PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Gram (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lawrence Cohen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gram comes to the cage accompanied by For Whom The Bell Tolls. Cohen has chosen Season in the Abyss as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Gram
vs
Cohen

169 cm
21
179 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

178 cm
21
178 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Virtual Fighter Clothing
Sublime Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johnny Gram!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lawrence Cohen!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Columbo Gatti and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Gram looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gram moves in looking to clinch but Cohen pushes him off.
Cohen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gram checks a leg kick.
Cohen tries for a takedown but Gram sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cohen closes the distance looking to clinch
and Gram counters with a solid body kick.
Cohen has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Gram finds it's way round the side to connect with Cohen's head.
Cohen misses with a takedown attempt

and Gram holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Johnny Gram has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lawrence Cohen.
Gram working Cohen over with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Gram.
Cohen looks gassed!
Gram lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Lawrence Cohen has been cut.
Cohen takes an elbow to the temple.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gram throws an elbow but misses.
Gram creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cohen's defenses.
Gram with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gram tries a knee to the head but Cohen blocks it.
Gram just leaning against Cohen, taking a breather.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Gram just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cohen's brow.
Cohen takes a knee to the side of the body.
Gram slows down the pace here.
Gram using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cohen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Still in the clinch, Gram scores with a nice short uppercut.
Gram pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gram throws an elbow but misses.
Gram lands an elbow just above Cohen 's eye.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Gram lands with a short shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gram tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Gram creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cohen's defenses.
Gram is pressed up against the cage. Cohen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gram down to the mat. Gram avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Cohen with a poor takedown
and Gram counters with a series of strikes. Cohen will be more careful next time no doubt.
Gram tries to clinch but Cohen moves away

and Cohen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cohen stops Gram from getting back to his feet.
Cohen wants to pass to mount but Gram is defending the position.

Cohen is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gram wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cohen 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.
Cohen prevents Gram from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cohen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gram to the mat! Gram manages to get full guard.

Gram kicks Cohen off and gets to his feet.
Cohen swats away the attempt to clinch by Gram.
Cohen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Gram catches Cohen with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cohen has his takedown stuffed

and Gram counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Gram dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lawrence Cohen's cut.
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.

Cohen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gram is trying to get back to his feet.
Cohen has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Gram tries to buck Cohen off but he can't manage it.

Cohen goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Gram turns into him and now he's in Cohen's guard.

Cohen working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Gram has passed into half guard!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cohen wants to control but Gram is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cohen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Gram is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cohen has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gram passes into side control, despite Cohen's attempt to control the position.
Gram cracks Cohen with a big elbow.

That's two 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.
Cohen manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gram's best efforts.
Gram not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Cohen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gram pulls his head out easily.
Gram thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cohen's head.

Cohen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gram thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cohen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Gram connects with a nice short shot to Cohen's temple.
Gram is nestled in close to Cohen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Cohen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Cohen keeping moving, preventing Gram from controlling successfully.
Cohen controlling Gram's posture.

Cohen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Cohen is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gram cracks Cohen with a solid left hand.

Cohen working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Gram has passed into half guard!
Gram works his way into full mount!
Gram is landing with some decent strikes but Cohen is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Gram dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Lawrence Cohen's cut.
That's time! Gram's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gram closes the distance but Cohen moves to the side

and Cohen moves into the clinch.
Gram prevents the takedown attempt.
Cohen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gram just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Gram obliges.
Cohen takes a knee to the side of the body.
Gram lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cohen backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gram creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cohen's defenses.
Gram lands a nice elbow.
Gram lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Gram slows down the pace here.
Gram pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Cohen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gram lands a right hand.
Gram gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Gram comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good body shot from Gram.
Gram lands a damaging elbow.
Gram lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Johnny Gram has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Gram comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gram manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Gram lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Gram lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Cohen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnny Gram has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lawrence Cohen.
Gram is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Gram lands an elbow just above Cohen 's eye.

That has opened up Lawrence Cohen's cut even more.
Cohen blocks the elbow strike.
Gram landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Gram utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Cohen takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gram missing with knees to the body.
Gram utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gram.
Gram lands a damaging elbow.
Gram gets underhooks to prevent Cohen's takedown attempt.
Gram stalls.
Gram landing knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Gram.
Gram lands a damaging elbow.
Cohen blocks an elbow strike.
Gram lands an elbow inside.
Come on Gram - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Cohen takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Gram.
Cohen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gram fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Gram keeps Cohen at a distance using the push kick.
Gram tries to clinch up

and Cohen counters with a takedown into side control.

Gram throws Cohen to one side and escapes!
Gram tries to clinch but Cohen is having none of it.
Johnny Gram is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gram has Cohen up against the cage in a clinch.
Cohen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Gram is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cohen dodges an elbow strike from Gram.
Cohen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gram just stands there and leans against the cage.
Gram pushes off an throws an elbow but Cohen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gram misses with a knee strike.
Cohen takes a knee right on the jaw!
Gram working Cohen over with knees to the body.
Lawrence Cohen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gram lands a nice elbow.
Cohen drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cohen goes for a takedown attempt but Gram pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Gram showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gram, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Gram!