PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roy Rover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tommy Cooper is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Rover
vs
Cooper

186 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Intelligent

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Roy Rover!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Tommy Cooper!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Chris Edwards and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cooper gets caught flat footed, as Rover shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cooper keeping moving, preventing Rover from controlling successfully.
Rover missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Rover drops back looking for a leg! Cooper is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cooper manages to kick Rover off! Rover jumps back into Cooper's guard.
Cooper bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rover's guard.

Rover tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Rover looking for a guillotine here but Cooper defends easily.

Rover throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Cooper escapes and throws Rover's legs to the side, diving into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooper moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper is looking to take a break and control but Rover is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rover regains half guard.
Still in half guard, Cooper seems content to control.

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.
Cooper moves nicely into side control.
A lull in the action here.
Cooper wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rover keeps working.
Rover is trying to get back to half guard.
Cooper taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rover is looking to reverse the position.
Cooper trying to control the position but Rover is working away.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Cooper working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cooper steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rover.
Cooper doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Rover shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Rover 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.
Cooper tries to roll over but Rover keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rover trying to control the action but Cooper is working from the bottom.
Cooper wants to control but Rover is keeping busy.

Rover seems to be working for a kimura but Cooper defends the submission attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cooper is looking to control Rover's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cooper avoid being mounted?

Rover seems to be working for a kimura but Cooper defends the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A momentary lapse in concentration from Cooper enables Rover to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Cooper manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rover postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cooper keeping moving, preventing Rover from controlling successfully.
Rover showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rover throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rover looking to pass the guard.
Rover trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Rover is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cooper can do to turn this around?
Rover throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cooper works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cooper controlling the position.
Rover trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Cooper manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Cooper trying to control the position from guard on top but Rover is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cooper not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
My spies in Cozad MMA London inform me that Cooper has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Cooper forces his way into half guard.
Cooper tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rover knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rover does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Cooper is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Rover wants to control but Cooper passes into side.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cooper wants to control but Rover is keeping him busy.
Rover is trying to escape the position but Cooper is controlling the position.
Cooper works to advance to full mount. Rover defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Rover is desperately trying to improve his position but Cooper has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rover wants to control but Cooper is having none of it.
Cooper controlling from the full mount.
Cooper prevents Rover from getting the reversal.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rover wants to hold on but Cooper pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Cooper controlling from the full mount.
Rover is trying to escape the mount.
Cooper content just to control the position here.
Tommy Cooper has got the better of the ground game so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cooper can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rover is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Cooper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rover looks to throw a body kick

and Cooper counters with a shoot takedown. Rover fights it but they end up in guard.
Cooper stands and throws Rover's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Rover is looking for a sweep.
Cooper in side control, just content to control the action for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooper has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Rover!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper controlling the pace for now.
Cooper wants to control the pace but Rover is squirming around nicely.
Rover manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Still in half guard, Cooper seems content to control.
Rover is not content to let Cooper control the position.

Rover looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cooper stalling.

Rover looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cooper controlling the action here.
Cooper prevents Rover from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper is taking a breather. Rover says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Rover shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Rover wants to pass to mount but Cooper is defending the position.
Cooper keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper is trying to maintain the position but Rover is very close to passing his half guard.
Rover is looking to advance position but Cooper won't allow it.
Cooper blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rover.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rover trying to control from half guard but Cooper is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tommy Cooper.
I think Cooper 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Tommy Cooper!