PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bob Bielsa (ranked 4847 p4p, 4710 weight class) and John Cooper (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.

Bielsa
vs
Cooper

170 cm
24
153
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
24
154
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bob Bielsa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Cooper!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cooper feints and as Bielsa raises his hands in defense, Cooper changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cooper controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Bielsa not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cooper working some strikes from top position.
Cooper stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bielsa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cooper is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Cooper drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cooper jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bielsa knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cooper on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooper looking to pass the guard.

Bielsa had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cooper defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bielsa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cooper controls from within his opponent's guard.
Let's hope that Cooper has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Cooper is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Cooper working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bielsa's head.
Bielsa might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cooper controls from within his opponent's guard.
Bielsa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cooper trying to control the position from guard on top but Bielsa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bielsa is trying to keep Cooper in close.
Bielsa keeping full guard, as Cooper tries to pass.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Bielsa 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.
Cooper stays in close to Bielsa's body and controls the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Cooper shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cooper showed some decent athleticism there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cooper is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bielsa defends it well.
Bielsa is trying to maintain the position but Cooper is very close to passing his half guard.
Bielsa is refusing to be controlled, as Cooper sits in half guard.
Bielsa looks like he's trying to stand up.
Cooper working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cooper is looking to take a break and control but Bielsa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bielsa on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Bielsa is trying to maintain the position but Cooper is very close to passing his half guard.
Bielsa has hold of Cooper's hands but Cooper slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Cooper is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cooper tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bielsa knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cooper seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

John Cooper dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Bielsa takes the fight into the clinch.
Cooper wants to take the fight to the mat but Bielsa manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Bielsa gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Cooper has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bielsa wants to control but Cooper is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cooper is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cooper gets full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bielsa trying to control but Cooper is working from the bottom.
Bielsa engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Bielsa has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Cooper is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cooper had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bielsa defends it easily.
Cooper has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Cooper throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
John Cooper has got the better of the ground game so far.

Bielsa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cooper 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper controlling the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bielsa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bielsa is working Cooper over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Bielsa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cooper swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cooper wants to sweep here but Bielsa controlling him for the moment.
Bielsa looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Cooper wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper keeping moving, preventing Bielsa from controlling successfully.

Cooper has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bielsa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Cooper controls Bielsa momentarily but Bielsa frees himself.

Cooper has his foot on Bielsa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bielsa works his way back into a safe position though.

Cooper looking for a guillotine here but Bielsa defends easily.

Cooper working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Bielsa doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Cooper is tightening it up a little... Bielsa has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Bielsa reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Bielsa taps out! Nice BJJ there by Cooper!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). John Cooper!