PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cosme Cosme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fred Safire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fred Safire told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Cosme
vs
Safire

186 cm
31
250 lbs
15 - 8 - 1

183 cm
25
280 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

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 15 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Cosme Cosme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Fred Safire!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Summer Carpenter and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Safire shoots in and drives through. Cosme sprawls well.

Safire darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Cosme wants to control but Safire is keeping busy.
Safire sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cosme defending well though.

Safire wants to work for an arm triangle but Cosme is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Cosme is not content to let Safire control the position.

Safire wants to work for an arm triangle but Cosme is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Safire looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Safire is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Cosme still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Cosme has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!

Cosme stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Safire is defended easily by Cosme.
Safire shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cosme as he avoids it easily.
Cosme Cosme has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fred Safire.
Cosme defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Safire.
Cosme tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Safire is able to avoid easily.
Safire tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cosme paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A head kick by Safire misses
and Cosme counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Safire looks to clinch
and Cosme counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Safire fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slapping body kick lands there for Cosme.
Cosme avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Safire tries to clinch but Cosme is having none of it.

Safire closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Safire is working for takedown but Cosme is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cosme taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Safire misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cosme.
Cosme taking a breather.
Cosme tries to stall but Safire uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Safire with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Safire goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cosme prevents it.
Cosme trying to stall but Safire improves his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Safire tries to land knees in the clinch but Cosme avoids the damage to the body.
Cosme has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Safire drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cosme gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cosme is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Safire is defending well for now.
Cosme has Safire pushed against the cage.
Safire tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cosme avoids it.
Stalling in the clinch from Cosme.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Safire unloads a knee to the mid-section. Cosme lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cosme taking a breather.
Cosme's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fred Safire dominated that 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.

Safire throws a head kick that misses.
Safire shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cosme but Cosme pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Safire tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nice sprawl there from Cosme as Safire shoots in.
Cosme cracks the inside of Safire's front leg.
Safire tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cosme manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Safire is looking to clinch.
Cosme lands with a shot to the body.
Cosme swats away the attempt to clinch by Safire.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Safire closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cosme counters with a right hand to the body.
Cosme looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A clash of legs there as Safire blocks the low kick.
Safire is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Safire pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Safire moves out of range of the body kick from Cosme.
Safire moves in looking to clinch but Cosme pushes him off.
Cosme connects with a solid leg kick.
Cosme stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cosme wants it to stay on the feet.
Cosme Cosme has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fred Safire.
Cosme circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cosme keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice takedown defense from Cosme. No joy for Safire on that attempt.
A good leg kick by Cosme.

Safire clinches up with Cosme and pushes him back against the cage.
Safire misses with a knee to the head.
Safire goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cosme prevents it.
Cosme avoiding damage as Safire throws knees to the body.
Safire misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cosme.
Cosme tries to land a knee to the head but Safire blocks with his arms.
Cosme managing to block the knees to the body from Safire.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Safire landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safire utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Cosme is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Safire is keeping busy.
Come on Cosme - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Safire missing with knees to the body.
Safire changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cosme fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Safire tries to close the distance and clinch but Cosme swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Safire is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Safire wants to clinch but Cosme slips to the side
and Cosme counters with an inside leg kick.
Safire moves in looking to clinch but Cosme pushes him off.
Safire fails with a takedown attempt.
Cosme circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cosme keeps the fight on the outside.
Safire shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cosme pinned against the cage. Cosme gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Safire gets in close and instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fred Safire showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cosme fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Safire has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Safire fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cosme avoids it really well and circles away.
Cosme swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Safire is looking to clinch but Cosme is avoiding it.
Cosme defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Safire.
Safire tries to clinch up.
Cosme circles away from the clinch attempt.
Safire tries to clinch but Cosme moves out of range.
Safire shoots for a double leg takedown but Cosme sprawls well. He's pushed Safire's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Cosme Cosme has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fred Safire.
Safire tries to clinch up but Cosme circles away and keeps his distance.
Cosme slaps away a takedown attempt from Safire, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Safire takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Safire blocks a leg kick.
A head kick misses from Safire.
Safire tries to clinch up but Cosme circles away and keeps his distance.
Safire shoots in and drives through. Cosme sprawls well.
Cosme throws out a leg kick but Safire moves out of range and Cosme only half commits.
Fred Safire seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Safire blocks a low kick nicely.
Safire closes the distance but Cosme moves to the side
and Cosme counters with a good low kick that Safire was not able to check.
Safire shoots for a takedown but Cosme saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cosme scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Safire checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Safire's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cosme lands with a right hand.
Safire tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cosme swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Safire tries to close the distance and clinch but Cosme swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Safire tries to clinch there but Cosme circles away.
Safire is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cosme sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cosme dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Safire. That did some damage!
Safire fails with an attempt to clinch.
Safire tries to close the distance and clinch but Cosme swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cosme keeps the fight on the outside.
Safire throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cosme's waist but Cosme gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Safire off to one side.
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!
Safire is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cosme throws a sloppy head kick and Safire moves out of range easily.

Safire pushes Cosme up against the cage in a clinch.
Safire tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Safire misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cosme.
Safire goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cosme prevents it.
Safire tries for a takedown but Cosme manages to get underhooks.
Cosme gets underhooks to prevent Safire's takedown attempt.
Cosme dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Safire ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Safire no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Safire tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cosme Cosme has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cosme slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Cosme pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Safire is keeping the position for now.

Safire has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Cosme is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Safire.
Cosme is staying tight to Safire's torso, preventing him from escaping.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Cosme Cosme.
I think Safire 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fred Safire!
Fred Safire seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.