PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Cotto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan ORourke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan ORourke 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!

Cotto
vs
ORourke

170 cm
20
140 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
135 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

O'Brannigan's Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Miguel Cotto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan ORourke!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Viktor Lagutenko and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cotto shoots for a takedown but ORourke saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A head kick from ORourke lands but Cotto takes it in his stride.
ORourke circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cotto takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

ORourke closes the distance and clinches.
ORourke lands an uppercut.
ORourke scores with an uppercut up the middle.
ORourke leaning his opponent against the cage.
ORourke lands with a short shot to the head.
ORourke lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cotto backwards.
Cotto jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as ORourke walks away with a smile on his face. Cotto gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

ORourke rushes Cotto and presses him up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from ORourke.
ORourke lands with a left to the head.
ORourke lands a body punch in the clinch.
ORourke is stalling here.
ORourke lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cotto backwards.
Cotto jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as ORourke walks away with a smile on his face. Cotto gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Cotto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cotto fails with a takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cotto is trying to break free.
Cotto tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. ORourke smiles and moves away.
ORourke stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and ORourke wants it to stay on the feet.
Cotto fails with the takedown.
Cotto is breathing heavily.

ORourke clinches with his opponent.
Cotto tries for a takedown. No joy.
ORourke lands a hook that snaps the head of Cotto backwards.
ORourke lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
ORourke manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A shot in the inside from ORourke.
A left hand lands to the body for ORourke.
ORourke lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Cotto or not.
ORourke working some nice short punches in the clinch.
ORourke scores with a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ORourke lands a shot to the body.
ORourke lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cotto backwards.
Still in the clinch, ORourke scores with a nice short uppercut.
Cotto takes a shot to the head.
ORourke lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Cotto is rocked!

It looks like Miguel Cotto has been cut.
ORourke pressing his opponent against the cage.
Oh Cotto is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
ORourke makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Cotto seems to have got his legs back now.
Cotto fails to pull the fight into his guard.
ORourke scores with a nice hook to the head.
ORourke lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A hook to the body from ORourke.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
ORourke continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Cotto jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as ORourke walks away with a smile on his face. Cotto gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

ORourke takes the fight into the clinch.
ORourke working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
ORourke lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cotto backwards.
ORourke lands an uppercut.
Cotto tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. ORourke smiles and moves away.

ORourke instigates a clinch.
A short right from ORourke on the inside.
ORourke lands with a left to the head.
ORourke lands a left hand.
ORourke prevents the takedown attempt.
ORourke scores with a hook to the body.
A short uppercut from ORourke.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from ORourke.
ORourke pushes Cotto back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
ORourke effectively controlling the action here.
Cotto fails to pull the fight into his guard.
ORourke is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ORourke taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
The crowd are getting on ORourke's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from ORourke.
ORourke effectively controlling the action here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Ivan ORourke.

ORourke drives through and clinches with Cotto against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from ORourke.
A short uppercut from ORourke.
Cotto's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
ORourke lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Cotto.
A shot in the inside from ORourke.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
ORourke lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cotto backwards.
ORourke lands a shoulder strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
ORourke stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short left from ORourke.
ORourke works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan ORourke dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Miguel Cotto's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

ORourke moves into the clinch successfully.
Cotto tries to pull guard but ORourke won't allow it.
Cotto wants a takedown but no success here.
ORourke managing to block the knees to the body from Cotto.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, ORourke creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A left hand lands to the body for ORourke.
ORourke scores with a shoulder strike.
ORourke lands an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, ORourke scores with a nice short uppercut.
ORourke dips a shoulder and cracks Cotto with a mighty uppercut! Cotto falls back against the cage and ORourke unloads with a barrage of strikes! Cotto is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - ORourke screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ivan ORourke!