PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alasdair Thacker (ranked 1417 p4p, 194 weight class) and Matt Cooke (ranked 1482 p4p, 199 weight class). Matt Cooke acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Thacker
vs
Cooke

175 cm
32
197 lbs
17 - 12 - 0

185 cm
28
203 lbs
16 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Alasdair Thacker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matt Cooke!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thacker tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cooke was well out of range. Poor timing from Thacker.
Cooke just misses with a punch to the body.
Cooke moves out of range as Thacker strikes.
Thacker misses with a body shot
and Cooke counters with a straight right hand.
A shot to the body from Cooke misses
and Thacker counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cooke thinking.
A lazy left from Thacker finds it's target.
Thacker throws out a loose jab but Cooke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cooke attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Cooke clinches with his opponent.
Cooke lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Thacker pushes Cooke back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Thacker escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thacker is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cooke.
Cooke dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Thacker. That did some damage!
Cooke dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Thacker. That did some damage!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thacker ducks under a wild hook from Cooke.
Cooke tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thacker counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thacker throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thacker lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cooke's sensitive parts.
A big left from Thacker misses.
Cooke goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Cooke closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Cooke connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cooke misses with a body kick.
Thacker swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cooke throws a front kick aimed at Thacker's knee but Thacker avoids it well.
Thacker thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cooke throws a chopping leg kick but Thacker manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
A good leg kick by Cooke.
Thacker throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cooke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thacker takes a jab right on the kisser.
Cooke swings for the body but Thacker moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Thacker misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke throws a chopping leg kick but Thacker manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Thacker looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thacker, right into the meat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thacker moves out of range as Cooke throws a body kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Thacker misses the target.
Thacker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Thacker backing away here, and Cooke unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Thacker looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cooke swings widly with a right hand
enabling Thacker to counter with a crisp jab.
Thacker takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Cooke lands a really nice looking cross but Thacker seems unphased.
Cooke lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Thacker with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A big left from Cooke misses.
Cooke throws the left hand but Thacker avoids the punch easily.
Cooke connects with an inside leg kick.
Cooke ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thacker manages to avoid it.
Thacker throws a counter high kick but Cooke was just alert enough to avoid it.
Nice cross by Cooke.
Cooke misses with an uppercut
and Thacker counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cooke slips under a jab from Thacker.
Cooke is looking for the big counter here.
Cooke moves away from the strike by Thacker.
Cooke lands an overhand right.
Thacker avoids the body shot from Cooke.
Thacker throws an overhand right that lands on Cooke's shoulder, as Cooke tries to avoid the shot.
Thacker fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Matt Cooke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thacker missing with a left hand there. Cooke was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cooke does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Thacker checks a leg kick.
Thacker moves out of range of the leg kick from Cooke.
Cooke fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Thacker has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cooke chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thacker moves away.
Thacker appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Cooke bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice body kick from Thacker.
Good shot there by Cooke.
Thacker uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cooke.
Cooke thows a left - swing and a miss!
A decent looking cross lands there for Cooke.
Cooke throws a looping overhand right but Thacker ducks down to avoid it.
Thacker misses with the combination.
Cooke is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Thacker had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Cooke looks to land a combination. Thacker sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Thacker moves out of range as Cooke strikes.
Thacker throwing a counter right hand but Cooke manages to avoid it.
Thacker throws a body shot but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cooke tries to clinch but Thacker moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Thacker throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Cooke dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Thacker feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Cookes jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Thacker misses with a hook.

Cooke moves into range and clinches up with Thacker.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thacker.
Cooke lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Thacker backwards.
Thacker blocking some punches.
Thacker lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cooke is looking to control Thacker's arms but Thacker gets an underhook and turns him. Now Cooke has his back to the cage.
Thacker misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cooke misses with the head strike.
Thacker misses with a hook from the clinch.
Thacker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A nice left hand lands by Thacker.
Cooke tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thacker's elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch on the inside from Thacker fails to land.
Cooke tries a body shot but Thacker blocks it.
Cooke throws a head punch that misses.
Thacker misses with a punch to the body.
Cooke misses with a shot to the kidneys.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thacker.
Thacker tries a body shot but Cooke blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thacker blocking some punches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Cooke.

Thacker manages to break the clinch.
Cooke misses with a leg kick
and Thacker counters with a slapping leg kick.
Cooke chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Thacker lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Thacker.
Cooke throws a jab when Thacker was well out of range.
Thacker is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cooke missing with a left hand there. Thacker was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cooke scoring well with a low kick there.
Thacker takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Cooke misses with an attempted mid kick.
The fighters circling - Cooke throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A decent looking cross lands there for Thacker.
Cooke uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thacker misses with an uppercut. Cooke saw that one coming.
Thacker throws a body punch but Cooke moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thacker jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cooke.
Cooke uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thacker.
Thacker looks to throw the jab but Cooke is out of range.
Thacker chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Cooke can pounce on him.
Cooke swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Thacker on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cooke uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thacker.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cooke, right into the meat.
Cooke paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Cooke misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thacker was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cooke blocks a jab.
A jab lands there for Cooke.
Thacker throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cooke tries to work over Thacker's front leg with a kick but Thacker checks it.
Cooke goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thacker fails to land with a series of punches.
Cooke digs a good hook to Thacker's body.
Cooke has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Thacker throws a body punch but Cooke moves out of range.
Cooke connects with a nice looking jab.
Cooke misses with a shot to the body
and Thacker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A slow jab from Thacker misses its intended target.
Thacker scores with a jab to the jaw.
Cooke throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Thacker thows a leg kick but Cooke checks it
and Cooke counters with a series of strikes. Thacker will be more careful next time no doubt.
Cooke fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Thacker is out of range.
Thacker misses with a looping left.
Thacker throws a big shot that misses.
Cooke has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Thacker walks into a straight right hand from Cooke.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cooke checks a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thacker misses with a straight left.
A looping hook to the body misses from Thacker. Cooke does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thacker misses the shot to the body.
A good leg kick by Cooke.
Thacker throws a body shot but no joy.
Thacker throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cooke stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Cooke swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Thacker takes one on the button.
Cooke tries to land a leg kick but Thacker saw it coming and moves away.
A counter left hand to the body from Thacker misses its target.
Nice shot lands for Cooke.
Nice defenses there by Cooke.
Cooke looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cooke's jab looks to have found its range, popping Thacker under the eye.
Cooke fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thacker throws a body kick that misses.
Cooke throws a left and a right that both miss
and Thacker counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Matt Cooke will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cooke scoring well with a low kick there.
Thacker moves forwards but Cooke connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Cooke misses with a two punch combination.
A jab from Thacker misses.
Thacker rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cooke moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cooke is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Cooke takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Thacker moves out of range of the body kick from Cooke.
Thacker lands with a kick to the ribs.
Thacker with a nice cross.
Cooke changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cooke is looking to clinch.
Cooke missing with a left hand there. Thacker was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Thacker jabbing away but nothing is landing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thacker checks a leg kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Thacker misses.
A big left from Cooke misses.
A little feinted left hand from Thacker on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Thacker uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cooke.
Cooke lands with an overhand left.
Thacker looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Thacker bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cooke connects with a solid leg kick.
Cooke scores with a leg kick.
Thacker swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cooke throws a looping overhand right but Thacker ducks down to avoid it.
Cooke scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Thacker throws a body punch but Cooke moves out of range.
Thacker throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cooke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thacker throws a body shot but no joy.
Cooke scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke throws a lazy right hand but Thacker sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Thacker was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Thacker blocks the body kick.
Cooke buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Thacker tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cooke was well out of range. Poor timing from Thacker.
Cooke lands a nice shot that snaps Thacker's head back.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thacker misses with a wild body shot.
Cooke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thacker on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cooke lands a nice leg kick that just misses Thacker's sensitive parts.
Cooke slips under a jab from Thacker.
Thacker lands a nice hook to Cooke's body. Cooke takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cooke throws a lazy right hand but Thacker sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cooke chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Thacker throws a looping overhand right but Cooke ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Cooke is predictable there
and Thacker counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Cooke throws a hook but Thacker avoids it easily.
Thacker is looking to counter punch.
Cooke does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Cooke feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Thackers jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Thacker tries to land a body kick
and Thacker takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Thacker tests Cooke's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Thacker moves out of range of the strikes.
Alasdair Thacker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thacker throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cooke throws a body punch but Thacker moves out of range.
Thacker tries a low kick but Cooke avoids it.
Thacker drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Cooke rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Thacker on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cooke connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Matt Cooke is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cooke lands with an uppercut that bounces Thacker off the cage and back into range.
Cooke looks to land a right hand but Thacker moved out of range.
Cooke throws a leg kick but Thacker checks it.
Cooke stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Thacker.
Thacker looks to throw the jab but Cooke is out of range.
Thacker just misses with a punch to the body.
Cooke throws a leg kick but Thacker checks it.
Matt Cooke seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cooke throws a leg kick that misses.
A low kick from Thacker is predictable there
and Cooke counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thacker digs a good hook to Cooke's body.
Cooke slips a jab from Thacker.
Cooke scores with a nice right hand.
Cooke throws a leg kick
and Thacker counters with a leg kick.
Cooke lands with a straight right. Thacker didn't see that one coming.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Cooke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cooke has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Cooke!
After the fight, Matt Cooke was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.