PBP Commentary

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

Cooper
vs
Nikon

172 cm
26
158 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

225 cm
27
152 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite 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 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Milton Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sekonic Nikon!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nikon is looking to clinch.

Cooper clinches up against the cage.

Cooper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cooper throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nikon.
Cooper misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nikon darts in looking for a takedown but Cooper gets double underhooks and turns Nikon into the cage.

Cooper fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nikon, pushing him back against the cage.
Knees to the body from Cooper.

Nikon manages to pull guard.

Nikon is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Cooper wants to control from the top but Nikon keeps moving.
Cooper working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nikon's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikon wants to improve his position but instead Cooper has moved into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Nikon manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Cooper has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cooper would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Nikon is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Nikon has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Cooper is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Nikon.
Nikon is looking to regain half guard here but Cooper keeps moving and retains side control.
Nikon takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Nikon manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Nikon is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cooper has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper manages to get to full guard.

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

Nikon has an active guard here but Cooper has managed to pass into half guard.
Nikon is trying to control but Cooper passes into side control!

Cooper has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikon tries to clinch but Cooper is having none of it.
Cooper shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Nikon defends it nicely.
Nikon tries to counter by closing the distance.
Nikon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cooper looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Cooper misses with a takedown attempt

so Nikon counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cooper trying to control the position.
Nikon must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Nikon trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cooper scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper striking off his back but it's not causing Nikon any problems.
Cooper wants to control but Nikon passes easily into half guard.
Cooper might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Nikon is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Nikon not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cooper is refusing to be controlled, as Nikon sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Milton Cooper dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nikon throws a right and a left that Cooper avoids nicely.
Nikon shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cooper defends it nicely.
Nikon fails with the takedown

and Cooper holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Cooper pulls Nikon into guard.
Nikon throws a strike but Cooper rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Nikon is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nikon preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nikon can do anything to dispel that myth.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nikon throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nikon trying to keep a closed guard but Cooper is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikon keeping moving, preventing Cooper from controlling successfully.

Nikon throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Nikon throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Cooper escapes and throws Nikon's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Nikon can't do much from the bottom here.
Cooper has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Cooper is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Nikon knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Nikon looks to move to half guard but instead Cooper has passed into mount! Damn!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikon reaches up to try and control the position but Cooper seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Nikon rolls and tries to escape and now Cooper has his back!
Cooper keeps control of the position as Nikon tries to break free.
Cooper trying to control momentarily.
Cooper throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Nikon!

Cooper is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Nikon is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Nikon is trying to break free.
Nikon wants to get back to his feet.
Cooper avoiding Nikon 's attempts to control his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cooper working for a choke but Nikon is defending well.
Nikon tries to escape the position.
Cooper trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Cooper has the hooks in. Nikon is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Nikon defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Cooper's arms.
Nikon wants to control his opponent's hands but Cooper gets his hands free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Cooper.
Cooper is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nikon can do to turn this around?

Cooper tightening his grip on Nikon, looking for the choke.
You can see the frustration on Nikon's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Cooper is not going to allow Nikon to sit and survive in this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nikon is in bad spot here.

Cooper is persistently looking for the submission but Nikon is defending it well.
Nikon trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Milton Cooper dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Cooper feints and as Nikon raises his hands in defense, Cooper changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cooper trying to control but Nikon is working from the bottom.
Milton Cooper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Nikon working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Cooper has passed into half guard!

Nikon looking for submissions off his back.
Cooper tries to pass to full mount but Nikon defends it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nikon is refusing to be controlled, as Cooper sits in half guard.

Nikon with the active half guard here but Cooper passes nicely into side control.
Cooper trying to control the action but Nikon is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Nikon tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Cooper landing strikes from the mount.
Nikon wants to hold on but Cooper pushes him away.
Nikon tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cooper works his way to his opponent's back.
Nikon can't escape the position.

Cooper is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Cooper is not going to allow Nikon to sit and survive in this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cooper has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Nikon is really stuck here.

Cooper tightening his grip on Nikon, looking for the choke.
Nikon wants to control his opponent's hands but Cooper gets his hands free.
Nikon tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

Cooper stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Nikon throws a series of punches but Cooper moves out of range.
Nikon throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cooper's waist but Cooper gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Nikon off to one side.
Milton Cooper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nikon takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cooper shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Nikon sprawls well. Nikon wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cooper gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cooper.
A control attempt from Nikon but he's now mounted!
Cooper looking to control and managing it successfully.
Cooper lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Cooper prevents Nikon from getting the reversal.
Milton Cooper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikon is still trying to improve position.
Cooper connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Cooper trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nikon taking shots to the head.
Cooper with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

Cooper is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Nikon to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Nikon shrugs it off.

Cooper looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nikon tries to lock up and control but Cooper gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sekonic Nikon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nikon working to try and regain half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Milton Cooper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cooper has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Milton Cooper!
Milton Cooper seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.