PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Josh Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Giorgio Petrosyan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cooper
vs
Petrosyan

173 cm
25
147 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

178 cm
20
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

GMMA Fightware

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 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Josh Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Giorgio Petrosyan!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Columbo Gatti and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petrosyan dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cooper. That did some damage!
Cooper takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Petrosyan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Giorgio Petrosyan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Petrosyan throws a head kick that misses.
Petrosyan fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cooper.
Petrosyan throws a body punch but Cooper moves out of range.
Cooper uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Petrosyan.
Petrosyan lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Petrosyan lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Cooper has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Cooper and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Petrosyan fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Cooper is out of range.
An inside leg kick from Petrosyan misses.
Cooper throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cooper ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Petrosyan moves away.
Petrosyan throws a head kick that Cooper semi-blocks.
Petrosyan throws a low kick but Cooper avoids it.
Cooper on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Cooper throws a series of punches but Petrosyan avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan throws a predictable looking body shot
and Cooper counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Petrosyan lands a high kick!

Cooper is rocked!
Cooper on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Oh Cooper is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Petrosyan scoring well with a low kick there.
Cooper seems to have got his legs back now.
Cooper throws a jab when Petrosyan was well out of range.
Cooper feints a jab promting Petrosyan to slip. Cooper then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Petrosyan slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Cooper takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sloppy strikes from Cooper. Those never looked like landing.
Cooper is breathing heavily.
Petrosyan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cooper thows a left - swing and a miss!
Petrosyan misses with a head kick.
Cooper misses with a double jab.
An inside leg kick lands from Petrosyan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Petrosyan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cooper.
Petrosyan closes the distance but Cooper moves to the side
and Cooper counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Petrosyan thinking.
A slapping leg kick lands for Petrosyan.
Petrosyan throws a head kick that misses.
Cooper stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan cracks the inside of Cooper's front leg.
Cooper takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Petrosyan has Cooper up against the cage in a clinch.
Petrosyan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Petrosyan tries to land a knee to the head but Cooper blocks with his arms.
Petrosyan tries a knee to the head but Cooper blocks it.
Petrosyan utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan working Cooper over with knees to the body.
Petrosyan connects with a knee to the head.
Petrosyan working Cooper over with knees to the body.
Petrosyan scores a nice knee to the body.
Petrosyan misses with a knee strike.
Petrosyan using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cooper has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Petrosyan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cooper blocks it with crossed arms.
Cooper is trying to force a seperation but Petrosyan has the dominant position.
Petrosyan tries to land a knee to the head but Cooper blocks with his arms.

Cooper's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cooper will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Petrosyan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Cooper keeps the fight on the outside.
Petrosyan throws a chopping leg kick but Cooper manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan throws a chopping leg kick but Cooper manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Petrosyan lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Petrosyan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Petrosyan tries a low kick but Cooper avoids it.
Petrosyan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Petrosyan throws a nice inside leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Petrosyan fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cooper has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A nice inside leg kick there by Petrosyan. That's going to slow Cooper down.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cooper fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Petrosyan looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Petrosyan looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Petrosyan throws a head kick but Cooper moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giorgio Petrosyan dominated that round.
That's time! Cooper's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Cooper keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Petrosyan throws a leg kick which misses Cooper's front leg but catches the back leg as Cooper tries to avoid it.
Josh Cooper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Petrosyan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cooper tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Petrosyan in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Petrosyan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cooper.
Cooper blocks a head kick by Petrosyan.
Cooper is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cooper misses with a few strikes there.
Cooper throws a jab when Petrosyan was well out of range.
Cooper looks to throw the jab but Petrosyan is out of range.
Cooper closes the distance but Petrosyan moves to the side
and Petrosyan counters with a head kick. That will keep Cooper thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrosyan misses with a low kick.
A head kick misses from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan throws a sloppy head kick and Cooper moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cooper swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Petrosyan throws a leg kick but Cooper checks it.
Petrosyan tries to score with a low kick but Cooper moves his leg out of the way.
Cooper scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Petrosyan lands with a thumping leg kick.
Petrosyan wants to slow Cooper down by chopping away at his legs.
A head kick misses from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan drops his hands momentarily and Cooper takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Petrosyan uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cooper.
Petrosyan moves forwards but Cooper connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Petrosyan fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Petrosyan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cooper swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Giorgio Petrosyan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Petrosyan pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cooper is out of range and Petrosyan settles back down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan connects with a solid leg kick.
Petrosyan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
A shot to the body from Petrosyan misses
and Cooper makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Cooper throws a right and a left that both miss.

Petrosyan takes the fight into the clinch.
Petrosyan misses with a knee strike.
Petrosyan looking to throw knees to the head but Cooper is blocking nicely.
Petrosyan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cooper blocks it with crossed arms.
Cooper is trying to break the clinch but Petrosyan is controlling him.
Petrosyan tries to land a knee to the head but Cooper blocks with his arms.
Cooper is trying to break the clinch but Petrosyan has him pressed against the cage.

Cooper breaks from the clinch.
Petrosyan with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A head kick misses from Petrosyan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper thuds his right hand into Petrosyan's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Cooper looks to land a right hand but Petrosyan moved out of range.
Petrosyan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cooper shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Petrosyan eats them both and turns towards Cooper to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Cooper scores with a shot to the body.
Petrosyan slips a straight right by Cooper.
Petrosyan throws a sloppy head kick and Cooper moves out of range easily.
Cooper scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Petrosyan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cooper.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Petrosyan.
Petrosyan tries to clinch
and Cooper counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Petrosyan scores with a leg kick.
Petrosyan throws a head kick but Cooper moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan lands a nice shot to the body.
Petrosyan wants to land a leg kick but Cooper is out of range.
Petrosyan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Petrosyan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A right-left combo lands from Cooper.
Petrosyan connects with an inside leg kick.
Cooper blocks a head kick by Petrosyan.
Cooper tries to clinch up but Petrosyan circles away and keeps his distance.
Cooper misses with an uppercut. Petrosyan saw that one coming.
Petrosyan throws a nice head kick!
Petrosyan takes a swing at Cooper's ribcage but misses.
Cooper throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Petrosyan.
Petrosyan throws a head kick that Cooper semi-blocks.
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 Josh Cooper will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Cooper stalks Petrosyan and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Petrosyan's face. Petrosyan staggers backwards, shaken.
Cooper avoids the head kick by Petrosyan.
Petrosyan walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Cooper checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Cooper lunges at Petrosyan with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Petrosyan's hand.
Cooper scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Cooper throws a shot to the body.
Petrosyan throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Cooper.
Petrosyan throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Petrosyan throws a head kick but Cooper moves out of range.
Petrosyan connects with an inside leg kick.
Cooper misses the shot to the body.
Petrosyan ducks under a wild hook from Cooper.
Petrosyan throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Petrosyan lands a leg kick that knocks Cooper off balance momentarily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Petrosyan was well out of range. Poor timing from Cooper.
Petrosyan misses with a head kick.
Petrosyan buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Petrosyan misses with a low kick.
Petrosyan scores with a leg kick.
Cooper on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Petrosyan swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Cooper counters with a two punch combo.
Some bone on bone action there as Cooper checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Petrosyan throws a leg kick but Cooper sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Petrosyan scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Petrosyan misses with a low kick.
Petrosyan connects with a solid leg kick.
The crowd cheers as Cooper lands an impressive looking overhand right. Petrosyan doesn't seem phased though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan throws a low kick, looking for Cooper's leg but Cooper calmly moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Petrosyan.
Petrosyan wants to clinch but Cooper slips to the side
and Cooper counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Donk. Cooper catches Petrosyan right on the button with a cross.
Petrosyan throws a head kick that misses.
Petrosyan thumps Cooper with a low kick.
Petrosyan connects with an inside leg kick.
Petrosyan throws a front kick aimed at Cooper's knee but Cooper avoids it well.
Cooper throws a right and a left that Petrosyan avoids nicely.
Petrosyan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cooper throws a jab when Petrosyan was well out of range.
Cooper stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan misses the body punch
and Cooper counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cooper jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Petrosyan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cooper closes the distance looking to clinch
and Petrosyan counters with an outside leg kick.
Cooper lands with a nice combination. Petrosyan backs away looking to recover.
Petrosyan fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Petrosyan. That's going to slow Cooper down.
Petrosyan fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cooper.
Petrosyan slips under a jab.
Petrosyan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cooper.
Petrosyan is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Cooper rather than just go for the knockout.
Petrosyan connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan misses with a leg kick.
Cooper takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Petrosyan on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Petrosyan throws a nice head kick!
Petrosyan tries to clinch up.
Petrosyan throws a nice inside leg kick.
Cooper throws a hook but Petrosyan blocks it.
Cooper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Petrosyan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A slapping leg kick lands for Petrosyan.
Cooper misses with a straight right.
Petrosyan misses with a head kick.

Cooper clinches up against the cage.
Cooper is trying to break the clinch but Petrosyan is controlling him.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Giorgio Petrosyan.
Well Petrosyan has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Giorgio Petrosyan!