PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nigel Benn Jr (ranked 1504 p4p, 2253 weight class) and Matt Cooke (ranked 206 p4p, 297 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Benn Jr
vs
Cooke

185 cm
41
203
34 - 27 - 0

185 cm
44
209
44 - 23 - 3

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

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 34 - 27 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nigel Benn Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 44 - 23 - 3, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Cooke!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cooke throws a poor cross that misses
and Benn Jr counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cooke keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Benn Jr.
Cooke checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cooke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cooke is looking to slow Benn Jr down with leg kicks.
Benn Jr throws a jab when Cooke was well out of range.
Benn Jr throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A jab from Cooke finds it's way through Benn Jr's defenses.
Benn Jr throws a hook to the side of Cooke's head but Cooke sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A big left from Cooke misses.
Cooke misses with a looping left.
Cooke throws a looping overhand right but Benn Jr ducks down to avoid it.
Benn Jr lands with a good body shot.
Nice jab there from Cooke.
Cooke throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Benn Jr sees it coming and avoids it easily.
An attempted straight right counter from Benn Jr misses the target.
Benn Jr has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cooke.
Benn Jr on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooke tries to bum rush Benn Jr with a series of wild strikes but Benn Jr uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Benn Jr avoids the head kick by Cooke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Cooke misses.
Cooke throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Benn Jr throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Benn Jr swings for the body but Cooke moves out of range.
Benn Jr lands a nice shot that snaps Cooke's head back.
Cooke throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Benn Jr sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Benn Jr tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Benn Jr throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Benn Jr scores with a body shot.
Benn Jr misses with a two punch combination.
A clash of legs there as Benn Jr blocks the low kick.
A lazy left from Cooke finds it's target.
Benn Jr displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cooke throws out the jab.
Benn Jr feints a jab promting Cooke to slip. Benn Jr then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Cooke slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Benn Jr takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooke wants to land a leg kick but Benn Jr is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Cooke misses with a body punch
and Benn Jr counters with a straight right hand.
The fighters circling - Cooke throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cooke dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cooke swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cooke is looking to land body kicks.
Cooke throws a right hand that misses
and Benn Jr counters with a slapping leg kick.
Benn Jr swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cooke swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Benn Jr.
Cooke rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Benn Jr counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Benn Jr just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice straight punches there by Benn Jr. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Benn Jr.
Cooke lands with a right hand.
Benn Jr misses with an uppercut. Cooke saw that one coming.
The fighters circling - Cooke throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Benn Jr swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Cooke misses with a hook.
Cooke slips a straight right by Benn Jr.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn Jr looks for the body kick but Cooke saw that one coming.
Benn Jr blocks a jab.
Cooke loads up on a big right hand but Benn Jr slips the punch.
A big left from Cooke misses.
Benn Jr thinks about countering with a body kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Cooke, as that shot connected.
Cooke feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Benn Jrs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Cooke connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Benn Jr's hands.
A big right from Cooke misses.
Benn Jr thuds his right hand into Cooke's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A big right from Benn Jr misses.
A left lands for Cooke.
Cooke throws a leg kick but Benn Jr moved away.
A jab from Benn Jr does it's job there.
Benn Jr lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Cooke swings widly with a right hand
and Benn Jr counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Benn Jr moves away from the strike by Cooke.
Benn Jr ducks under a wild hook from Cooke.
Matt Cooke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Benn Jr throws out a loose jab but Cooke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benn Jr is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Cooke keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Benn Jr.
Cooke throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Benn Jr throws a low kick but Cooke avoids it.
Benn Jr lands with a shot to the body.
Cooke defending well as Benn Jr loads up on a big left hand.
Cooke throws a looping overhand right but Benn Jr ducks down to avoid it.
Cooke throws a lazy right hand but Benn Jr sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cooke uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Benn Jr.
Benn Jr throws a right hand that Cooke ducks under and follows up with a left that Cooke also avoids with ease.
Benn Jr displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cooke throws out the jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benn Jr slips under a jab from Cooke.
Benn Jr lands with a straight right. Cooke didn't see that one coming.
Cooke misses with a looping right.
Cooke thows a leg kick but Benn Jr checks it
and Benn Jr counters with a nice uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Nigel Benn Jr will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cooke connects with a looping right hand.
Cooke's corner calls for a 1-2. Cooke obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Cooke misses with a head kick.
Benn Jr throws a head kick but Cooke moves out of range.
Benn Jr avoids the body shot from Cooke.
Cooke swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Cooke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Benn Jr displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cooke throws out the jab.
Benn Jr misses with a double jab.
Benn Jr thuds a left hand into Cooke's body.
Cooke rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Benn Jr counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cooke motions for Benn Jr to come forward. Cooke throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cooke shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
The fighters circling - Benn Jr throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big left from Cooke misses.
Cooke throws a series of punches but Benn Jr moves out of range.
Cooke waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Benn Jr.
Cooke throws a series of strikes that have Benn Jr backpedaling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn Jr connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cooke. Cooke circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Benn Jr uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cooke.
Cooke missing with a left hand there. Benn Jr was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cooke throws an off balance right hand
and Benn Jr counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Cooke misses with an uppercut.
Benn Jr looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Cooke replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Benn Jr blocks it well.
Cooke misses with a lunging right hand
and Cooke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Benn Jr lands a jab to Cooke's midsection.
Cooke just misses with a punch to the body.
Benn Jr throws a big counter combination but Cooke scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Benn Jr cracks Cooke with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Benn Jr steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cooke.
Benn Jr throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cooke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Benn Jr cracks Cooke with an open hand slap.
Cooke darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Benn Jr keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cooke.
Benn Jr swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Benn Jr darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cooke pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Benn Jr back to the cage. Cooke follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Nigel Benn Jr is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benn Jr looks to land a left hand but Cooke moved out of range nicely.
Cooke displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Benn Jr throws out the jab.
Benn Jr uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cooke.
Some wild striking there from Benn Jr.
Benn Jr throws a series of punches but Cooke avoids them all with ease.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cooke! But no joy.
Cooke tries to score with a low kick but Benn Jr moves his leg out of the way.
A little feinted left hand from Benn Jr on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Benn Jr misses with a straight right.
Nigel Benn Jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cooke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benn Jr.
Cooke tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Benn Jr takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Good exchange - Cooke coming out on top.
Benn Jr looks to land a left hand but Cooke moved out of range nicely.
Cooke thuds a left hand into Benn Jr's body.
Benn Jr avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Benn Jr manages to avoid it.
A quick step to the side and Benn Jr tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Benn Jr just misses with a punch to the body.
Cooke will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cooke with the inside leg kick.
Benn Jr moves forwards but Cooke connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Cooke sizes up Benn Jr with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Cooke buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cooke takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Benn Jr lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cooke takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Benn Jr thuds a left hand into Cooke's body.
Cooke scores with a punch to the head.
Cooke throws the left hand but Benn Jr avoids the punch easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cooke thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cooke misses with a hook. Benn Jr ducked under it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Benn Jr's head.
Benn Jr lands a jab to the head.
Benn Jr scores with a hook.
Cooke avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cooke will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cooke throws a front kick aimed at Benn Jr's knee but Benn Jr avoids it well.
Cooke gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Benn Jr.
Cooke misses with a wild body shot.
Cooke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Benn Jr moves away.
A little feinted left hand from Benn Jr on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cooke lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cooke's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Benn Jr connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Cooke scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cooke lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Cooke lands a glancing blow to the side of Benn Jr's head.
Benn Jr walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Benn Jr avoids a kick to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Matt Cooke will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! 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.

Benn Jr looks to score with a jab to the body but Cooke is just out of range.
Cooke throws a front kick aimed at Benn Jr's knee but Benn Jr avoids it well.
Benn Jr stuns Cooke with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cooke throws a shot from downtown. Benn Jr moves away and avoids it.
A little feinted left hand from Benn Jr on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Benn Jr looks to throw the jab but Cooke is out of range.
Benn Jr misses with a double jab.
Cooke lands a glancing blow to the side of Benn Jr's head.
Benn Jr displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cooke throws out the jab.
Cooke throws a sloppy body shot
and Cooke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A punch combination from Benn Jr misses.
Cooke swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Cooke lands a nice looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooke thuds his right hand into Benn Jr's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nice shot lands for Cooke.
Cooke scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cooke throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cooke uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Benn Jr.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cooke uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Benn Jr.
Benn Jr lands a right hook to the body.
Cooke throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A head kick from Cooke lands but Benn Jr takes it in his stride.
Cooke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A telegraphed right hand from Cooke misses the target.
Cooke walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cooke throws a hook to the side of Benn Jr's head but Benn Jr sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
It looked like Benn Jr was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Benn Jr looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cooke throws a body punch but Benn Jr moves out of range.
Cooke throws a nice outside leg kick.
Benn Jr scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Cooke throws an off balance right hand
and Benn Jr counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Benn Jr feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Cookes jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Cooke misses with a left hand
and Benn Jr cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cooke lands with a nice body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benn Jr scores with a nice head shot.
Benn Jr throws a body shot but no joy.
Both fighters circling a little - Cooke finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Cooke uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Benn Jr.
Benn Jr takes one to the chin there.
Cooke throws a nice looking combination but Benn Jr bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A counter left hand to the body from Benn Jr misses its target.
Cooke misses the jab.
Benn Jr lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Cooke tries a head kick but it misses.
Cooke looks to score with a jab to the body but Benn Jr is just out of range.
Benn Jr tries to bum rush Cooke with a series of wild strikes but Cooke uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cooke misses with a series of wild punches.
Cooke swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Benn Jr throws a big counter combination but Cooke scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
A swing and a miss from Benn Jr.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke misses with an uppercut.
The fighters circling - Benn Jr throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Benn Jr fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cooke looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Cooke misses with a combination
and Benn Jr counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cooke scores with a crisp jab that stopped Benn Jr in his tracks.
Cooke throws a hook but Benn Jr avoids it easily.
Cooke pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Benn Jr throwing a counter right hand but Cooke manages to avoid it.
Benn Jr misses with a body shot.
Cooke looks to land a right hand but Benn Jr moved out of range.
Benn Jr misses with a straight right.
Cooke getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Cooke throws a good cross that connects.
Cooke throws a jab but it's blocked by Benn Jr.
Benn Jr appears to be looking for a big counter.
Cooke bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Benn Jr takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benn Jr connects with a right hand. Cooke shakes it off.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Benn Jr tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cooke was well out of range. Poor timing from Benn Jr.
Cooke misses with a right hand
and Benn Jr counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Benn Jr throws a shot from downtown. Cooke moves away and avoids it.
Cooke lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Cooke misses with a straight right.
Cooke avoids the body shot from Benn Jr.
Benn Jr swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cooke uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Benn Jr.
Cooke follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cooke.
Benn Jr takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benn Jr throws a jab when Cooke was well out of range.
Benn Jr takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Benn Jr throws a shot from downtown. Cooke moves away and avoids it.
Cooke throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Nigel Benn Jr.
Well Benn Jr 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Matt Cooke!
Matt Cooke decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
Nigel Benn Jr was interviewed post fight and said 'ill be back'.