PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ray Griffith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Cooke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jack Cooke has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Griffith
vs
Cooke

211 cm
23
193 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

185 cm
19
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ray Griffith!
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, Jack Cooke!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cooke rushes Griffith and presses him up against the cage.

Cooke jumps guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Cooke throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Griffith is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Cooke wants to stand up but Griffith is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffith would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Cooke has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cooke tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cooke.
Griffith is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Cooke off and has taken his back!
Griffith really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Cooke.
Cooke can't escape the position.
Cooke trying to control the position but Griffith manages to sink in the hooks.
Cooke might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Griffith haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Cooke tries to roll but Griffith sticks to his back.
Griffith 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.

Griffith looking for the RNC.
Griffith tries to get the hooks in deep but Cooke pushed the leg off.
Cooke is trying to get back to his feet but Griffith has full control of the position and if anything, Cooke has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Cooke trying to control the action but Griffith just sinks the hooks in.
Griffith is riding his opponent, not letting Cooke buck him off.
Cooke tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Griffith looking to control and managing it successfully.
Griffith won't let Cooke get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Griffith landing strikes, looking to finish!
Cooke is squirming around, avoiding Griffith's attempts to control the action.
Griffith avoids the attempt from Cooke to control.
Cooke is looking to improve his position but Griffith isn't that keen on the idea.
Griffith trying to control but Cooke is having none of it.
Cooke tries to reverse the position but Griffith maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffith raining down shots from the mount!
Cooke tries to hold on but Griffith pushes him away.
Griffith prevents Cooke from getting the reversal.
Griffith scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cooke is trying to stand up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Griffith controlling the pace for now.
Cooke is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Griffith 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.

Cooke clinches with his opponent.

Cooke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Cooke looking to score a takedown here. Griffith is defending well but Cooke drives through and ends up in Griffith's guard.

Griffith is looking for a triangle but Cooke pushes his legs off easily.
Griffith tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Griffith keeping moving, preventing Cooke from controlling successfully.
Cooke advances position into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cooke is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Griffith is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Griffith is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith is not content to let Cooke control the position.
Ray Griffith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cooke is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffith tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cooke wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Griffith is working hard here to advance position.
Griffith gets back to half guard.
Cooke seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Griffith does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Griffith wants to get back to full guard but Cooke has mounted him!

Cooke has control of Griffith's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Griffith regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Cooke lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Griffith hang on?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith is looking to improve his position but Cooke isn't that keen on the idea.
The referee warns Griffith that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Griffith is squirming around, avoiding Cooke's attempts to control the action.
Cooke is landing with some decent strikes but Griffith is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Cooke trying to control but Griffith is having none of it.
Griffith manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Cooke trying to mount his opponent but Griffith defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke works his way into full mount!

Cooke get's back to his feet.
Cooke defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Griffith.
Jack Cooke is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cooke misses with a left hand
and Griffith counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cooke throws a leg kick that is checked
and Griffith counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cooke darts in and clinches Griffith up against the cage.

Griffith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Cooke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Cooke closes the distance and clinches.

Cooke wants the takedown. Griffith is fighting it off but Cooke persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Griffith's guard against the cage.
Cooke trying to control but Griffith is working from the bottom.

Griffith looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Cooke got a little sloppy there for a moment and Griffith has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cooke has managed to get both his arms back between Griffith's legs - danger averted.
Griffith looking for a sweep. Not yet Griffith, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cooke thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cooke trying to control but Griffith is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griffith is working an open guard so Cooke takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Griffith really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cooke pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Cooke fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Griffith sprawls well initially but Cooke persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Cooke trying to control from half guard but Griffith is working away.
Griffith gets back to full guard.
Griffith wants to stand and escape but Cooke is having none of it.
Cooke wanted to stand there but Griffith had control of the position.
Cooke won't allow Griffith to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke wants to get up but he can't break Griffith's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Cooke sitting in guard, not really doing much.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Griffith keeping moving, preventing Cooke from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Griffith shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cooke is trying to defend but Griffith finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Cooke has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Griffith is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith is controlling the pace.
Griffith's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Cooke is looking to control Griffith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cooke avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cooke wants to get back to full guard.
Cooke works his way to full guard. Good work.
Cooke wants to sweep but no luck.
Griffith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cooke has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Cooke drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cooke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Griffith is striking off his back. Cooke thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Cooke stands up and beckons Griffith to join him on the feet.

Cooke scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Cooke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cooke has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Cooke!