PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Graig Cooke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and AJ Sampz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cooke
vs
Sampz

174 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

225 cm
25
147 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Graig Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, AJ Sampz!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Chris Saunders and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cooke throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Sampz tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Cooke is in Sampz's guard.

Sampz pushes Cooke off and gets back to his feet.
Sampz connects with a body shot that sends Cooke's belly button to the back.
AJ Sampz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sampz looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sampz tries to pass to full mount but Cooke defends it.
Cooke is not content to let Sampz control the position.
Cooke trying to control here.
Cooke preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke gets back to full guard.
Sampz looking to sit in guard and control but Cooke gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sampz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cooke is one step ahead there.
Cooke throwing strikes but missing.
Cooke tries to stand but Sampz is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cooke throwing strikes from guard but Sampz blocks nicely.
Cooke stands up over Sampz, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Sampz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cooke is aware though and is defending well.
Sampz is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cooke working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Cooke drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sampz dives on top into guard.

Sampz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sampz trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cooke looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sampz is one step ahead there.
Sampz trying to control but Cooke is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Sampz really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cooke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sampz wants to control from the top but Cooke keeps moving.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sampz gets to his feet - Cooke follows without any prompting.

Cooke fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sampz, pushing him back against the cage.
Cooke controlling the action here for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sampz prevents Cooke from breaking the clinch.
Cooke stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Sampz manages to pull guard.

Cooke is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sampz is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sampz has escaped and now he's on top!

Sampz stands up from guard. Let's bang!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cooke is defended easily by Sampz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Sampz 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.

Sampz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A thudding body kick lands there by Sampz!

Sampz darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Cooke is concentrating on defense, preventing Sampz from advancing position.
Cooke moves into full guard.
Sampz trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
AJ Sampz has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sampz controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sampz trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sampz passes Cooke's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Cooke is staying active underneath Sampz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sampz with the ground and pound but Cooke uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Sampz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sampz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cooke avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cooke might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cooke utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sampz is fighting to break Cooke's control of his arms but Cooke is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sampz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sampz trying to control but Cooke is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cooke tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sampz swivels and escapes.
Sampz tries to clinch there but Cooke circles away.
Sampz lands an overhand right.
Sampz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cooke tries to clinch up but Sampz circles away and keeps his distance.
Sampz is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Cooke with a body shot.
Sampz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cooke defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampz shoots in for a double leg but Cooke sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sampz goes for a double leg but Cooke avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Cooke continues to drive forward.
Graig Cooke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Sampz.
Cooke swats away the attempt to clinch by Sampz.

Cooke clinches.
Sampz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cooke's efforts to push away.
Cooke gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sampz.
Cooke has had enough of the clinch but Sampz keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke avoiding damage.
Cooke gets underhooks to prevent Sampz's takedown attempt.
Cooke is trying to force a seperation but Sampz has the dominant position.
Cooke holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Cooke is trying to stall.
Sampz is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Sampz tries for a takedown but Cooke manages to get underhooks.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sampz is looking to take this one to the mat.
Sampz is breathing heavily.
Cooke slowing the pace effectively.
Sampz looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but AJ Sampz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sampz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cooke tries to counter by clinching up but Sampz breaks away and moves out of range.

Sampz gets a double leg takedown into Cooke's guard.
Sampz content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Sampz looking to pass the guard.
Sampz pushes down on Cooke's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Cooke has his hands clasped together around Sampz's back. He's all about the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cooke has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Sampz is on him like a limpet, forcing Cooke back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sampz manages to break the clinch.
A punch combination from Sampz misses.
Cooke wants to clinch.
And Sampz tries to counter it with a takedown but Cooke pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Cooke darts in and clinches Sampz up against the cage.
Cooke on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Sampz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Sampz tries to keep at a distance but Cooke has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sampz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cooke prevents it.
Cooke pressing his opponent against the cage.
Sampz jumps guard but Cooke turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Cooke dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Cooke displaying some good clinch control by pressing Sampz up against the cage.
Sampz fails to pull guard.
Graig Cooke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Sampz.
Cooke taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sampz tries to pull guard but Cooke forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cooke prevents Sampz from breaking the clinch.
Sampz tries to pull guard but Cooke won't allow it.
Sampz keeps control of Cooke as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sampz is trying to force a seperation but Cooke has the dominant position.
A shot in the inside from Sampz.

Cooke manages to break the clinch.
Graig Cooke is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice takedown defense from Cooke. No joy for Sampz on that attempt.
Cooke is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Sampz.
Sampz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sampz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cooke pinned against the cage. Cooke gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Cooke forces Sampz back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cooke is trying to break free.
Sampz lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Cooke working hard to break the clinch.
Cooke has Sampz pressed against the cage.
Sampz jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cooke walks away with a smile on his face. Sampz gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Cooke takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Cooke shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sampz manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sampz has momentary wrist control but Cooke slips an elbow through the middle.
Graig Cooke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
AJ Sampz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sampz trying to keep a closed guard but Cooke is proving a slippery customer.

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 Graig Cooke.
I think Sampz 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... AJ Sampz!