PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Douglas Cooke (ranked 6882 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Mercado (ranked 5902 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Cooke
vs
Mercado

225 cm
25
140 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

164 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Douglas Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jose Mercado!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mercado fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cooke sprawls well initially but Mercado persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Mercado with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Cooke has his hands clasped together around Mercado's back. He's all about the action.
Cooke is staying active underneath Mercado, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cooke is trying to maintain the position but Mercado is very close to passing his half guard.
Mercado controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mercado is looking for a kimura but Cooke is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mercado to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado misses with a head shot. Cooke uses the momentum to regain guard.
Mercado must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cooke wants to get back to his feet but Mercado is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Cooke really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mercado trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Mercado drives through and clinches with Cooke against the cage.
Mercado makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Mercado jumps guard.
Mercado is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cooke trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mercado's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke stops Mercado from standing up.
Mercado is pulling down on Cooke's head to control his posture.
Mercado working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cooke.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cooke's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Mercado manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cooke manages to get himself to full guard.

Mercado is fighting to break Cooke's control of his arms but Cooke is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Mercado wants to stand and escape but instead Cooke has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cooke trying to control the position from guard on top but Mercado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cooke stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mercado throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mercado throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Mercado throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cooke was covering up waiting for the punch and Mercado finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Cooke wriggles free and stands up.
Cooke looks for a takedown but Mercado sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mercado shoots in and gets a takedown into Cooke's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mercado slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Mercado wants to control from the top but Cooke keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mercado postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Mercado dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Mercado has taken the fight to the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Cooke changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mercado fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Mercado looks for the body kick but Cooke saw that one coming.

Mercado drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mercado wants to pass the guard but Cooke is keeping the position.
Cooke pulls Mercado in close to his closed guard and prevents Mercado from doing any damage or advancing position.
Mercado has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado throws a big right hand that misses.
Mercado trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mercado wants to stand and escape but instead Cooke has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Cooke gets to his feet. Mercado looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Cooke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mercado.
Cooke was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercado throws a leg kick that misses.

Mercado scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Cooke kicks off Mercado and gets to his feet.

Mercado closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Mercado lands in his opponent's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mercado preventing the sweep.
Cooke utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mercado looking to sit in guard and control but Cooke gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke is looking to work some ground and pound but Mercado has wrist control.
Mercado has a closed guard, preventing Cooke from standing up.
Cooke is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Cooke trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mercado's guard.

Cooke stands up from Mercado's guard - Cooke perhaps looking for a knockout.

Mercado decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Cooke wants to stand back up but Mercado manages to pass into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke is trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mercado stands up and beckons Cooke to his feet.

Mercado scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Cooke kicks Mercado off and gets back to his feet.
Douglas Cooke is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Mercado moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Douglas Cooke will probably get the nod.
That's time! Cooke's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Mercado scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cooke in his tracks.

Mercado closes the distance and clinches.
Stalling in the clinch from Cooke.

Cooke manages to break the clinch.

Mercado gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Mercado gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Mercado decides to return to a standing position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mercado rushes Cooke and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Cooke fails to land.

Mercado manages to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke is looking to work some ground and pound but Mercado has wrist control.
Cooke throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mercado works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mercado is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cooke throwing strikes but missing.

Cooke decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Mercado tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mercado throws a series of punches but Cooke avoids them all with ease.
Cooke is looking to counter with head kicks.
Mercado stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mercado wants it to stay on the feet.
Mercado looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Mercado scores with a takedown into Cooke's guard.

Cooke pushes Mercado off and gets back to his feet.
Mercado takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Mercado checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

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

Mercado manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooke stands up over Mercado, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Cooke throwing strikes but missing.
Cooke trying to control but Mercado is working from the bottom.
Cooke controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mercado is working an open guard so Cooke takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Mercado takes the fight into the clinch.
Cooke manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Cooke looking to throw knees to the head but Mercado is blocking nicely.
Mercado avoiding damage as Cooke throws knees to the body.

Mercado lands a takedown into guard.
Mercado prevents Cooke from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cooke is on top in guard.

Cooke lands a couple of digs.
Cooke sitting in guard here, content to control.
Cooke is in close to Mercado's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cooke would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Douglas Cooke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cooke stopping the sweep attempt from Mercado.
Mercado is trying to control the position but Cooke postures up.
Cooke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jose Mercado.
I think Mercado 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Mercado!