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
De Andrade swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
De Andrade uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cassino.
Cassino throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cassino blocks a jab.
Cassino looks to land a left hand but De Andrade moved out of range nicely.
Cassino avoids the body shot from De Andrade.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
De Andrade throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cassino lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cassino lands with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Andrade tries to bum rush Cassino with a series of wild strikes but Cassino uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
De Andrade misses with a lunging right hand
and Cassino counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Cassino misses with a head kick.
Cassino looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
De Andrade throwing a counter right hand but Cassino manages to avoid it.
De Andrade avoids the body shot from Cassino.
A little feinted left hand from De Andrade on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cassino throws a body shot but no joy.
A head kick by Cassino misses
enabling De Andrade to counter with a crisp jab.
Cassino lands a high kick!
De Andrade takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cassino connects with a body shot that sends De Andrade's belly button to the back.
De Andrade walks into a straight right hand from Cassino.

De Andrade is rocked!
Cassino throws a head kick but De Andrade moves out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
De Andrade looks to throw the jab but Cassino is out of range.
Cassino lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Oh De Andrade is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Cassino cracks the inside of De Andrade's front leg.
De Andrade seems to have got his legs back now.
No joy there for Cassino, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
De Andrade swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cassino has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cassino uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before De Andrade has time to react.
Cassino swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cassino swinging wildly here.
Cassino just misses with a punch to the body.
It looked like De Andrade was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Cassino lands with a slapping head kick.
Cassino feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to De Andrade's calf.
De Andrade steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cassino.
De Andrade appears to be looking for a big counter.
Cassino throws a jab when De Andrade was well out of range.
A clash of legs there as De Andrade blocks the low kick.
De Andrade is looking to counter punch.
A head kick by Cassino misses
and De Andrade counters with a three punch combo that has Cassino backing up. Cassino nods at De Andrade to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cassino tries to score with a low kick but De Andrade moves his leg out of the way.
De Andrade is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
The fighters circling - Cassino throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
De Andrade throwing a counter right hand but Cassino manages to avoid it.
Cassino throws a leg kick that is checked
and Cassino takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
De Andrade shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
De Andrade lands a jab.
Cassino lands a head kick!
De Andrade throws a jab but it's blocked by Cassino.
Marcelo Costa De Andrade has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cassino ducks under a wild hook from De Andrade.
Cassino replies with a solid counter kick to the body but De Andrade blocks it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Monte Cassino comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cassino has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Monte Cassino!
Monte Cassino decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.