PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between David Copeland (ranked 6434 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muko Ali (ranked 6456 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Copeland
vs
Ali

161 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
185 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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, David Copeland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Muko Ali!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Columbo Gatti and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ali fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Copeland to the ground. Ali is now in Copeland's guard.

Copeland wriggles free and stands up.

Copeland moves into the clinch.
Copeland fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Ali breaks the clinch.

Copeland tries to sprawl but Ali drives through with a takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Copeland is looking for a sweep. Ali is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ali is thwarting Copeland's attempts to control the position.
Ali is looking to advance position but Copeland won't allow it.
Copeland is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Copeland might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Copeland is doing well to control the position and prevent Ali from advancing to side control.
Ali is trying to control. Copeland wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ali in particular looking to stall.
Copeland keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Copeland wants to control but Ali is keeping busy.
Ali trying to control the action but Copeland is working from the bottom.
Ali working Copeland over with strikes.
Ali wants to stand but Copeland has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Copeland wants to control but Ali is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Copeland could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ali content to control rather than advance.

That's two 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.
Ali is thwarting Copeland's attempts to control the position.
Copeland is staying active underneath Ali, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Copeland flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ali tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Copeland is looking to counter punch.
Ali fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ali tries to clinch up.
Ali just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromCopeland.
A head kick from Ali lands but Copeland takes it in his stride.

It looks like David Copeland has been cut.
Copeland looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ali closes the distance and pushes Copeland back into the cage.

Ali breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ali looks for a takedown but Copeland sprawls well.

Ali closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Copeland did well to prevent Ali getting side control.
Copeland wants to control but Ali is keeping busy.
Copeland wants to improve his position but Ali is controlling well.
Copeland trying to control but Ali postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Copeland looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ali is looking to advance position but Copeland won't allow it.
Ali looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Copeland pushes Ali off looking to stand but Ali dives back in and keeps control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Ali is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Copeland doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ali.
Ali prevents Copeland from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muko Ali dominated that round.
The cut man is working on David Copeland's cut.
That's time! Copeland's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ali closes the distance and clinches.
Ali jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Copeland walks away with a smile on his face. Ali gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Ali drives through with a takedown into Copeland's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Copeland has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ali can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Copeland is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Copeland keeping moving, preventing Ali from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Copeland is pulling down on Ali's head to control his posture.
Copeland wants to hit a switch here but Ali passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Copeland there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali controlling from the full mount.
Ali prevents Copeland from getting the reversal.
Ali trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ali connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Ali working for a guillotine from mount but Copeland is in no mood to give up.
Copeland wants to hold on but Ali pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Copeland reaches up to try and control the position but Ali seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Copeland rolls and tries to escape and now Ali has his back!
Copeland can't escape the position.

Ali is looking for the choke from the back position but Copeland is controlling his hands well.
Ali trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Ali doesn't have the hooks in and Copeland manages to turn into his guard.
Ali is breathing heavily.
Copeland is standing up over Ali. Ali looks to escape but Copeland dives into side control.
Ali parries the strikes from Copeland easily there. Copeland is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Ali to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Muko Ali has got the better of the ground game so far.

Copeland working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ali on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Copeland is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Ali will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ali is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Copeland is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ali has escaped the position, nice work there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ali is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ali wants to control but Copeland postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muko Ali showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on David Copeland's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ali goes for a double leg but Copeland avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Copeland continues to drive forward.
Ali closes the distance and clinches up with Copeland, looking for a takedown. Ali pushes Copeland against the cage but Copeland circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Copeland is looking for a counter combo.
Copeland shoots for a double leg takedown but Ali sprawls well. He's pushed Copeland's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Copeland closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Ali's guard.
Copeland loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ali looking to control.
Copeland throws an elbow that misses. Ali uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Copeland's guard. Nice move by Ali!

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ali postures up.
Copeland bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ali's guard.

Ali is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali is still trying to improve position.
Ali takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ali doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Ali preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Copeland thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Ali is striking from the bottom but Copeland uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Copeland controlling the action here.
Ali is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Copeland scores with a couple of nice shots.

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.
Ali is trying to maintain the position but Copeland is very close to passing his half guard.
Copeland lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Copeland missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ali works his way to full guard. Good work.
Copeland postures up in Ali's guard and throws a big left but Ali blocks it.
Ali working a defensive guard but Copeland passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Copeland controlling the pace.

Ali looking for submissions off his back.
Ali is looking to control Copeland's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ali avoid being mounted?

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ali throws a sloppy body shot
letting Copeland counter with a right hand.

Copeland shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Copeland showed some decent athleticism there.
Ali is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Copeland scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Copeland is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ali is just riding it out for now. Copeland eventually gives up the hold.
Ali wants to get back to full guard but Copeland has passed into side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Copeland is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ali knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Copeland showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ali 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Muko Ali!