PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bronson Hughes (ranked 3135 p4p, 2416 weight class) and Samuel Cooke (ranked 0 p4p, 296 weight class). Hughes comes to the cage accompanied by Slam - By: Onyx. Cooke has chosen Harm's Way - Warriors Will Reign as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Samuel Cooke will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Hughes
vs
Cooke

170 cm
39
154
20 - 18 - 1

184 cm
33
160
20 - 19 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 18 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bronson Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 19 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Samuel Cooke!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes throws a leg kick that is checked

and Cooke counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hughes won't be happy with that.
Hughes is looking for a sweep.
Hughes's coaches at The Scrap Squad have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cooke thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Hughes is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hughes wants to control but Cooke postures up.

Cooke tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hughes controlling the position well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cooke wants to work for an arm triangle but Hughes is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hughes moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hughes pulls Cooke in close to his closed guard and prevents Cooke from doing any damage or advancing position.
Hughes trying to control the position.
Hughes controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Cooke is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hughes is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hughes has escaped and now he's on top!

Hughes is looking to work some ground and pound but Cooke has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cooke is striking from the bottom but Hughes uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Hughes scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Cooke punching from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hughes connects with a nice short shot to Cooke's temple.
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cooke keeps working.
Hughes performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke scores with a few weak punches.
Hughes blocks the strikes from Cooke.
Hughes lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Hughes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cooke does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hughes looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Hughes scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hughes looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cooke with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Cooke is not content to let Hughes control the position.

Hughes is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cooke has managed to free his arm - good work.
Cooke missing with punches from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Hughes winds up and cracks Cooke with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hughes slips a nice elbow through Cooke's hands, connecting with Cooke's forehead.
Cooke is looking for a sweep. Hughes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cooke throws a strike from the bottom but Hughes passes into side control!
Hughes landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Cooke misses with a strike from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cooke regains half guard.
Hughes lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hughes lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bronson Hughes 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.

Hughes cracks Cooke with a right hand to the side of the head.
Hughes lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hughes misses with a looping left.
Good work by Cooke as he checks the leg kick.
Cooke tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Cooke keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cooke is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Hughes works the jab nicely.
Hughes misses with a head kick.
Hughes rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Cooke counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Hughes!

Cooke wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hughes, who protects the arm well.
Hughes is trying to control Cooke's posture but Cooke avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes tries to improve position but can't.
Hughes gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hughes wants to improve his position but Cooke is controlling well.
Hughes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hughes.
Cooke advances position into side control!
Cooke has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hughes wants to control but Cooke postures up.
Hughes is trying to improve his position.

Cooke is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hughes has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes regains half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Hughes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hughes can't keep his opponent in guard - Cooke advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Hughes might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Cooke is working for a submission of some sort.

Cooke is looking for a kimura but Hughes is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cooke to get the leverage.
Hughes is looking for a sweep. Cooke is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bronson Hughes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is trying to maintain the position but Cooke is very close to passing his half guard.
Hughes is looking to improve his position.
Hughes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hughes.
Cooke trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes wants to control but Cooke passes easily into half guard.
Hughes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Cooke is looking for a kimura here.
Hughes wants to control but Cooke is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cooke is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hughes sees it coming and defends easily.

Cooke is working for a submission of some sort.

Cooke wants to work for an arm triangle but Hughes is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hughes has his hands clasped together around Cooke's back. He's all about the action.
Cooke passes to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Samuel Cooke will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Cooke defending well as Hughes loads up on a big left hand.
Samuel Cooke is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cooke moves away from the strike by Hughes.
Cooke tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Cooke staying out of range there.
Bronson Hughes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hughes looks to land a right hand but Cooke moved out of range.
Hughes shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Cooke with the counter takedown but Hughes avoids it easily.
Cooke ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Cooke with the counter takedown but Hughes avoids it easily.
Hughes throws a low kick but it's checked well by Cooke.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes looks to throw the jab but Cooke is out of range.
Cooke drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Hughes defends it well.
Hughes lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Hughes closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cooke to the mat! Cooke manages to get full guard.
Cooke throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Hughes has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes cracks Cooke with a solid left hand.
Hughes is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hughes trying to control but Cooke is working from the bottom.
Cooke trying to strike off his back.
Cooke scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
Hughes scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hughes stands up over Cooke, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Hughes connects with a couple of short punches.
Cooke wants to sweep here but Hughes controlling him for the moment.
Hughes is in close to Cooke's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hughes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cooke can do to turn this around?
Hughes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cooke punching from the bottom - just letting Hughes know he's still in a fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke tries to strike from the bottom.
Hughes is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hughes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hughes chips away with some ground and pound.

Cooke is rocked!

Hughes drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Cooke dives on top into guard.

Cooke is still in real trouble! Can Hughes finish him?
Hughes 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.
Cooke seems to have recovered his senses.

Cooke drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hughes dives on top into guard.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooke trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hughes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cooke throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes chips away with some ground and pound.
Hughes throws a strike but Cooke rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Cooke drops back looking for a leg! Hughes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hughes manages to kick Cooke off! Cooke jumps back into Hughes's guard.
Hughes wants to sweep but no luck.
Hughes has control of Cooke's left arm, preventing Cooke from doing any damage.

Cooke drops back looking for a leg! Hughes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hughes manages to kick Cooke off! Cooke jumps back into Hughes's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes wants to improve his position but instead Cooke has moved into half guard.

Cooke seems to be looking for submissions.
Hughes has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cooke is working away from the top position though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bronson Hughes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hughes 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bronson Hughes!
Bronson Hughes seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.