PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Cooke (ranked 1420 p4p, 2229 weight class) and Soul Taker (ranked 206 p4p, 304 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Cooke
vs
Taker

185 cm
40
210
37 - 17 - 3

190 cm
31
208
11 - 9 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Altitude Clothing

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 37 - 17 - 3, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matt Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 2, fighting out of London, Soul Taker!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taker has closed the distance and engaged Cooke in a clinch.
Cooke lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Taker or not.
Taker's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Cooke lands a body shot.
A shot in the inside from Taker.

Cooke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Taker misses with a straight left.
Cooke tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Taker! But no joy.

Taker clinches up with Cooke and pushes him back against the cage.

Cooke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Taker checks a leg kick.
Good exchange - Cooke coming out on top.
Taker throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Cooke makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Cooke just misses with a punch to the body.
Despite the aggression on Taker's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Cooke scoring well with a low kick there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Taker moves into the clinch successfully.

Cooke manages to break the clinch.
Cooke misses with an attempted mid kick.
Taker takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Cooke misses the shot to the body.
Taker moves away from the strike by Cooke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A solid body kick from Cooke.
We've been informed that Taker has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Cooke looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A head kick misses from Cooke.
Taker checks a low kick from Cooke.
Cooke lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Taker backs up against the cage.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cooke lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Taker has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Taker and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Taker delivers a nice body kick.
Cooke motions for Taker to come forward. Cooke throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cooke throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Taker throws a good cross that connects.
Taker throws a series of punches but Cooke moves out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cooke swings for the body but Taker moves out of range.
A nice leg kick from Cooke, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cooke will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Taker ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Taker throws a big shot that misses.
Cooke misses the jab.
Taker swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taker checks a low kick from Cooke.
Taker checks a low kick from Cooke.
Taker lands with a shot to the body.
Cooke needs to keep his hands up - Taker had a free shot at his head there.

Taker moves into the clinch.
Cooke scores with a shoulder strike.
Taker tries to work over Cooke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cooke cracks Taker with a nice body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Cooke.
A right hand to the body from Cooke.
Taker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Taker lands a right hand.
Cooke tries a body shot but Taker blocks it.
Taker throws a punch but it's blocked by Cooke.
Cooke misses with a punch on the inside.
Taker fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cooke tries to throw a body punch but Taker avoids it by throwing Cooke back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Taker.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Taker.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taker's elbow.
Cooke swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cooke tries to work over Taker's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Taker has a couple of punches blocked by Cooke.
Taker can't find room to land a body shot as Cooke controls the action.
Cooke softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Taker scores with a hook to the body.
Taker misses with a punch on the inside.
Cooke lands a shoulder strike.
Cooke misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A nice left hand lands by Cooke.
Cooke misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cooke lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cooke's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Cooke tries to throw a body punch but Taker avoids it by throwing Cooke back against the cage.
Cooke misses with a punch to the body.
Cooke misses with a hook from the clinch.
Taker wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cooke has him pressed against the cage.
Cooke blocks a body shot from Taker.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cooke.
Taker blocking some punches.
Cooke misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Taker misses with a short punch on the inside.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cooke working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Cooke can't find room to land a body shot as Taker controls the action.
Taker misses with a hook to the ribs.
Taker has a couple of punches blocked by Cooke.
Cooke misses with the head strike.
Cooke lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Taker.
Taker blocking some punches.
Cooke tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Taker lands with a right to the head.
Taker doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Taker scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice body punch from Taker.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cooke.
Cooke tries to work over Taker's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Cooke dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cooke jabs Taker right on the nose. Taker blinks but takes it well.
Cooke steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Taker.
As Taker backs away, Cooke returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Taker throws an overhand right that lands on Cooke's shoulder, as Cooke tries to avoid the shot.
As Taker looks to move away, Cooke throws a big counter combo but Taker just gets out of the way.
Taker lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Taker misses with a head kick.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.

Taker closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Cooke manages to break the clinch.
Cooke throws the kick towards the body but Taker avoids it.
Taker dodges the punch combination from Cooke.
Taker blocks the body kick.
Taker is looking to score with low kicks.
Cooke appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Taker looks to score with a jab to the body but Cooke is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taker misses with a head kick.
Taker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Taker misses the jab.
Taker walks into a straight right hand from Cooke.
Taker looks to land a left hand but Cooke moved out of range nicely.
Matt Cooke is winning the standup battle so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Some wild striking there from Taker.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taker manages to avoid it.
A nice side step and Taker releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Taker looks to score with a jab to the body but Cooke is just out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Taker. Cooke does a little dance to reset his feet.
Taker throws a lazy right hand but Cooke sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cooke lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Cooke takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Taker connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Taker ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cooke moves away.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Cooke.
Cooke lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
That kick from Taker tenderised Cooke's leg. Cooke is trying to keep his angry face on.
Taker lands a nice hook to Cooke's body. Cooke takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cooke misses with a hook. Taker ducked under it nicely.
Taker throws out a counter right but Cooke avoids it with no problem.

Cooke has Taker up against the cage in a clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Taker.
Cooke throws a punch but it's blocked by Taker.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cooke misses with a punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taker stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Taker lands with a short shot to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cooke.
Cooke blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taker tries to throw a body punch but Cooke avoids it by throwing Taker back against the cage.
Taker lands with a right to the head.
Taker swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Cooke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cooke avoids a kick to the body.
Taker tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cooke was well out of range. Poor timing from Taker.
Cooke misses with a jab to the body
and Taker counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Taker throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cooke tries to clinch up.
Taker listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Cooke swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Taker swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cooke lands with a thumping leg kick.
Taker takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke throws a body shot but no joy.
Cooke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cooke walks into a jab.
Cooke throws a series of punches but Taker moves out of range.
Taker is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Cooke with a body shot.
Cooke takes a swing at Taker's ribcage but misses.
Taker throws a sloppy head kick and Cooke moves out of range easily.
Good work by Taker as he checks the leg kick.
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.
Taker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Taker scores with a jab.
Cooke misses with a body kick.
Cooke connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cooke shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Cooke drops his hands momentarily and Taker takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Taker avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Taker raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Taker stuns Cooke with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Taker fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Taker misses with a straight left.
Cooke has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Taker.
Cooke swings for the body but Taker moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from Taker on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Taker scores with a nice right hand.
Cooke throws out a leg kick but Taker moves out of range and Cooke only half commits.
Taker looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Cooke lands a nice leg kick that just misses Taker's sensitive parts.
Cooke throws a low kick, looking for Taker's leg but Taker calmly moves out of range.
Taker takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Taker tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Cooke misses with an uppercut.
Taker now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Taker ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Taker throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cooke throws a head kick that misses.
Cooke fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Taker is out of range.
Taker attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Taker gets in close and instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Soul Taker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Taker gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Taker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Taker takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Cooke wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Cooke throws a leg kick that misses.
Taker paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Cooke misses with a body shot.
Cooke misses with a body shot
and Taker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Taker moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Cooke lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Taker at a distance.
Taker lands a right hook to the body.

Taker clinches up with Cooke and pushes him back against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taker misses with a punch on the inside.
Cooke doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cooke doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Taker lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cooke backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Taker.
A hook to the body from Cooke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taker lands a shoulder strike.
Cooke goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cooke can't find room to land a body shot as Taker controls the action.
Taker tries a body shot but Cooke blocks it.
Cooke lands a nice shot to the body.
Taker tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cooke lands a shoulder strike.
Taker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cooke pushes Taker back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Taker blocking some punches.
Taker misses with a punch to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Taker.
Cooke misses with a punch to the body.
Taker misses with a hook from the clinch.
Taker has a couple of punches blocked by Cooke.
Cooke cracks Taker with a nice body shot.
A short uppercut from Taker.
Cooke throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Takers head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taker wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cooke is trying to force a seperation but Taker has the dominant position.
Taker throws a punch but it's blocked by Cooke.
Cooke swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cooke scores with a shot to the side of Taker's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cooke is trying to break the clinch but Taker is controlling him.
Cooke lands a left hand that snaps the head of Taker backwards.
Taker lands a shoulder strike.
Taker struggles to land a body shot inside as Cooke controls his hands.
A short body shot lands from Taker as the two fighters clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Taker fails to land.
Cooke working aggressively here.
Taker swings wildly with an uppercut but Cooke uses good head movement to avoid it.

Taker escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Taker tries a head kick but it misses.
Cooke went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
That kick from Cooke tenderised Taker's leg. Taker is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke throws a leg kick but Taker moved away.
Cooke connects with an inside leg kick.
Cooke finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Taker jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Taker moves into the clinch.
Taker has a couple of punches blocked by Cooke.
Cooke stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Cooke doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cooke blocks an uppercut.
Taker lands with a left to the head.
Cooke scores with a shoulder strike.
Cooke makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Taker struggles to land a body shot inside as Cooke controls his hands.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Taker.
Cooke lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Cooke.
A short right from Cooke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taker lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cooke.
Taker scores with a hook to the body.
Taker throws a head punch that misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Cooke.
A shot in the inside from Cooke.
Cooke lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Taker's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Cooke lands a body shot.
Taker takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A shot in the inside from Cooke.
Cooke lands with a left to the head.
Matt Cooke has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cooke tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cooke goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cooke tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taker's elbow.
Cooke struggles to land a body shot inside as Taker controls his hands.
Cooke tries to work over Taker's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cooke tries to throw a body punch but Taker avoids it by throwing Cooke back against the cage.
Cooke tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taker's elbow.
Cooke can't find room to land a body shot as Taker controls the action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Cooke showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cooke has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Cooke!
Matt Cooke very nearly forgot to thank Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.