PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Justin Cook (ranked 4800 p4p, 4930 weight class) and Jan Czarniecki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cook
vs
Czarniecki

174 cm
25
175
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
172
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Justin Cook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jan Czarniecki!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Andrew Berry and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Czarniecki shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Czarniecki is pressing down on Cook's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cook is holding on for now.
Cook has hold of Czarniecki's hands but Czarniecki slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Czarniecki with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Cook keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Cook tries to roll over but Czarniecki keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cook regains full guard. Nicely done.
Czarniecki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Czarniecki throws a strike but Cook rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cook accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Czarniecki controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cook gets to his feet. Czarniecki looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Czarniecki throws a big shot that misses.
Cook went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Czarniecki misses with a looping left.
Czarniecki displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cook.

Cook closes the distance and clinches.

Czarniecki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Cook rushes Czarniecki and presses him up against the cage.

Cook's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Czarniecki on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Cook uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Czarniecki.
Cook tries to counter with a takedown but Czarniecki is quick to defend against it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cook has Czarniecki up against the cage in a clinch.
Cook tries to land knees in the clinch but Czarniecki avoids the damage to the body.
Czarniecki wants a takedown but no success here.
Czarniecki is working for takedown but Cook is calmly controlling the position for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Czarniecki tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Czarniecki takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Czarniecki displaying some good clinch control by pressing Cook up against the cage.

Czarniecki has Cook pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Czarniecki pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Cook tumbling to the mat - Czarniecki dives into Cook's guard.
Cook wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Czarniecki.
Czarniecki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cook wants to stand up but Czarniecki is controlling him.
Czarniecki is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Cook is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cook wants to take a breather but Czarniecki is having none of it.
Czarniecki is doing well to control the position and prevent Cook from advancing to side control.
Czarniecki is looking for a sweep. Cook is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook works his way into full mount!
Czarniecki working to try and regain half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Czarniecki can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cook controlling the pace for now.

Cook is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cook uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Czarniecki.
A slow jab from Czarniecki misses its intended target.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Cook dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cook clinches up with Czarniecki and pushes him back against the cage.
Cook tries to pull guard but Czarniecki forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cook prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cook looking to slow down the pace here.
Cook is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Czarniecki can do to turn this around?
Czarniecki is looking to take this one to the mat.
Czarniecki is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Cook gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Justin Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jan Czarniecki.
Cook is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Czarniecki pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Cook blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Czarniecki avoiding damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cook jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Czarniecki walks away with a smile on his face. Cook gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Cook rushes Czarniecki and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Czarniecki drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Czarniecki works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Czarniecki with a flurry of punches that miss.

Cook looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Czarniecki postures up and lands a big shot to Cook's brow.
Cook is controlling Czarniecki's posture.
Cook bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Czarniecki's guard.

Czarniecki has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Cook stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Czarniecki!
Czarniecki darts in looking for a takedown but Cook gets double underhooks and turns Czarniecki into the cage.
Cook tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Czarniecki manages to circle out of the way.
Czarniecki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Cook enables Czarniecki to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Cook manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Justin Cook overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cook tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Czarniecki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Czarniecki controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cook bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Czarniecki's guard.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cook wants to stand but Czarniecki is controlling his posture from full guard.
Cook postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook forces his way into half guard.
Czarniecki is not content to let Cook control the position.
Cook throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Czarniecki controlling the position well.

Cook is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Czarniecki has managed to free his arm - good work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Czarniecki is doing well to control the position and prevent Cook from advancing to side control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cook showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Czarniecki.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Justin Cook will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cook fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Czarniecki throws a right hand that Cook ducks under and follows up with a left that Cook also avoids with ease.
Czarniecki throws a body shot but no joy.
Cook ducks right into an uppercut from Czarniecki.

Czarniecki drives through and clinches with Cook against the cage.
Cook throws an elbow but it misses.
Czarniecki manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Czarniecki has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cook is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cook is trying to break free.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Czarniecki is working for takedown but Cook is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cook can't break the clinch.
Czarniecki holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Cook wants a takedown but no success here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Czarniecki.

Cook pulls Czarniecki into guard.
Czarniecki throws a strike but Cook rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Czarniecki keeping moving, preventing Cook from controlling successfully.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Czarniecki holds on and takes a little breather.
Cook has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Czarniecki is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Cook throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cook's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cook throwing strikes but missing.
Cook is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Jan Czarniecki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cook throwing strikes from guard but Czarniecki blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook pushing down on Czarniecki's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Cook throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cook looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Cook is looking for a kimura but Czarniecki is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cook to get the leverage.
Cook is keen to just control but Czarniecki is a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cook forces Czarniecki back against the cage and clinches.
Czarniecki has Cook pushed against the cage.
Czarniecki lands a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Czarniecki goes for a takedown attempt but Cook pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Justin Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jan Czarniecki.
Czarniecki throws a sloppy body shot
and Cook counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jan Czarniecki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A shot to the liver by Czarniecki. Beautiful body shot.
Czarniecki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cook was well out of range. Poor timing from Czarniecki.
Cook throws a quick counter head kick but Czarniecki was just out of range.
Cook fails with a takedown attempt.
Czarniecki just misses with a punch to the body.
Czarniecki throws a right hand that Cook ducks under and follows up with a left that Cook also avoids with ease.
Czarniecki motions for Cook to come forward. Czarniecki throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A quick step to the side and Cook tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cook tries a head kick but it misses.
Jan Czarniecki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Czarniecki throws a body punch but Cook moves out of range.
Justin Cook is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Czarniecki rushes Cook and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Czarniecki struggles to land a body shot inside as Cook controls his hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jan Czarniecki.
I think Cook has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Justin Cook!