PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sherman Paul III (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Coen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sherman Paul III had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 186.9lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Dan Coen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Paul III
vs
Coen

197 cm
18
198 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
195 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sherman Paul III!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dan Coen!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Joseph Jones and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Coen wants to clinch up but Paul III keeps it at a distance.
Paul III fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Coen rushes Paul III and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Coen breaks the clinch.
Paul III changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Coen tries to avoid it but Paul III manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Coen to the ground. Coen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Paul III shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Coen but Coen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sherman Paul III. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paul III is trying hard to land a takedown here. Coen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Paul III defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Coen.
Paul III has his takedown stuffed

and Coen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Paul III tries to break free but Coen pushes him back against the cage.
A body shot lands from Coen.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Coen obliges.
Paul III is breathing heavily.
Paul III has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Coen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Paul III tries for a takedown but Coen manages to get underhooks.

Coen successfully pulls guard.
Coen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Coen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Coen slips a nice elbow through Paul III's hands, connecting with Paul III's forehead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Coen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Nice strikes from Coen there.
Coen slows the pace down in half guard.
Coen working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Coen lands strikes from half guard.
Coen performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Coen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coen seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Paul III strikes from the bottom but Coen passes into mount!
Coen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Paul III swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Coen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Coen looking to finish Paul III with some ground and pound. This is bad for Paul III!
Coen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Coen controlling his opponent.
Paul III is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coen controlling from the full mount.
Coen dominating with strikes here.
Coen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Coen is landing with some decent strikes but Paul III is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Paul III throwing hammer fists to the chest of Coen. What's that going to do exactly?
Coen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Paul III flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Coen with a couple of short strikes.
Coen lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Coen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Coen controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paul III throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Paul III in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Coen content just to control the position here.
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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Dan Coen just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Coen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Paul III's half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Coen moves into the clinch.
Coen content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Coen connects with a nasty looking knee right to Paul III's face.
Paul III tries to score a body lock takedown but Coen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Coen has Paul III pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Coen pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Paul III tumbling to the mat - Coen dives into Paul III's guard.
Coen working some strikes from top position.
Coen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Paul III will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Paul III throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Coen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Paul III's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Coen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Coen is in close to Paul III's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coen scoring with some ground and pound.
Coen passes into half guard.
Coen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Coen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Paul III with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Coen is controlling the pace.
Coen lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Coen is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Coen lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Paul III taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Coen looking for a guillotine from mount but Paul III is having none of it.
Coen lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Coen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Let's hope that Coen has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Coen lands a big shot there that rocks Paul III but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Coen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coen blocks Paul III's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Coen blocks Paul III's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Coen controlling from the full mount.
The referee warns Paul III that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Coen lands a big elbow.
Coen lands a big shot there that rocks Paul III but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Coen prevents Paul III from getting the reversal.
Coen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Coen dominating with strikes here.
Coen blocks Paul III's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Paul III swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Paul III is desperately trying to improve his position but Coen has a good base and remains in mount.
Paul III is bucking up trying to escape but Coen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Coen controlling the position easily from mount.
Coen blocks Paul III's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Coen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Coen fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Paul III sprawls well initially but Coen persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Paul III tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Coen has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Coen landing strikes from the mount and Paul III is in trouble!
Coen tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Paul III really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Paul III in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Coen postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Paul III looks a forlorn figure.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Coen is landing with some decent strikes but Paul III is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Coen cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coen controlling from the full mount.
Coen landing strikes, looking to finish!

Coen has hold of Paul III's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Paul III manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Coen lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Paul III is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Coen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Coen landing strikes from the mount and Paul III is in trouble!
Paul III swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Paul III is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Paul III flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Coen looking to finish Paul III with some ground and pound. This is bad for Paul III!
Coen lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Paul III hang on?
Coen lands a nice shot to the head.
Coen looking to finish Paul III with some ground and pound. This is bad for Paul III!
Coen landing punches.
Paul III throwing hammer fists to the chest of Coen. What's that going to do exactly?
Dan Coen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Coen content just to control the position here.

Coen is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Paul III can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Paul III is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coen controlling the pace for now.
Paul III throwing hammer fists to the chest of Coen. What's that going to do exactly?
A nice elbow there by Coen.
Coen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Paul III swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Coen landing strikes, looking to finish!
Paul III working to try and regain half guard.
Coen working Paul III over with strikes here.
Coen with the ground and pound from mount.
Coen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Sherman Paul III has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four 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.
Paul III swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Paul III keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Coen.
Paul III swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Coen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Paul III flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Coen lands with some strikes.
Coen blocks Paul III's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Coen controlling the pace for now.
Coen's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Coen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Coen 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 24:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 24:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Coen!