PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bastian Nokia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patrick Cote (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Nokia
vs
Cote

182 cm
33
197 lbs
6 - 32 - 0

183 cm
29
196 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 6 - 32 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bastian Nokia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Patrick Cote!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cote shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Cote was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Cote throws an elbow but Nokia slips to the side and avoids it well.
Cote wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nokia keeps working.
Cote has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Nokia is squirming around, avoiding Cote's attempts to control the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cote throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Cote sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nokia blocking the ground and pound.
Cote trying to control but Nokia is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cote thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Nokia is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Cote punching from mount but Nokia doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Nokia tries to buck Cote off but he can't manage it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cote tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Nokia has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nokia is trying to stand back up.

Cote has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Nokia has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Nokia is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Cote.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nokia is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Cote is persistently looking for the submission but Nokia is defending it well.
Cote throws strikes from the back but Nokia rolls nicely and manages to end up in full guard. Nice work by Nokia.
Cote wants to get up but he can't break Nokia's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Patrick Cote dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cote gets a takedown into half guard.
Cote thows a huge punch but Nokia dodges it nicely.
Cote wants to advance to full mount but Nokia doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Cote wants to control from the top but Nokia keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cote wants to pass the guard but Nokia is keeping the position.
Cote must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cote trying to control but Nokia is working from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Cote is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Cote shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cote showed some decent athleticism there.
Cote is stalling here. Nokia is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Cote seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Nokia has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cote is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Nokia is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Cote swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Cote wants to get back to his feet.
Cote is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Nokia wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cote is desperately trying to improve his position but Nokia has a good base and remains in mount.
Cote felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Cote tries to hold on but Nokia pushes him away.
Cote is looking to improve his position but Nokia isn't that keen on the idea.
Cote tries to hold on but Nokia postures up.
Cote bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cote wants to control from the top but Nokia keeps moving.
Cote postures up in Nokia's guard and throws a big left but Nokia blocks it.
Nokia is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cote is controlling him.
Cote looking to sit in guard and control but Nokia gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Cote looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Nokia passes into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Patrick Cote will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Cote misses the shot to the body.
Nokia takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Cote shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Nokia manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Nokia wriggles free and stands up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cote shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Nokia's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cote trying to control but Nokia is working from the bottom.

Nokia is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Cote presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Cote has Nokia pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Cote pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Nokia tumbling to the mat - Cote dives into Nokia's guard.
Cote looking to sit in guard and control but Nokia gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Nokia is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cote looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Nokia puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Nokia with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Cote trying to control but Nokia postures up.
Nokia stalling.
Cote is looking for a sweep. Nokia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nokia is thwarting Cote's attempts to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Cote wants to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Cote shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Cote is looking to stall here but Nokia recovers full guard.
Nokia wants to stand but Cote is controlling the position.
Bastian Nokia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Patrick Cote is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nokia keeping moving, preventing Cote from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Patrick Cote.
Well Cote has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Patrick Cote!
Patrick Cote took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.