PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Martin Pierce (ranked 5519 p4p, 3968 weight class) and Finley Cowan (ranked 431 p4p, 362 weight class). Finley Cowan has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pierce
vs
Cowan

183 cm
25
162
1 - 3 - 0

170 cm
25
155
3 - 1 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Martin Pierce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Finley Cowan!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Daniel Franklin and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cowan darts in looking for a takedown but Pierce gets double underhooks and turns Cowan into the cage.
Cowan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pierce but Pierce pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cowan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Pierce manages to avoid it.
Cowan misses the jab.
Pierce definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Cowan throws out a loose jab but Pierce uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cowan misses with a wild body shot.
Cowan takes a jab right on the kisser.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cowan shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Pierce knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cowan on the ground.
Pierce taking some punishment here, with Cowan in his half guard.
Cowan lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowan perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Pierce wants to control but Cowan is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cowan stops Pierce from getting back to his feet.
Cowan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cowan is thwarting Pierce's attempts to control the position.
Cowan seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Pierce tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Cowan manages to move to mount!
Pierce is trying to escape the mount.
Cowan is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Pierce swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Pierce is wriggling around trying to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cowan dominating with strikes here.
Cowan lands with some strikes.
Pierce on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Pierce tries to get out of the position.
Cowan prevents Pierce from getting the reversal.
Cowan controlling the pace for now.
Pierce wants to control but Cowan is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cowan lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Pierce hang on?
Pierce working to try and regain half guard.
Pierce wants to control but Cowan is having none of it.
Cowan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Pierce tries to lock up and control but Cowan gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pierce is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Pierce is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cowan tries to control but Pierce wriggling away.
Pierce tries to hold on but Cowan pushes him away.
Cowan putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Cowan lands with some strikes.
Pierce tries to reverse the position but Cowan maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierce is in a horrible position here. Cowan smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Cowan with good strikes from the mount here!
Cowan landing punches.
Cowan landing shots from mount.
Pierce wants to hold on but Cowan pushes him away.
Cowan controlling from mount.
Cowan lands a heavy elbow.
Pierce keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cowan controlling from mount.
Pierce is trying to stand up.
Cowan lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Pierce is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cowan unloading with bombs!
Cowan connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cowan won't let Pierce get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Cowan lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Cowan prevents Pierce from getting the reversal.
Cowan landing punches.
Pierce tries to hold on but Cowan postures up.
Cowan is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Cowan has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
BOOM! Cowan connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Cowan looking to control but Pierce is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Cowan controlling his opponent.
Cowan lands a heavy elbow.
Pierce is in a horrible position here. Cowan smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Pierce is trying desperately to improve position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cowan is looking to score with low kicks.
The fighters circle momentarily. Pierce darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Pierce uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cowan.
A little feinted left hand from Pierce on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cowan fails with the takedown
letting Pierce counter with a right hand.
Cowan tries to clinch but Pierce is having none of it.
Cowan throws a body kick, spinning off balance
enabling Pierce to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pierce ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cowan moves away.
Cowan shoots in for a takedown but Pierce shows good takedown defense.
Cowan walks into a straight right hand from Pierce.
Cowan goes for a double leg but Pierce avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pierce continues to drive forward.
Martin Pierce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Finley Cowan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierce uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cowan.
Martin Pierce is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cowan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pierce is fending him off so far but Cowan persists. Nope, Pierce circles away and we're back to standing.
Cowan shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pierce defends it nicely.
Pierce swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Pierce lands a right hook to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cowan is defended easily by Pierce.
A counter left hand to the body from Pierce misses its target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cowan throws a right hand that misses
and Pierce connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cowan fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Pierce is looking to counter punch.
Pierce uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cowan.
Pierce appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Cowan gets a double leg takedown into Pierce's guard.
Cowan engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Cowan chips away with some ground and pound.
Cowan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cowan won't allow Pierce to sweep him here.
Pierce looking to control.
Pierce will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowan lands a couple of elbows.
Cowan content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Pierce is looking to stand up but Cowan isn't so interested in that idea.
Cowan lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Pierce wants to get back to his feet but Cowan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Cowan scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Cowan with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Pierce wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Cowan is now in half guard.
Cowan winds up and cracks Pierce with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Pierce wants to stand back up but Cowan manages to pass into side control.
Pierce is trying to control Cowan's posture but Cowan avoids it.
Pierce is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierce on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Cowan works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Pierce is looking to reverse the position.
Cowan trying to control the action but Pierce is working from the bottom.
Cowan working the ground and pound.
Pierce is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Cowan scoring with punches and elbows.
Pierce is looking to reverse the position.
Cowan in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cowan landing strikes.
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 Martin Pierce will probably get the nod.
That's time! 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.

Pierce stuns Cowan with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Pierce avoids the head kick by Cowan.
Cowan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cowan throws a leg kick
and Pierce counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cowan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Pierce appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Finley Cowan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cowan looks to score with a jab to the body but Pierce is just out of range.
Cowan with a poor takedown
and Pierce counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cowan tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pierce sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cowan somewhat.
Pierce is looking to counter punch.
Pierce blocks a head kick by Cowan.
Pierce swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowan misses with a takedown attempt
and Pierce counters with a right hand to the body.
Martin Pierce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Finley Cowan.
Cowan throws a leg kick
and Pierce counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Cowan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Cowan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pierce tries to kick Cowan off in order to stand up. Cowan Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Cowan misses with the ground and pound.
Cowan working the body and head with strikes.
Pierce tries to improve position but can't.
Pierce is working hard here to advance position.
Cowan slows the pace down.
Pierce is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Cowan has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierce is looking to reverse the position.
Cowan scores with a couple of short elbows.
Cowan working away.
Pierce is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pierce takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Cowan working the head and body with strikes.
Cowan working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Pierce tries to improve position but can't.
Cowan working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Cowan working the ground and pound.
Cowan lands a few punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowan scores with a couple of short elbows.
Pierce struggling a bit here.
Pierce is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Pierce tries to buck Cowan off but Cowan is having none of it.
Cowan working away.
Cowan working the head and body with strikes.
Cowan working the ground and pound.
Cowan working the ground and pound from side control.
Pierce is trying to escape the position but Cowan is controlling the position.
Pierce takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Pierce wants to control but Cowan postures up.
Pierce is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cowan scores with a couple of short elbows.
Pierce tries to escape but Cowan is in control.
Cowan is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Pierce will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Pierce taking punishment in the form of punches.
Cowan working the head and body with strikes.
Pierce wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Pierce is looking for a sweep.
Cowan working the head and body with strikes.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Pierce wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Cowan cracks Pierce with a big elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Finley Cowan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cowan has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Finley Cowan!