PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cooper King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erol Ganush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

King
vs
Ganush

186 cm
21
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

186 cm
23
196 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cooper King!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Erol Ganush!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Alec Ball and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - King looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
King chopping away at his opponent's legs.
King wants to clinch.
Ganush throws a shot to the body.
King throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Cooper King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ganush with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Ganush throws a hook but King blocks it.
King takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Ganush moves out of range as King strikes.
King wants to clinch up but Ganush keeps it at a distance.
A big left from Ganush misses.
King tries to clinch but Ganush is having none of it.

Ganush changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. King looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ganush scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King taking a bit of punishment here - Ganush scoring with strikes.
Check out the look on Ganush's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
King dodges the ground and pound from Ganush.
Ganush working the ground and pound from side control.
Ganush controlling the position.
Ganush cracks King with a big elbow.
Ganush is chipping away with strikes.
King is working to avoid the ground and pound but Ganush connects with a decent elbow.
Ganush lands a decent elbow from side control.
King wants to get back to his feet.
Ganush cracks King with a big right hand but King just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ganush working the ground and pound from side control.

King is rocked!
Ganush cracks King with a big elbow.
Oh King is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
King wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
King seems to have got his legs back now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
King is breathing heavily.

Ganush tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
King taking a bit of punishment here - Ganush scoring with strikes.
Ganush remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ganush scores with punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ganush working the head and body with strikes.
King knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ganush on the ground.
Ganush working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Ganush trying to control the action but King is working from the bottom.
King tries to escape but Ganush is in control.
Ganush staying calm.
Ganush working the ground and pound from side control.
Ganush taking a breather here.
Ganush is chipping away with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ganush moves into full mount!
Ganush looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
A nice elbow there by Ganush.
King is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Ganush is in the full mount, landing strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
King wants to try and get back to his feet.
Ganush looking to control and managing it successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ganush lands with some vicious ground and pound - can King hang on?
Ganush putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erol Ganush dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

King moves in looking to clinch but Ganush pushes him off.
King defending well as Ganush loads up on a big left hand.
Ganush is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by King.
King is looking to clinch but Ganush is avoiding it.
Donk. Ganush catches King right on the button with a cross.
King is looking to clinch but Ganush is avoiding it.
King doesn't manage to clinch there - Ganush circles away.
King walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Jab from King.
Nice jab there from King.
Ganush throws a shot to the body.

King has closed the distance and engaged Ganush in a clinch.
King has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ganush avoids a wild elbow strike from King.
King looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ganush wants to break free but King has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King tries a knee to the head but Ganush blocks it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ganush escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ganush changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. King looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ganush looks up at the clock and then as King takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ganush smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Ganush landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
King is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Ganush lands an elbow.
Erol Ganush has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ganush working the ground and pound.
Ganush has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
King wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Ganush wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by King, who protects the arm well.
Ganush working the body and head with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ganush is putting a hurting on King here, landing some big shots from side control.
King being controlled for a moment.
Ganush wants to control but King is keeping him busy.
King is trying to get back to his feet.
Ganush working the ground and pound.
Ganush working the ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ganush trying to control the action but King is working from the bottom.
Ganush is putting a hurting on King here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The referee asks Ganush politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Ganush prefers to stall for the moment though.
Ganush lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear King down.
Ganush controlling the position.
King takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
King is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

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.
King is working to avoid the ground and pound but Ganush connects with a decent elbow.
Ganush lands a few punches from side control.
Ganush working the ground and pound.
King gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Ganush scoring with strikes but King is staying in there.
Ganush lands a nice shot to the head.
Ganush wants to control the pace but King is squirming around nicely.
King tries to buck Ganush off but he can't manage it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ganush raining down shots from the mount!
Ganush scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish King?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erol Ganush 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ganush showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from King.
King misses with a looping right.

King gets caught flat footed, as Ganush shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Ganush sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed King's guard.
King has hold of Ganush's hands but Ganush slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ganush takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Ganush is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
King is looking to escape.
King has hold of Ganush's hands but Ganush slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's one minute 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. Ganush connects with a nice short shot to King's temple.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ganush working King over with strikes.
Ganush is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Ganush trying to mount his opponent but King defends it.
King is not content to let Ganush control the position.
Ganush stops King from getting back to his feet.
King is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ganush scores with a couple of nice shots.
King is not content to let Ganush control the position.
Ganush thows a huge punch but King dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ganush lands strikes from half guard.
Ganush keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Ganush working the head and body with strikes.
King wants to get back to his feet.
Ground and pound from Ganush.
King looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ganush is looking to take a break and control but King is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ganush has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ganush lands with a punch from half guard.
Ganush wants to pass to mount but King is defending the position.
Ganush is trying to control. King wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ganush trying to control from half guard but King is working away.
King has hold of Ganush's hands but Ganush slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
King tries to kick Ganush off but Ganush keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
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. Ganush connects with a nice short shot to King's temple.
Well, if Ganush is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
King won't allow Ganush to pass to mount.
Ganush with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Ganush is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. King doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ganush.
Ganush stops King from getting back to his feet.
Cooper King has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Erol Ganush is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ganush is taking a breather. King says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

King is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ganush pulls his head out easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erol Ganush comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ganush 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 26:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 26:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erol Ganush!