PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kenny Florian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Cowelll (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Mike Cowelll was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Florian
vs
Cowelll

179 cm
19
155 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

183 cm
21
155 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kenny Florian!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Cowelll!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Florian slips a jab and a cross from Cowelll.
Cowelll tries to move into range but Florian moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Florian throws an overhand right that lands on Cowelll's shoulder, as Cowelll tries to avoid the shot.
Florian scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Cowelll closes this distance looking for a takedown but Florian circles away.
Cowelll looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Florian defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cowelll.
Kenny Florian has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Cowelll.
No joy there for Florian, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cowelll tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Florian swivels and escapes.
Florian misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Cowelll decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Cowelll not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Florian tries to kick Cowelll off but Cowelll keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ground and pound from Cowelll.
Florian on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Cowelll missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cowelll prevents Florian from standing back up.
Cowelll throwing shots but Florian is blocking nicely.
Cowelll throwing shots but Florian is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Florian blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cowelll.
Cowelll sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Florian defending well though.
Cowelll not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Florian tests Cowelll's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cowelll shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Florian as he avoids it easily.
Cowelll swings for the body but Florian moves out of range.
Cowelll moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Cowelll shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Florian pinned against the cage. Florian gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cowelll.
Florian slips a jab and a cross from Cowelll.
Florian connects with a solid leg kick.
Cowelll fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cowelll keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Florian.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Cowelll misses with the combination.
Florian stuffs the takedown.
Cowelll shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Florian defends it nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Florian misses the target.
Cowelll gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Florian.
Cowelll moves out of range of the strikes.
Kenny Florian is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cowelll fails to land the takedown.
Nice shot by Florian.
Florian scoring well with a low kick there.
Cowelll takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Florian thuds a left hand into Cowelll's body.
Florian lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Cowelll at a distance.
Cowelll looks gassed!
Cowelll on the wrong end of a nice jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cowelll looks for a takedown but Florian sprawls well.
Cowelll gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Florian throws a hook but Cowelll avoids it easily.
Florian is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll tries for a takedown but Florian sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Florian keeps Cowelll at a distance using the push kick.
Cowelll avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Florian lands with a shot to the body.
Florian throws a quick inside leg kick.
Florian lands a right hook to the body.
Cowelll shoots in and drives through. Florian sprawls well.
Florian lands with a right hand.
Florian lands with a slapping head kick.
Cowelll blocks a jab.
Cowelll walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Florian jabs at Cowelll's body.
Florian turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
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!
Cowelll takes one to the side of the head.
Florian lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Florian lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cowelll's sensitive parts.
Cowelll takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Florian avoids a punch combination nicely.
Florian swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cowelll.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Florian.
Cowelll shoots in but Florian avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Florian smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Florian stuns Cowelll with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Florian connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cowelll. Cowelll circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Florian works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Florian throws a nice inside leg kick.
Cowelll shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Cowelll fails with a takedown attempt.
Cowelll is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Florian takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Florian scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Florian works the jab nicely.
Cowelll shoots in but no luck this time.
Florian misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Florian throws a nice outside leg kick.
Florian throws a right and a left that both miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenny Florian dominated that round.
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.

Florian works the jab nicely.
Kenny Florian is winning the standup battle so far.
Florian looks to land a combination but Cowelll avoids it well.
Mike Cowelll seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Florian looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Florian connects with a looping right hand.
Florian scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Cowelll slips under a jab from Florian.

Florian gets caught flat footed, as Cowelll shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cowelll is stalling in the full guard.
Cowelll won't allow Florian to get back to his feet.
Cowelll thows a big elbow that misses.
Cowelll throws a big right hand that misses.
Cowelll missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Florian kicks Cowelll off and gets to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cowelll is defended easily by Florian.
Cowelll is breathing heavily.
Cowelll tries to score a power double leg takedown but Florian sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cowelll somewhat.
Cowelll misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cowelll fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Kenny Florian has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Cowelll.
Cowelll will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Florian misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Florian connects with a solid leg kick.
Florian lands with a kick to the temple. Cowelll shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Florian looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Florian connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Cowelll takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Florian connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Cowelll has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Florian pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Florian with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Mike Cowelll is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cowelll throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Florian counters with a good low kick that Cowelll was not able to check.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Florian misses with a straight right.
Cowelll throws a right hand that Florian ducks under and follows up with a left that Florian also avoids with ease.
Florian lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cowelll's sensitive parts.
Cowelll takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Florian getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Florian misses with a wild combination.

Cowelll gets the takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cowelll working the ground and pound but Florian is defending the strikes.
Cowelll prevents Florian from escaping the position.
Cowelll in side control, throwing shots but Florian defends.
Cowelll scoring with punches and elbows.
Cowelll looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Florian is avoiding damage well.
Florian taking punishment in the form of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll moves into full mount!
Cowelll punishing his opponent with strikes.
Cowelll scoring with strikes but Florian is staying in there.
Cowelll has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Florian's face.
Florian trying desperately to get to his feet.
Cowelll has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cowelll thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Cowelll fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Cowelll is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Florian can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Cowelll throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Cowelll throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll controlling the position easily from mount.
The referee warns Florian that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Cowelll throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cowelll throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Cowelll content just to control the position here.
Florian blocking the ground and pound.
Florian knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cowelll on the ground.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Florian is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kenny Florian will probably get the nod.
That's time! Florian's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A chopping leg kick lands by Florian.
Florian fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cowelll shoots for a takedown but Florian saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Cowelll looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Florian preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Florian wants to stand and escape but Cowelll is having none of it.
Cowelll wants to pass the guard but Florian is keeping the position.
Cowelll landing some decent shots from guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cowelll with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cowelll landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cowelll accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cowelll throwing strikes from guard but Florian blocks nicely.
Cowelll passes Florian's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Florian blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cowelll.
Cowelll working Florian over with strikes.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cowelll in particular looking to stall.
Florian blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cowelll.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Cowelll working over Florian with some ground and pound. Florian looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Florian is looking to escape.
Florian is staying active underneath Cowelll, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cowelll might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Florian kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Cowelll wants to pass to mount but Florian is defending the position.
Cowelll throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cowelll thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Florian's head.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Florian displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cowelll.
Cowelll shoots in for a takedown but Florian shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Kenny Florian has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Cowelll.
Cowelll looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Florian is fending him off so far but Cowelll persists. Nope, Florian circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Florian scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Cowelll's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Left hook, right uppercut from Florian.
Florian moves out of range as Cowelll strikes.
Cowelll looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Florian lands a high kick!
Florian scores with a kick to the midsection.
Florian lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Cowelll has a takedown stuffed.
Decent striking displayed by Florian there.
Cowelll takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Florian with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Cowelll walks into a straight right hand from Florian.
Nice takedown defense from Florian. No joy for Cowelll on that attempt.
Florian with a hook.
A left lands for Florian.
Florian bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cowelll's head backwards.
Mike Cowelll has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll tries for a takedown but Florian sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Florian throws a series of strikes that have Cowelll backpedaling.
Florian lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Florian lands a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Florian lands a right hook to the body.
Cowelll fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cowelll with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Florian to score with a decent uppercut.
Florian connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Florian throws a jab when Cowelll was well out of range.
Florian goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Cowelll misses with a takedown attempt - Florian sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cowelll takes one to the chin there.
Florian misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Florian cracks the inside of Cowelll's front leg.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Florian throws a big shot that misses.
Horrible takedown by Cowelll or perhaps it was just good defense by Florian which made him look bad.
Florian uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cowelll has time to react.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kenny Florian showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Florian, 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenny Florian!