PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rico Cole (ranked 1764 p4p, 2901 weight class) and Herbert Mullin (ranked 227 p4p, 323 weight class). Cole comes into the arena with Gerardo's Rico Suave blaring out of the sound system. Herbert Mullin told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Cole
vs
Mullin

182 cm
46
168
41 - 27 - 1

185 cm
36
165
18 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 41 - 27 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rico Cole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Herbert Mullin!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cole looks to land a right hand but Mullin moved out of range.
Mullin's coach down at Irish Collar & Elbow Academy (ICE) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Mullin's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Mullin clinches with his opponent.
Cole jumps guard but Mullin stands there with Cole around his waist. Cole gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mullin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Mullin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Mullin has managed to clinch.
Cole jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mullin walks away with a smile on his face. Cole gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Mullin clinches up against the cage.
Mullin leaning against his opponent.
Cole jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mullin walks away with a smile on his face. Cole gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Cole. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cole with a nice calf kick.

Mullin takes the fight into the clinch.

Mullin breaks the clinch.
Cole missing with a left hand there. Mullin was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mullin throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Cole's head.
Cole throws a body shot but no joy.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Mullin moves into the clinch successfully.
A short uppercut from Mullin.
Mullin is looking to control Cole's arms but Cole gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mullin has his back to the cage.
Cole is trying to pull guard but Mullin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Cole tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Mullin smiles and moves away.
Cole lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole misses with a looping right.
Cole fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Mullin blocks a jab.
Cole throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mullin drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
A big right from Cole misses.
Cole ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mullin moves away.
Cole looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Mullin lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Cole at a distance.
Mullin cracks Cole with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Cole misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mullin.
Mullin raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Cole loads up on a big right hand but Mullin slips the punch.

Mullin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cole tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Mullin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mullin lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cole tries to pull guard but Mullin holds him up against the cage and eventually Cole drops back down to his feet.
Cole tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Mullin just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Mullin smiles and moves away.

Cole ducks straight into an uppercut from Mullin and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Cole manages to regain guard straight away.

Cole is rocked!
Mullin wants to get up but he can't break Cole's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
We've been hearing good reports from Cole's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Mullin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Cole looking for a sweep. Not yet Cole, not yet.

Cole escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mullin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mullin won't allow Cole to sweep him here.
Mullin wanted to stand there but Cole had control of the position.
Mullin looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mullin stands up and waves to Cole to follow him.
Mullin lands a jab to the head.
Cole lands with a nice body punch.
Cole waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mullin.
Cole sets himself, and Mullin steps forward looking for the clinch! Cole avoids it this time.

Mullin closes the distance and clinches.

Mullin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mullin wants to clinch.

Mullin clinches up against the cage.

Cole successfully pulls guard.

Cole has his foot on Mullin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mullin works his way back into a safe position though.
Mullin passes Cole's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Cole is looking for a sweep. Mullin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mullin perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Cole is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mullin tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Cole looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mullin controlling the action here.
Cole slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Cole has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mullin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mullin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mullin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Herbert Mullin dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cole throws a big shot that misses.
Cole throws a shot from downtown. Mullin moves away and avoids it.

Mullin drops Cole with a right and a left! Mullin comes rushing in but Cole regains his composure and manages to keep Mullin in guard.
Oh Cole is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Mullin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cole is proving hard to escape from.
Cole looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mullin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Cole is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mullin is aware though and is defending well.
Cole seems to have got his legs back now.
Mullin sitting in guard here, content to control.

Cole has his foot on Mullin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mullin works his way back into a safe position though.
Cole not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mullin is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Cole is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Mullin gets to his feet - Cole follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mullin changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Mullin closes the distance and clinches.

Mullin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cole misses with a hook.
Mullin tests Cole's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Mullin moves into the clinch.

Cole decides to pull guard.
Mullin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Cole is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cole wants to sweep here but Mullin controlling him for the moment.

Mullin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Mullin drives through and clinches with Cole against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole jumps guard but Mullin turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Still in the clinch, Mullin scores with a nice short uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Mullin breaks from the clinch.
Mullin moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Mullin scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Mullin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cole.

Mullin rushes Cole and presses him up against the cage.

Mullin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cole walks into a jab.
Mullin is throwing a storm of strikes! Right hook, left hook and follows it up with a spinning back fist! Cole hits the canvas like a rag doll! And just like that, this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Herbert Mullin!
Our winner, Herbert Mullin, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.