PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tommy James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jared Cowen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Tuesday's Gone. 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.

James
vs
Cowen

189 cm
24
206 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

198 cm
23
215 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Vitality

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 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tommy James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jared Cowen!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Gregory Folan and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James scores with a jab to the head.
A telegraphed right hand from Cowen misses the target.
James shoots in but no luck this time.
James shoots in but no luck this time.

Cowen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cowen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from James.
Cowen wants to sweep here but James controlling him for the moment.
James wanted to stand there but Cowen had control of the position.
James trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cowen keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from James.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James wants to control from the top but Cowen keeps moving.
Cowen controlling the position.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but Cowen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Tommy James wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Cowen avoids the head kick by James.
Cowen getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
James wants to clinch but Cowen slips to the side
and Cowen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
James tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cowen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
James lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
James avoids the head kick by Cowen.
James tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cowen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cowen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Cowen.
James sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
James falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cowen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cowen throws a head kick that misses.
James fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy James. That's going to take a lot out of him.
James lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Cowen backs up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James scores with a sloppy right hand. Cowen should have avoided that one.
Cowen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cowen jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Cowen 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.
James tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cowen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten James somewhat.
Cowen misses with a low kick.

Cowen lands a big head kick that sends James tumbling to the mat! Cowen takes a step backwards and waves James back to his feet - he wants the finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
James doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Cowen counters with a head kick that drops James to the mat! James scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

James is rocked!
Cowen lands hard precision jab right on the jaw that stiffens James up and sends him tumbling to the mat! The ref grabs Cowen from behind before he can pounce. Some folks in the crowd didn't like that stoppage, but I saw James's eyes roll way back in his head, he was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:16 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Jared Cowen!
Jared Cowen was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.