PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Samuel Cooke (ranked 1569 p4p, 188 weight class) and Mike Charles (ranked 2684 p4p, 297 weight class). Cooke's entrance music is Harm's Way - Warriors Will Reign. A fine choice. Charles has chosen Renegades Of Funk - Rage Against The Machine as his entrance music. Mike Charles told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Cooke
vs
Charles

184 cm
27
161 lbs
14 - 10 - 0

175 cm
29
158 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Samuel Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Charles!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Charles thows a leg kick but Cooke checks it
and Cooke counters with an inside leg kick.
Cooke moves in looking to clinch but Charles pushes him off.
Charles tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Charles misses with a jab to the body
and Cooke counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Charles thinking.
Charles throws a head kick that misses.
Charles avoids the head kick by Cooke.
Charles gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cooke counters with a good low kick that Charles was not able to check.
Samuel Cooke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Charles tries to keep at a distance but Cooke has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cooke misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Charles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cooke breaks from the clinch.
Cooke tries to clinch there but Charles circles away.
Cooke misses with a looping right.
Cooke lands a head kick. Charles smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Cooke throws a leg kick but Charles moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles throws a head kick but Cooke moves out of range.
Cooke throws a head kick that half lands.
Samuel Cooke is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Charles goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Cooke misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Charles.
Charles slips under a jab.
Charles tries to clinch there but Cooke circles away.
Cooke definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Cooke tries to close the distance and clinch but Charles swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A head kick misses from Charles.
Cooke feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Cooke getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Charles is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cooke sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Charles shoots in but Cooke avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Samuel Cooke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Charles.
Cooke throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Charles.
Charles blocks the body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke throws a nice outside leg kick.
Charles looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Charles ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Charles no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Charles keeping moving, preventing Cooke from controlling successfully.
Cooke slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Charles working a defensive guard here.
Cooke wants to control from the top but Charles keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Charles is pulling down on Cooke's head to control his posture.

Cooke gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Charles tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Cooke defends well and Charles ends up having to push Cooke into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Cooke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Charles was well out of range. Poor timing from Cooke.
Cooke tries to clinch there but Charles circles away.
Cooke will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Jab by Cooke.
Charles shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cooke sprawls well. Cooke wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Charles gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cooke drives through and clinches with Charles against the cage.
Charles avoiding damage.
Charles is trying to break the clinch but Cooke has him pressed against the cage.
Cooke with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cooke lands an elbow just above Charles 's eye.
Charles wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cooke has him pressed against the cage.
Charles tries to circle away but Cooke has him pinned against the cage.
Charles tries to pull guard but Cooke won't allow it.

Charles has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Cooke is trying to keep an underhook but Charles manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cooke wants to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Charles seems content to control.
Cooke moves into full guard.
Charles preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Cooke dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cooke misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cooke takes a swing at Charles's ribcage but misses.
A little jabbing left from Charles on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Charles with a lazy takedown attempt
and Cooke counters with a stiff right hand.
Cooke throws a sloppy head kick and Charles moves out of range easily.
Cooke scores with a decent looking hook.
A clash of legs there as Charles blocks the low kick.
Cooke looks for the body kick but Charles saw that one coming.
Cooke pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Decent striking displayed by Cooke there.
Cooke throws the left hand but Charles avoids the punch easily.
Charles throws a fast counter high kick but Cooke manages to duck under it in time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooke with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Cooke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Charles can do to turn this around?
No luck for Charles with that takedown attempt.
Charles avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cooke throws a lazy right hand but Charles sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Cooke misses with a body kick.
Charles takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Charles swinging wildly here.
Charles shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cooke sprawls well. Cooke wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Charles gets slowly back to his feet.
Samuel Cooke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Charles.
Cooke lands a leg kick that knocks Charles off balance momentarily.
Cooke connects with a single shot there.
Charles moves away from the strike by Cooke.
Cooke looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charles shoots in for a takedown but Cooke shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cooke swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Charles counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Charles is looking to control Cooke's arms but Cooke gets an underhook and turns him. Now Charles has his back to the cage.
Charles missing with knees to the body.
Cooke trying to land knees to the body.
Cooke using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Charles has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cooke tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Cooke misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Charles.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Charles escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cooke looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Charles shoots in but Cooke avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Charles misses with a takedown
and Cooke counters with a solid body kick.
Cooke misses with a head kick.
Charles steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Cooke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Charles.
Charles keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Charles shoots and misses
and Cooke counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Some bone on bone action there as Charles checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Charles tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Cooke defends well and Charles ends up having to push Cooke into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Cooke lands a jab to the nose.
Cooke throws a sloppy head kick and Charles moves out of range easily.
Cooke lands a nice looking body shot.
Cooke lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Charles dives in for a single leg takedown but Cooke sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Samuel Cooke is winning the standup battle so far.
Charles takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Cooke bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Charles's head.
Cooke scores with a sloppy right hand. Charles should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Charles fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Charles tries a head kick but it misses.
Cooke cracks the inside of Charles's front leg.
Nice takedown defense from Cooke. No joy for Charles on that attempt.
Cooke scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Cooke throws a jab when Charles was well out of range.
Cooke is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Cooke dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Charles. That did some damage!
Charles misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cooke.
Cooke throws a head kick but Charles moves out of range.
Charles is looking for the big counter here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Cooke dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Charles keeps the fight on the outside.
Charles's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Cooke swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
No luck for Charles with that takedown attempt.
Charles takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Cooke throws a head kick but Charles moves out of range.
Cooke swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Charles looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Cooke cracks Charles with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A swing and a miss from Charles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooke throws a body punch but Charles moves out of range.
Cooke throws a sloppy head kick and Charles moves out of range easily.
Nice takedown defense from Cooke. No joy for Charles on that attempt.
Mike Charles is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Charles tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
As Charles tries to get set, Cooke tries to push him back and clinch up but Charles manages to avoid the attempt.
Samuel Cooke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Charles.
Cooke is looking to land body kicks.
Charles shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cooke defends it nicely.
Cooke throws a nice outside leg kick.
Cooke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Charles manages to avoid it.
Cooke throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Cooke - that will leave a mark!
Charles looks to throw the jab but Cooke is out of range.
Cooke throws a nice head kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke misses with a body kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Charles or perhaps it was just good defense by Cooke, which made it look bad.
Cooke throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
An inside leg kick from Cooke misses.
Charles shoots for a double leg takedown but Cooke sprawls well. He's pushed Charles's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice cross by Cooke.
Charles misses with an attempted mid kick.
Charles throws an off balance right hand
and Cooke counters with a straight right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cooke tries to close the distance and clinch up but Charles swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Charles misses with a takedown
enabling Cooke to counter with a crisp jab.
Nice uppercut lands for Cooke. That snapped Charles's head back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Charles tries to keep at a distance but Cooke has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cooke lands a knee to the body.

Cooke breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cooke tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
No luck for Charles with that takedown attempt.
Charles takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Cooke with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Cooke catches Charles with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Charles shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cooke pinned against the cage. Cooke gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Charles takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cooke tries a low kick but Charles avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Charles ducks right into an uppercut from Cooke.
Cooke is looking to land body kicks.
Cooke throws a body shot but no joy.
Cooke tries to clinch but Charles is having none of it.
Charles moves out of range as Cooke throws a body kick.
Cooke stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cooke wants it to stay on the feet.
Samuel Cooke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Charles keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Charles circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Cooke. No joy for Charles on that attempt.
Charles has a takedown stuffed.
Mike Charles has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A thudding body kick lands there by Cooke!

And that's the end of the fight!
Samuel Cooke showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cooke, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:25
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samuel Cooke!
After winning the bout, Samuel Cooke thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.