PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jack Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Fitts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fitts is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Alice In Chains - No Excuses. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cooper
vs
Fitts

193 cm
29
209 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

190 cm
22
224 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jack Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricky Fitts!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Chad Campbell and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cooper fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Cooper fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Fitts sprawls well initially but Cooper persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Fitts wants to get back to full guard.
Fitts keeping control of the position.
Fitts is trying to stand up here but Cooper is controlling him well.
Cooper trying to control the action but Fitts is working from the bottom.
Fitts is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cooper missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fitts can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fitts looks like he's trying to stand up.
Fitts avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cooper.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fitts gets full guard.
Fitts is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cooper is controlling him.
Fitts avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Fitts working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cooper.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cooper's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fitts utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cooper working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fitts not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Fitts has momentary wrist control but Cooper slips an elbow through the middle.
Cooper won't allow Fitts to sweep him here.

Fitts is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Fitts looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fitts wants to break free but Cooper has control.
Fitts is trying to break the clinch but Cooper has him pressed against the cage.

Cooper jumps into guard, dragging Fitts to the mat.
Cooper looking for a sweep. Not yet Cooper, not yet.

Cooper is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Fitts is aware though and is defending well.
Cooper has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Fitts wants to control from the top but Cooper keeps moving.

Cooper is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Fitts defends well.
Fitts wants to control from the top but Cooper keeps moving.
Cooper looking for a sweep. Not yet Cooper, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cooper escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Fitts gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Fitts wants to control from the top but Cooper keeps moving.
Fitts postures up.
Fitts not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ricky Fitts hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Fitts throws a hook to the side of Cooper's head but Cooper sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cooper fails with the takedown
and Fitts counters with a nice leg kick.
Cooper ducks under a wild hook from Fitts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Fitts misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cooper.
Ricky Fitts is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fitts tries a low kick but Cooper avoids it.
Fitts throws a nice outside leg kick.
Fitts misses with a right hand

and Cooper counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Fitts pushes Cooper off and gets back to his feet.
Cooper shoots for a takedown but Fitts saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fitts throws a low kick, looking for Cooper's leg but Cooper calmly moves out of range.
Fitts slaps away a takedown attempt from Cooper, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Cooper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fitts jabs at Cooper's body.
Fitts cracks Cooper with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Cooper dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A good leg kick by Fitts.
Fitts throws a lazy right hand but Cooper sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Jack Cooper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fitts connects with a leg kick. Cooper looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Fitts throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Cooper's head.
Fitts is looking to slow Cooper down with leg kicks.
Cooper bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Fitts stuffs the takedown attempt from Cooper. Cooper gets slowly back to his feet.
Fitts misses with a wild body shot.
Fitts throws a solid leg kick but Cooper takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Fitts.
Cooper swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Fitts misses with a few strikes there.
Fitts scores with a hook.
Fitts ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cooper moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fitts throws a push kick but Cooper slaps the foot to one side.
Cooper tries to score a power double leg takedown but Fitts sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cooper somewhat.
Fitts thows a left - swing and a miss!
Fitts misses with a leg kick

so Cooper counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fitts working a defensive guard here.
Fitts working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cooper.
Cooper in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Fitts is on top in guard.
Fitts trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cooper throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Fitts is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Cooper keeping moving, preventing Fitts from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ricky Fitts was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Cooper scores with a takedown into Fitts's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper postures up.
Cooper trying to control but Fitts is working from the bottom.
Fitts wants to stand up but Cooper is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cooper accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Fitts trying to keep a closed guard but Cooper is proving a slippery customer.
Cooper throws a big right hand that misses.
Cooper missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cooper trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Fitts keeping moving, preventing Cooper from controlling successfully.
Cooper landing some decent shots from guard.
Fitts wants to get back to his feet but Cooper is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Cooper wants to control from the top but Fitts keeps moving.
Fitts is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cooper is controlling him.
Fitts wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
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 Jack 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! This is the final round!

Fitts misses with a series of wild punches.
Cooper with a lazy takedown attempt
and Fitts counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fitts tries to work over Cooper's front leg with a kick but Cooper checks it.
Fitts misses with a head kick.
Fitts throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Cooper counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cooper missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Fitts taking some punishment here, with Cooper in his half guard.
Cooper tries to pass the half guard into mount. Fitts knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Fitts keeping control of the position.
Cooper sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fitts defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fitts is trying to stand up here but Cooper is controlling him well.
Cooper thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fitts's head.
Cooper looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Fitts pushes Cooper off and gets back to his feet.
Fitts takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cooper throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Fitts's waist but Fitts gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cooper off to one side.

Cooper is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Fitts's half guard.
Cooper throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cooper not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cooper sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fitts defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cooper seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cooper throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Fitts is not content to let Cooper control the position.
Fitts wants to get back to his feet.
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. Cooper connects with a nice short shot to Fitts's temple.
Cooper takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Cooper throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cooper thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fitts keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Fitts is trying to stand up here but Cooper is controlling him well.
Cooper not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cooper sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fitts defending well though.
Cooper not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ricky Fitts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cooper not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cooper controlling the action here.

Fitts kicks Cooper off and gets back to his feet.
Cooper fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Cooper. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fitts misses with a head kick.
Jack Cooper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fitts takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Ricky Fitts seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cooper shoots in looking for a takedown. Fitts tries to sprawl out of it but Cooper keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Fitts manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cooper checks a low kick from Fitts.
Cooper misses with a takedown
and Fitts counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Cooper is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Cooper throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Fitts tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Cooper is in Fitts's guard.
Cooper throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Fitts works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Fitts has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cooper can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Cooper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cooper, 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Cooper!