PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fouad Barayev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fred Cooner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Barayev
vs
Cooner

190 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
20
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ain't Skeered Apparel

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fouad Barayev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fred Cooner!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Barayev shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Cooner's guard.
Barayev is looking to stand up but Cooner won't let him.
Barayev trying to control but Cooner is working from the bottom.
Cooner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Barayev looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Barayev gets to his feet - Cooner follows without any prompting.
Cooner throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Barayev's waist but Cooner gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cooner off to one side.
Barayev swinging wilding here.
Barayev misses with a series of wild punches.
Cooner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Barayev shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cooner but Cooner pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barayev shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Barayev is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cooner is just riding it out for now. Barayev eventually gives up the hold.
Cooner trying to control but Barayev postures up.
Cooner is trying to stand up here but Barayev is controlling him well.
Cooner is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barayev stalling away here and it's allowed Cooner to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barayev is one step ahead there.
Cooner trying to control the position.

Barayev stands up and waves to Cooner to follow him.
Barayev misses with a hook.

Barayev looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Barayev controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barayev stands up and beckons Cooner to join him on the feet.

Cooner shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Barayev's guard.
Barayev is breathing heavily.

Barayev kicks Cooner off and gets to his feet.
Barayev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Barayev rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cooner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Barayev fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cooner sprawls well initially but Barayev persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Cooner wants to control but Barayev is keeping busy.

Barayev stands up and beckons Cooner to join him on the feet.

Cooner scores with a takedown into Barayev's guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Barayev looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cooner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barayev swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Barayev scrambles and gets back to his feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Barayev.
Barayev fails to land with a series of punches.

Barayev shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Cooner is rocked!
Cooner wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Cooner is still on wobbly legs! Can Barayev finish him?
Barayev looking to control but Cooner is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Cooner seems to have recovered his senses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Barayev stands up from mount. Strange move.
Cooner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Barayev keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fouad Barayev dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cooner is looking to clinch but Barayev is avoiding it.
Barayev throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barayev misses with a head kick.
Barayev throws a head kick but Cooner moves out of range.
Cooner checks a leg kick.

Cooner fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Barayev sprawls well initially but Cooner persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Cooner prevents Barayev from improving his position.
Barayev wants to get back to his feet.
Barayev scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Cooner manages to mount him!
Barayev is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Barayev is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barayev is wriggling around trying to escape.
Barayev is squirming around, avoiding Cooner's attempts to control the action.
Barayev is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cooner get's back to his feet.
Nice defenses there by Cooner.
Cooner slips a jab and a cross from Barayev.
Barayev lands a high kick!
Barayev misses with a takedown

and Cooner decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Barayev's guard.

Cooner thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Fouad Barayev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cooner wants to stand but Barayev is controlling his posture from full guard.

Barayev is looking for a triangle but Cooner pushes his legs off easily.
Barayev managing to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barayev kicks Cooner off and gets to his feet.
Cooner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Barayev throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Fouad Barayev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barayev misses with a double jab

and Cooner counters by moving into the clinch.

Barayev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Horrible takedown by Cooner or perhaps it was just good defense by Barayev which made him look bad.
No joy there for Barayev, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Cooner has closed the distance and engaged Barayev in a clinch.

Barayev breaks from the clinch.
Cooner showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barayev.
Cooner blocks a head kick by Barayev.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barayev bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Barayev circles to his right before unloading a perfect head kick! Cooner drops to the canvas, hurt badly! Barayev follows Cooner to the ground and unloads with a series of strikes that force the referee to step in and end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:09 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Fouad Barayev!