PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shawn Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Troy Annuck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Cook
vs
Annuck

190 cm
24
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

185 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Self confident

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Intelligent

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shawn Cook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Troy Annuck!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cook tries to clinch
and Annuck counters with a stiff right hand.
Cook ducks under a wild hook from Annuck.
Annuck throws a body punch but Cook moves out of range.
Cook tries to clinch but Annuck moves away
and Annuck counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cook tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Annuck counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Nice shot lands for Annuck.
Cook looks to clinch
enabling Annuck to counter with a crisp jab.
Cook darts in trying to clinch
and Annuck counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Annuck circles away from the clinch attempt
and Annuck counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cook with a lazy takedown attempt

and Annuck counters with a takedown into side control.
Cook is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Annuck has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The referee asks Annuck politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Annuck prefers to stall for the moment though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
You can see the frustration on Cook's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Annuck controls the position from side control.
Annuck lands a nice forearm strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Annuck tries to stand but Cook is controlling his head.
Annuck working away.
Cook tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Cook manages to get back to half guard.
Cook looks like he's trying to stand up.
Annuck wants to get back to his feet.

Cook manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Cook bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Annuck's jab looks to have found its range, popping Cook under the eye.
Annuck lands a jab-cross combination.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cook.

Cook looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Annuck really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cook. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cook is breathing heavily.
Annuck is looking to escape.
Cook seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cook slips a nice elbow through Annuck's hands, connecting with Annuck's forehead.
Annuck keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Cook is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Annuck defends it well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cook tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Annuck.
Annuck is looking to improve his position.
Annuck on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cook sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Annuck defending well though.
Annuck is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Cook scores with a couple of nice shots.
Annuck looks like he's trying to stand up.
Cook seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cook working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Cook postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Annuck to stand up.
Cook throws a left and a right that both miss
and Annuck counters with a straight right hand.
Cook wants to clinch up but Annuck keeps it at a distance.
Annuck waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cook.
Annuck swats away the attempt to clinch by Cook.
Cook tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cook changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Annuck tries to avoid it but Cook manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Annuck to the ground. Annuck escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shawn Cook. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Annuck lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook wants to clinch up but Annuck keeps it at a distance.
Cook tries to clinch there but Annuck circles away.
Cook tries to clinch up
and Annuck counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cook thinking.
Annuck slips a jab and a cross from Cook.
Cook tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Annuck connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cook fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cook fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Annuck catches Cook with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Cook tries to clinch but Annuck is having none of it.
Annuck stuffs the takedown attempt from Cook. Cook gets slowly back to his feet.
Annuck scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cook doesn't seem bothered though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Annuck showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cook.
Annuck ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cook tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Annuck connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Troy Annuck will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cook moves in looking to clinch but Annuck pushes him off.
Cook fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cook closes the distance but Annuck moves to the side
and Cook takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cook wants to clinch
and Annuck counters with a left and a right that stings Cook.
Annuck circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Annuck counter with a right hand.
Cook tries to clinch up
and Annuck counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cook is defended easily by Annuck.
Annuck with a nice cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cook closes the distance but Annuck moves to the side
enabling Annuck to counter with a crisp jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cook takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cook misses with a takedown
and Annuck counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shawn Cook. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook shoots in for a takedown but Annuck shows good takedown defense.
Cook moves to clinch but Annuck breaks away
and Annuck counters with a straight right hand.
Cook looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Annuck works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Cook tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Annuck counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Annuck.
Annuck stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cook swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Annuck wants to control from the top but Cook keeps moving.
Annuck must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cook is trying to keep Annuck in close.
Cook throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Annuck wants to stand and escape but instead Cook has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Cook advances to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Cook there.
Annuck keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cook drops an elbow to the side of Annuck's head.
Annuck is concentrating on defense, preventing Cook from advancing position.
Cook slips a nice elbow through Annuck's hands, connecting with Annuck's forehead.
Cook lands with a punch from half guard.

Cook escapes and gets back to his feet.
Cook takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cook closes the distance but Annuck moves to the side
and Annuck counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Shawn Cook is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cook tries to close the distance and clinch but Annuck swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Cook gets the takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Annuck wants to control but Cook postures up.
Cook misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Cook scoring with punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Annuck is trying to control Cook's posture but Cook avoids it.
Cook scoring with punches from side control.
Shawn Cook overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cook scores with a couple of short elbows.
Cook misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Annuck is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Annuck parries the strikes from Cook easily there. Cook is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Annuck to escape.
Cook working the body and head with strikes.
Annuck taking punishment in the form of punches.
Cook 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.
Cook throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Cook in side control, throwing shots but Annuck defends.
Annuck wants to get back to his feet but Cook drags him back down.
Annuck tries to get back to half guard but can't.

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.
Cook tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Annuck is working to avoid the ground and pound but Cook connects with a decent elbow.
Cook lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Annuck down.
Cook throws an elbow but Annuck slips to the side and avoids it well.
Cook lands an elbow.
Annuck is looking for a sweep.
Cook in side control lands a decent elbow.
Annuck takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Cook postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Cook scoring with punches and elbows.
Annuck isn't going anywhere.

Cook stands up and we're back to a striking 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 Shawn Cook will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cook closes the distance looking to clinch
and Annuck cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice shot lands for Annuck.
Shawn Cook seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cook takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Cook with a lazy takedown attempt
and Annuck connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cook shoots and misses
and Annuck counters with a nice uppercut.
Cook closes the distance but Annuck moves to the side
and Annuck counters with a nice uppercut.
Cook closes the distance looking to clinch
and Annuck counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cook thinking.
Cook misses with a combination
and Annuck counters with a stiff right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cook darts in trying to clinch
and Annuck counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cook moves to clinch but Annuck breaks away

and Annuck counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Annuck wants to control from the top but Cook keeps moving.
Cook looking to control.
Cook is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Annuck is holding on to half guard well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Annuck can do anything to dispel that myth.
Annuck wants to improve his position but Cook is controlling well.
Cook thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Annuck's head.

Cook stands up from half guard.
Cook looks for a takedown but Annuck sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shawn Cook. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Annuck ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook fails to land the takedown.
Cook darts in trying to clinch
and Annuck counters with a two punch combo.
Annuck misses with a looping left.

Cook closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cook goes for a takedown in the clinch but Annuck prevents it.

Cook escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cook wants to clinch but Annuck slips to the side
and Annuck counters with a stiff right hand.
Cook moves in looking to clinch but Annuck pushes him off.
Annuck throws a hook but Cook blocks it.
Cook shoots in for a double leg but Annuck sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Annuck throws a big shot that misses.
Cook fails with the takedown
and Annuck counters with a three punch combo that has Cook backing up. Cook nods at Annuck to acknowledge the strikes.
Annuck looks to land a combination but Cook avoids it well.
No luck for Cook with that takedown attempt.
Cook gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Annuck counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook looks to clinch
and Annuck counters with a one-two to the body.
Cook wants to clinch but Annuck slips to the side
and Annuck counters with a nice uppercut.
Cook avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cook wants to clinch up but Annuck keeps it at a distance.
Annuck cracks Cook with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Annuck slaps away a takedown attempt from Cook, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Annuck lands a jab to the head.

Cook moves into the clinch successfully.
Annuck blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cook lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Annuck takes a knee right on the jaw!

Cook works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Annuck is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Cook working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Annuck's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook is looking to work some ground and pound but Annuck has wrist control.
Annuck is controlling Cook's posture.
Annuck utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Annuck looking to control.
Cook with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cook throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cook postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Annuck avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cook is looking to work some ground and pound but Annuck has wrist control.

Cook stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Cook shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Annuck's guard.
Cook postures up in Annuck's guard and throws a big left but Annuck blocks it.
Cook trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cook prevents Annuck from getting back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Shawn Cook.
I think Cook has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!