PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vilis Valdis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vilis Valdis is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cooper
vs
Valdis

181 cm
21
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
25
155 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

North

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Aaron Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Vilis Valdis!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Donatello Bradman and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Valdis. No joy for Cooper on that attempt.
Valdis rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cooper moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Valdis closes the distance and pushes Cooper back into the cage.
Cooper can't get the takedown.

Valdis escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cooper shoots in for a double leg but Valdis sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Cooper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cooper tries to clinch up.
Valdis misses with a few strikes there.
Valdis tries to clinch but Cooper moves out of range.
Valdis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A punch combination from Valdis misses.
Cooper connects with a good right hand that stumbles Valdis. Valdis circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Valdis misses with a double jab
and Cooper makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Valdis looks winded!
Cooper shoots for a takedown but Valdis saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Cooper closes the distance and clinches.
Cooper misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Valdis.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper wants to break the clinch but can't.

Cooper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Valdis tries to clinch up

and Cooper moves into the clinch.
Valdis has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cooper avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Cooper manages to break the clinch.
Valdis misses with a lunging right hand
and Cooper counters with a right hand to the body.
Cooper shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Valdis sprawls well. Valdis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cooper gets slowly back to his feet.
Good work by Valdis as he checks the leg kick.
Valdis tries to clinch there but Cooper circles away.
Valdis lands a glancing blow to the side of Cooper's head.
Cooper doesn't manage to clinch there - Valdis circles away.
Valdis tries to clinch up but Cooper circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valdis tries to clinch up but Cooper circles away and keeps his distance.
Valdis misses with a hook.
Valdis misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cooper looks to land a body kick but Valdis moved away.
Valdis avoids the body shot from Cooper.
Cooper shoots for a double leg takedown but Valdis sprawls well. He's pushed Cooper's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Cooper forces Valdis back against the cage and clinches.
Cooper tries for a takedown. No joy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Valdis is trying to pull guard but Cooper has him pressed against the cage.
Valdis has Cooper pressed against the cage.
Valdis is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Cooper is defending well.
Cooper is looking to break free of the clinch but Valdis has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Valdis gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Valdis jumps guard but Cooper stands there with Valdis around his waist. Valdis gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Cooper pushes Valdis back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Valdis decides to pull guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Cooper wants to control from the top but Valdis keeps moving.
Cooper is fighting to break Valdis's control of his arms but Valdis is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cooper gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Valdis tries to clinch up but Cooper circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cooper.
Cooper lands with a nice combination. Valdis backs away looking to recover.
Horrible takedown by Cooper or perhaps it was just good defense by Valdis which made him look bad.
Cooper shoots in and drives through. Valdis sprawls well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Valdis tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cooper paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooper dodges the punch combination from Valdis.
Valdis throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Aaron Cooper will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Valdis paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Valdis moves into range and clinches up with Cooper.
Cooper is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Valdis pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Valdis dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Valdis is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cooper pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Cooper is trying to pull guard but Valdis has him pressed against the cage.
Cooper gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Valdis.
Cooper tries a knee to the head but Valdis blocks it.
Valdis is breathing heavily.
Cooper can't break the clinch.
Cooper tries to pull guard but Valdis won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Cooper. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cooper pulls guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cooper wants to control but Valdis passes easily into half guard.
Cooper is looking for a sweep. Valdis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Valdis throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cooper tries to get to full guard but Valdis has control of the leg.
Cooper is not content to let Valdis control the position.
Cooper wants to improve his position but Valdis is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valdis is thwarting Cooper's attempts to control the position.
Valdis prevents Cooper from improving his position.

Cooper is defending against the submission attempts here by Valdis.
Valdis with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper wants to control but Valdis is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Valdis controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cooper tries to keep at a distance but Valdis has taken the fight into the clinch.

Cooper pulls Valdis into guard.
Cooper is looking to stand up but Valdis isn't so interested in that idea.
Valdis's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Valdis stands and steps away. Cooper gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cooper has Valdis up against the cage in a clinch.
Cooper misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Valdis.
Valdis changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cooper fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cooper shoots in for a takedown but Valdis shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Cooper forces Valdis back against the cage and clinches.
The referee calls for Valdis to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Valdis stops a takedown attempt from Cooper.
Valdis has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cooper avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
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 Aaron Cooper will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Sloppy strikes from Valdis. Those never looked like landing.
Valdis throws a head kick but Cooper moves out of range.
Aaron Cooper is winning the standup battle so far.
Valdis is looking to clinch.
Valdis wants to clinch.
Cooper moves in looking to clinch but Valdis pushes him off.
Cooper closes the distance and clinches up with Valdis, looking for a takedown. Cooper pushes Valdis against the cage but Valdis circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Cooper drives through and clinches with Valdis against the cage.

Cooper breaks the clinch.
Valdis throws a low kick but Cooper avoids it.
Cooper circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cooper throws a head kick that misses.
Cooper fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cooper shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Valdis as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Cooper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Valdis has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper trying to land knees to the body.
Cooper taking a breather.

Cooper breaks from the clinch.
Cooper shoots for a double leg takedown but Valdis sprawls well. He's pushed Cooper's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Valdis has managed to clinch.
Valdis is looking for a takedown.

Valdis pulls guard successfully.
Cooper trying to control but Valdis is working from the bottom.
Cooper preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cooper not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Cooper will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper wants to stand but Valdis is controlling his posture from full guard.
Valdis throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Aaron Cooper just wasn't active enough.

Valdis gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Valdis tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cooper smiles and moves away.
Cooper blocks a head kick by Valdis.
Cooper shoots in looking for a takedown. Valdis tries to sprawl out of it but Cooper keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Valdis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valdis stuffs the takedown attempt from Cooper. Cooper gets slowly back to his feet.
Cooper tries to clinch up.
Aaron Cooper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A punch combination from Valdis misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cooper.
Valdis getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Vilis Valdis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jab, jab by Valdis - just one landing.
Valdis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Valdis throws out a loose jab but Cooper uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cooper tries to bum rush Valdis with a series of wild strikes but Valdis uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Valdis goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper keeps the fight on the outside.
Cooper shoots in looking for a takedown but Valdis manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cooper's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Valdis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Valdis tries to clinch but Cooper moves out of range.
Cooper tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Valdis defends well and Cooper ends up having to push Valdis into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Cooper goes for a takedown in the clinch but Valdis prevents it.
Cooper is trying to pull guard but Valdis turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Valdis pulls guard.
Valdis utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cooper is looking to work some ground and pound but Valdis has wrist control.
Vilis Valdis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aaron Cooper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Cooper stands up from guard. Let's bang!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Vilis Valdis.
I think Cooper 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Aaron Cooper!
Vilis Valdis was interviewed post fight and said ',,,,,,,,,,'.