PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Cole (ranked 637 p4p, 507 weight class) and Blake Phoenix (ranked 93 p4p, 68 weight class). Cole comes to the cage accompanied by I Won't Back Down. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Cole
vs
Phoenix

175 cm
38
212
40 - 23 - 1

194 cm
30
205
27 - 11 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
PWNAGE

Hardcore Sports Nutrition

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 40 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Cole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Blake Phoenix!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Richard Clark and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phoenix throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cole throws a poor cross that misses
and Phoenix connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Phoenix throws a jab but it's blocked by Cole.
Phoenix tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cole was well out of range. Poor timing from Phoenix.
As Phoenix tries to get set, Cole tries to push him back and clinch up but Phoenix manages to avoid the attempt.
Phoenix ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cole moves away.
Cole half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Cole misses with a series of wild punches.
Phoenix throws a hook but Cole avoids it easily.
Cole tries to counter with a takedown but Phoenix is quick to defend against it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cole fails with a takedown attempt.
Cole walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Blake Phoenix seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Phoenix.
Blake Phoenix is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Phoenix lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Cole takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Phoenix lands a jab.
A jab from Phoenix misses.
We've been hearing reports that Cole has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Cole closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Nice defenses there by Cole.
Cole bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cole fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cole takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole missing with a left hand there. Phoenix was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Phoenix wants to counter the offense by Cole and move into the clinch position.
Phoenix ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cole swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cole takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cole on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Phoenix scores with a body shot.
Nice shot lands for Phoenix.
Phoenix lands a nice shot to the body.
Phoenix throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cole getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cole closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Phoenix's guard.
Phoenix looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cole is one step ahead there.
Cole looking to sit in guard and control but Phoenix gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Phoenix passes Cole's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Phoenix controlling the action here.
Cole is trying to control but can't.
Phoenix looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cole is concentrating on defense, preventing Phoenix from advancing position.
Phoenix wants to pass the guard but Cole is defending well.
Cole is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Phoenix content to control rather than advance.
Cole wants to get back to full guard.
Phoenix content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Phoenix dominated that round.
That's time! Cole's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Phoenix throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Phoenix. Cole does a little dance to reset his feet.
Phoenix throws a hook to the side of Cole's head but Cole sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Phoenix has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Left hook, right uppercut from Phoenix.
Phoenix lands with a hook. Cole tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Phoenix scores with a jab.
Cole throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice shot by Phoenix.
Phoenix has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Phoenix swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A slow jab from Phoenix misses its intended target.
Phoenix looks to score with a jab to the body but Cole is just out of range.
Cole wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phoenix throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Phoenix is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Phoenix swings for the body but Cole moves out of range.
Cole uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cole walks into a left hand.
Phoenix throws a hook but Cole blocks it.
As Phoenix looks to move away, Cole throws a big counter combo but Phoenix just gets out of the way.
Cole ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cole wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Phoenix fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Phoenix throws a jab when Cole was well out of range.
Cole attempts a counter takedown but Phoenix avoids it well and moves away.
Nice uppercut there from Phoenix.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cole. Cole circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Phoenix throws a lazy uppercut
and Cole counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Blake Phoenix seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cole uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Phoenix.
As Phoenix tries to get set, Cole tries to push him back and clinch up but Phoenix manages to avoid the attempt.
Phoenix looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A little feinted left hand from Cole on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cole swings for the body but Phoenix moves out of range.
Phoenix defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cole.
Cole fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Phoenix manages to avoid it.
Nice defenses there by Cole.
Cole takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Cole slips under a jab from Phoenix.
Cole half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix throws a low kick but Cole avoids it.
Cole scores with a one two! Phoenix had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Phoenix throws a poor cross that misses

and Cole holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Phoenix throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Coles head.
Cole lands with a left to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Cole lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Phoenix backwards.
Cole goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Phoenix looking to throw knees to the head but Cole is blocking nicely.
Cole has a couple of punches blocked by Phoenix.
Phoenix lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cole gets through Phoenix's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Phoenix misses with a punch to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cole lands with a right to the head.
Phoenix misses with a punch on the inside.
Cole is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cole tries to work over Phoenix's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Phoenix lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cole backwards.
Cole drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Phoenix gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Phoenix misses with a punch on the inside.
Cole lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Nice body punch from Cole.
Cole lands a body shot.
Michael Cole has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Phoenix lands with a light punch inside.
Phoenix working aggressively here.
Phoenix misses with a body punch.
Phoenix has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Cole seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Phoenix can turn it around.
Phoenix doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Phoenix misses with a hook from the clinch.
Phoenix gets through Cole's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cole.
Cole tries to work over Phoenix's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Phoenix showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Phoenix fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cole looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Phoenix gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cole to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Phoenix looking for a sweep. Not yet Phoenix, not yet.
Cole throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Phoenix works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cole throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cole postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cole throws an elbow that misses. Phoenix uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cole's guard. Nice move by Phoenix!

Cole might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cole keeping moving, preventing Phoenix from controlling successfully.
Cole has his hands on Phoenix's head, controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phoenix slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Phoenix wants to get up but he can't break Cole's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Phoenix preventing the sweep.
Phoenix is pushing down on Cole's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cole is fighting to maintain full guard but Phoenix has managed to sneak the leg through.
Michael Cole has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Phoenix trying to control the action but Cole is working from the bottom.
Cole is looking to control Phoenix's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cole avoid being mounted?
Cole wants to improve his position but Phoenix is controlling well.
Cole is working hard here to advance position.
Cole has his hands clasped together around Phoenix's back. He's all about the action.
Phoenix controlling the action here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix misses with an uppercut. Cole saw that one coming.
Cole tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Phoenix manages to circle out of the way.
Phoenix throws a jab when Cole was well out of range.
Cole ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Phoenix tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cole was well out of range. Poor timing from Phoenix.
Cole was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cole takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Cole looks to land a combination. Phoenix sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Phoenix uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cole has time to react.
Cole avoids the body shot from Phoenix.
Cole changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix scores with a body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Phoenix misses the target.
A counter left hand to the body from Cole misses its target.
Phoenix cracks Cole with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A telegraphed right hand from Phoenix misses the target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cole wants to clinch
and Phoenix counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cole gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Phoenix throws a lazy uppercut
and Cole counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Phoenix turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Blake Phoenix comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Phoenix 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Blake Phoenix!
Blake Phoenix decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.