PBP Commentary

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

Cooke
vs
Kresh

187 cm
18
177 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

169 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cecil Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, James Kresh!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Sosuke Kotani and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cooke fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kresh to the ground. Cooke is now in Kresh's guard.
Cooke wanted to stand there but Kresh had control of the position.

Kresh manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Kresh is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Kresh drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cooke gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cooke with an attempt at a knee that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooke is trying to force a seperation but Kresh has the dominant position.
Cooke tries to land knees in the clinch but Kresh avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kresh managing to block the knees to the body from Cooke.

Kresh pulls guard effortlessly.
Kresh is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Kresh is working for a kimura but Cooke is defending it quite comfortably.

Kresh is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Cooke defends it well.

Kresh seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cooke is defending against the submission attempts here by Kresh.
Still in half guard, Kresh seems content to control.
Kresh is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Cooke!
Cooke is squirming around, avoiding Kresh's attempts to control the action.

Kresh is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Cooke can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Kresh with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kresh jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Cooke is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Cooke and Kresh has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kresh wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cooke, who protects the arm well.
Kresh moves into full mount!
Cooke reaches up and holds on to Kresh to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kresh trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kresh wants to take Cooke's back here but Cooke is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cooke gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Kresh dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cooke scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kresh manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Cooke preventing the sweep.
Cooke has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kresh avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cooke is looking to stand up but Kresh won't let him.
Cooke being controlled here momentarily.
James Kresh has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kresh lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kresh passes into half guard.

Kresh is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Kresh looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Cooke wants to control the action here but instead Kresh manages to pass to full mount!
Cooke knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kresh on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kresh looking for a guillotine from mount but Cooke is having none of it.

Kresh has control of Cooke's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Cooke regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Kresh working for a submission but Cooke is keeping him at bay.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kresh works his way to his opponent's back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kresh is looking for the choke from the back position but Cooke is controlling his hands well.

Kresh has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Kresh has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kresh avoiding Cooke 's attempts to control his hands.

Kresh working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Kresh is breathing heavily.

Kresh is persistently looking for the submission but Cooke is defending it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kresh is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Cooke has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Kresh patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Kresh avoiding Cooke 's attempts to control his hands.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kresh is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Will Kresh go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Kresh showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Cooke's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kresh gets the takedown into side control.

Kresh tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Kresh is trying to get an arm triangle but Cooke is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kresh is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cooke has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kresh 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.
Kresh moves into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kresh goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Cooke is on top in guard.
Kresh looking for a sweep. Not yet Kresh, not yet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cooke accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cooke wanted to stand there but Kresh had control of the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kresh is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kresh passes Cooke's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Kresh is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Cooke defends it well.
Kresh takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kresh moves into full mount! Cooke won't be happy about that!
Cooke is controlling an arm, preventing Kresh from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Kresh tries to control but Cooke wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kresh trying to control but Cooke is having none of it.
Kresh avoids the attempt from Cooke to control.
Kresh sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Kresh has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Cooke is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). James Kresh!