PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Odd Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bert Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thomas
vs
Cooper

188 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
26
250 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight 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, Odd Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bert Cooper!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Thomas.
Cooper throws a hook but Thomas blocks it.
Thomas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cooper lands with a shot to the body.
Thomas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cooper throws a jab but it's blocked by Thomas.
Cooper connects with a nice looking jab.
Thomas bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cooper just misses with a punch to the body.
Thomas wants to clinch.
Cooper missing with a left hand there. Thomas was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cooper scores with a hook to the body. Thomas takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Cooper throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Thomas sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cooper misses with a straight left.
Cooper misses with an uppercut. Thomas saw that one coming.
Cooper defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Thomas.
Nice defenses there by Thomas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas lands with a kick to the temple. Cooper shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Cooper lands a jab to the head.
Thomas slips under a jab.
Thomas ducks under a wild hook from Cooper.

Thomas has taken the fight to the clinch.
Thomas tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Thomas displaying some good clinch control by pressing Cooper up against the cage.
Thomas is looking to control Cooper's arms but Cooper gets an underhook and turns him. Now Thomas has his back to the cage.
Thomas tries a knee to the head but Cooper blocks it.
Cooper is trying to break the clinch but Thomas has him pressed against the cage.

Cooper decides to pull guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cooper working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thomas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas looking to sit in guard and control but Cooper gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cooper preventing the sweep.
Thomas wants to stand and escape but Cooper is having none of it.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.

Cooper stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Cooper is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Thomas steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cooper.
Cooper swings for the body but Thomas moves out of range.
Cooper throws a shot from downtown. Thomas moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas moves away from the strike by Cooper.
Thomas scores with a spinning back kick!
Thomas slips a jab from Cooper.
Thomas steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cooper.
Cooper throws a jab but it's blocked by Thomas.
Cooper punishes Thomas's body with a nice straight punch.
Cooper should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Thomas feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Cooper's calf.
Thomas doesn't manage to clinch there - Cooper circles away.
Cooper dips to his left and cracks Thomas with an uppercut!
Thomas takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Thomas is defended easily by Cooper.
Thomas on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Cooper misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thomas.
Cooper throws a jab but it's blocked by Thomas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper misses with a looping left.
Thomas moves out of range as Cooper strikes.

Cooper tries to sprawl but Thomas drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cooper is not content to let Thomas control the position.
Thomas is breathing heavily.
Cooper holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Thomas is trying to control. Cooper wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Cooper makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Cooper misses with a looping left.
Cooper throws out a loose jab but Thomas uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bert Cooper dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thomas drops his hands momentarily and Cooper takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Thomas moves out of range as Cooper strikes.
Thomas tries for a takedown but Cooper sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Thomas bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Thomas throws a head kick that misses.
Thomas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Thomas closes the distance and clinches.
Thomas is pressed up against the cage. Cooper has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Thomas down to the mat. Thomas avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Cooper jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cooper swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cooper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cooper throws the left hand but Thomas avoids the punch easily.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Cooper has eaten all the pies!
Cooper misses with a looping left.
A cross from Cooper lands.
Thomas wants to clinch.
Cooper lands a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper throws a looping overhand right but Thomas ducks down to avoid it.
Bert Cooper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thomas tries to clinch up.
Cooper looks to land a right hand but Thomas moved out of range.

Thomas has closed the distance and engaged Cooper in a clinch.
Thomas with a knee to the head.

It looks like Bert Cooper has been cut.
Cooper takes a knee right on the jaw!
Thomas throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cooper blocks it with crossed arms.
Thomas is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Cooper is keeping busy.
The referee calls for Thomas to work.
Thomas tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cooper wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Thomas has Cooper pressed against the cage, preventing Cooper from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thomas has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Cooper after a bit of a struggle.
Thomas looking to throw knees to the head but Cooper is blocking nicely.
Thomas is trying to maintain a safe position but Cooper gets an underhook and turns Thomas into the cage.
Cooper tries to pull guard but Thomas won't allow it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooper is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Odd Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cooper goes for a takedown attempt but Thomas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Cooper just misses with a punch to the body.
Thomas bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Thomas blocks a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cooper. Thomas does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Thomas avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cooper loads up on a big right hand but Thomas slips the punch.
A slow jab from Cooper misses its intended target.
Cooper looks to land a right hand but Thomas moved out of range.
Cooper might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Cooper throws a big shot that misses.
Thomas doesn't manage to clinch there - Cooper circles away.
Thomas on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Cooper pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cooper throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Thomas sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thomas has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cooper finds it's way round the side to connect with Thomas's head.
Cooper thows a left - swing and a miss!

Thomas takes the fight into the clinch.
Cooper tries to break the clinch but Thomas is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas leaning against his opponent.
Thomas missing with knees to the body.
Cooper blocks an uppercut.
Thomas letting Cooper take a breather here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Thomas has a couple of punches blocked by Cooper.
Cooper has Thomas pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Thomas manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Thomas gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cooper.
Thomas is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cooper is defending well for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cooper tries to pull guard but Thomas forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thomas controlling the action here for a moment.
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 Odd Thomas will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bert Cooper's cut.
That's time! Thomas's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cooper moves out of range of the body kick from Thomas.
Cooper looks to land a right hand but Thomas moved out of range.
Thomas doesn't manage to clinch there - Cooper circles away.
Cooper keeps the fight on the outside.
Cooper misses with a wild body shot.
Thomas looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Cooper swats away the attempt to clinch by Thomas.
Thomas staying out of range there.
Cooper lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Thomas at a distance.
Thomas uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cooper.
Sloppy strikes from Cooper. Those never looked like landing.
Thomas thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Cooper if he has to take too many more of those.
Cooper pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas pushes Cooper away with a front kick.
Thomas defending well as Cooper loads up on a big left hand.
Cooper takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thomas displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cooper throws out the jab.

Thomas closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cooper gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Thomas.
Thomas connects with a nasty looking knee right to Cooper's face.
Cooper is trying to break the clinch but Thomas is controlling him.
Thomas putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Cooper in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Cooper prevents the takedown attempt.
Thomas tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Thomas landing knees to the head.
Thomas throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cooper blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper is trying to push Thomas away but Thomas has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Thomas landing knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thomas tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cooper avoids it.
Thomas wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Odd Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cooper's efforts to push away.
Cooper is trying to drag Thomas to the mat but Thomas just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Stalling in the clinch from Cooper.
Cooper looking to stall.
Thomas misses with a punch on the inside.
Cooper trying to stall but Thomas improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cooper blocks it with crossed arms.
Thomas avoids a wild elbow strike from Cooper.

Cooper gets control of Thomas's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cooper will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Thomas tries to free his leg and advance position but Cooper is retaining full guard.
Thomas trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cooper manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cooper moves to the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas can't escape the position.
Cooper controls the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

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 Odd Thomas.
I think Thomas 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Odd Thomas!