PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between James Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Verson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cook
vs
Verson

160 cm
23
149 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

173 cm
19
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Cuts easily

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Australian Xtreme - Elite Supplements.

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Cook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Verson!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cook is looking to clinch.
Verson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cook tries to clinch but Verson is having none of it.
Verson takes a swing at Cook's ribcage but misses.
Verson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cook tries to clinch but Verson is having none of it.
Cook leaves Verson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
James Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Verson.
Cook stuffs the takedown attempt from Verson. Verson gets slowly back to his feet.
Cook fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Verson looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Verson tries for a takedown but Cook sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cook is looking to clinch but Verson is avoiding it.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Cook.
Verson looks to throw the jab but Cook is out of range.
Cook wants to clinch.
Cook is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook misses with a body punch

and Verson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Cook 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.
Verson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cook swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cook looking to hit a scissor sweep but Verson is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Verson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Verson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cook is looking to stand up but Verson isn't so interested in that idea.
Verson throwing strikes from guard but Cook blocks nicely.
Verson won't allow Cook to sweep him here.
Verson connects with a couple of short punches.
Cook knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Verson on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook controls Verson momentarily but Verson frees himself.
Verson slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Verson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cook knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Cook is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Verson asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Verson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cook has escaped the position, nice work there.

Verson tries for a kimura but Cook is defending well.
Verson sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Cook is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verson tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Verson scores with punches from side control.
Cook can't do much from the bottom here.
Cook is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Verson's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Cook manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Cook wants to stand but Verson is controlling the position.
Verson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Verson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Verson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Verson is working Cook over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cook uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Cook lands with a nice combination. Verson backs away looking to recover.
Cook connects with a high kick.
Verson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cook's waist but Cook gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Verson off to one side.
Verson fails with a takedown attempt.
Cook darts in trying to clinch

so Verson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cook trying to control the position.
Verson prevents Cook from getting back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Verson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Verson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Verson dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Verson swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Cook counters with a one-two to the body.
Verson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cook manages to avoid it.
Verson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cook sprawls well. Cook wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Verson gets slowly back to his feet.
Verson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cook tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cook keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
James Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Verson.
Cook stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cook wants it to stay on the feet.
Verson avoids the head kick by Cook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cook closes the distance but Verson moves to the side
and Verson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cook thinking.
Cook connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Cook wants to clinch

and Verson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cook might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Verson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cook keeping full guard, as Verson tries to pass.
Verson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Verson is working Cook over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Verson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cook swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Verson throwing strikes from guard but Cook blocks nicely.
Verson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Verson lands a couple of elbows.

Verson drops back looking for a leg! Cook is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cook manages to kick Verson off! Verson jumps back into Cook's guard.
Verson is breathing heavily.
Verson throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Verson won't allow Cook to sweep him here.
Cook bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Verson's guard.
Verson trying to keep a closed guard but Cook is proving a slippery customer.
Cook wants to stand but Verson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cook stopping the sweep attempt from Verson.
Verson trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook trying to control but Verson is working from the bottom.
Cook wants to stand and escape but instead Verson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Verson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Verson looks to land a right hand but Cook moved out of range.
Verson closes the distance and clinches up with Cook, looking for a takedown. Verson pushes Cook against the cage but Cook circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cook tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Verson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cook's guard.
Verson won't allow Cook to get back to his feet.
Verson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cook keeping full guard, as Verson tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Verson looking to pass the guard.
Verson throwing strikes from guard but Cook blocks nicely.
Verson working some strikes from top position.
Verson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cook is keeping the position for now.

Cook pushes Verson off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Cook moves into the clinch.
Cook pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Verson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Cook misses with a head kick.
Verson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Cook closes the distance looking to clinch

and Verson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Verson won't allow Cook to get back to his feet.
Rodrigo Verson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Verson thows a big elbow that misses.
Verson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cook pulls Verson in close to his closed guard and prevents Verson from doing any damage or advancing position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cook preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cook manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Verson manages to get himself to full guard.
Verson wants to sweep here but Cook controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verson working a defensive guard here.
Verson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Verson is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Verson trying to control the position.
Cook loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cook stopping the sweep attempt from Verson.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Verson is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Cook is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Verson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cook pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Verson goes for a takedown attempt but Cook pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
James Cook is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Verson looks to score with a jab to the body but Cook is just out of range.
Cook clinches but Verson breaks the clinch

and Verson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Verson wants to pass to mount but Cook is defending the position.
Cook avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Verson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Cook!
Verson working Cook over with strikes here.
Cook is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The referee warns Cook that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Cook avoids a series of strikes thrown by Verson.
Verson throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Cook because Verson loaded up on that one.
Verson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Verson prevents Cook from getting the reversal.

Verson jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Cook manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Cook stops Verson from passing to mount.
Cook is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Verson asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Rodrigo Verson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Verson.
James Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Verson.
Cook closes the distance but Verson moves to the side

and Verson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Verson.
James Cook has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Verson is pushing down on Cook's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cook is fighting to maintain full guard but Verson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Verson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Verson is stalling here. Cook is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Verson seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Cook has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Verson sneaks back into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodrigo Verson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Verson 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Verson!