PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Scooter Dahan (ranked 2337 p4p, 2408 weight class) and Finley Cowan (ranked 217 p4p, 220 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Dahan
vs
Cowan

167 cm
26
150
3 - 3 - 0

170 cm
27
155
8 - 5 - 1

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Scooter Dahan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 1, fighting out of London, Finley Cowan!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, John Mangel and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cowan with a lazy takedown attempt

and Dahan counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Dahan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dahan sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cowan defending well though.
Dahan missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Dahan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cowan wants to improve his position but Dahan is controlling well.
Dahan throwing shots but Cowan is blocking nicely.
Dahan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dahan is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Dahan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We've been hearing that Dahan has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dahan seems to be working for a kimura but Cowan defends the submission attempt.
Cowan is trying to control but can't.
Cowan is trying to get back to full guard.
Dahan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Cowan is defending against the submission attempts here by Dahan.
Dahan thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cowan's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cowan manages to get to full guard.
Cowan wants to sweep but no luck.
Cowan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Dahan missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cowan utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Finley Cowan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cowan shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dahan as he jumps to the side.
Cowan pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Dahan appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dahan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dahan shoots in and drives through. Cowan sprawls well.
Cowan looks to score with a jab to the body but Dahan is just out of range.

Cowan closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Dahan did well to prevent Cowan getting side control.
Cowan looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dahan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Cowan content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cowan working the head and body with strikes.
Cowan is looking to take a break and control but Dahan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cowan slips a nice elbow through Dahan's hands, connecting with Dahan's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dahan is staying active underneath Cowan, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Dahan works his way to full guard. Good work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cowan with a nice head shot there.
Cowan trying to control the position from guard on top but Dahan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dahan trying to control the position.
Cowan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Dahan's head.

Dahan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cowan doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cowan manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cowan trying to control the position from guard on top but Dahan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
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 Scooter Dahan will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cowan gets a double leg takedown into Dahan's guard.
Cowan is in close to Dahan's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cowan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cowan won't allow Dahan to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dahan utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Dahan working for a triangle but Cowan defends it easily.
Finley Cowan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cowan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cowan stays in close to Dahan's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Cowan 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.

Cowan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Dahan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Dahan has momentary wrist control but Cowan slips an elbow through the middle.
Dahan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cowan is one step ahead there.
Cowan scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cowan wants to control from the top but Dahan keeps moving.
Cowan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dahan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Cowan closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Dahan sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Cowan landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Cowan drops an elbow to the side of Dahan's head.
Nice strikes from Cowan there.
Cowan wants to pass the guard but Dahan is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowan drops an elbow to the side of Dahan's head.
Cowan is thwarting Dahan's attempts to control the position.
Cowan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cowan looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dahan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Dahan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Dahan tries to get out of the position.
Cowan prevents Dahan from improving his position.
Cowan has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cowan connects with a nice short shot to Dahan's temple.

Dahan actively working from the bottom here.
Dahan trying to control but Cowan postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cowan controlling the action here.
Cowan is trying to control. Dahan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Dahan trying to control from the bottom.
Cowan is looking to take a break and control but Dahan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cowan lands with a punch from half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dahan has hold of Cowan's hands but Cowan slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cowan is trying to control the action in half guard but Dahan is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cowan lands strikes from half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Finley Cowan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Cowan darts in looking for a takedown but Dahan gets double underhooks and turns Cowan into the cage.
Dahan changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Dahan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cowan as he avoids it easily.
Cowan with the counter takedown but Dahan avoids it easily.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Dahan lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Cowan has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Cowan and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Cowan feints the counter takedown.
Dahan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cowan is fending him off so far but Dahan persists. Nope, Cowan circles away and we're back to standing.

Dahan gets caught napping as Cowan dives in and scores a takedown. Dahan manages to retain guard.
Cowan stays in close to Dahan's body and controls the position.

Dahan looking for subs off his back but Cowan has passed one foot through into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ground and pound from Cowan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowan looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dahan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Cowan sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Cowan takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Dahan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Cowan engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Cowan wants to control from the top but Dahan keeps moving.

That's two 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.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Dahan avoids the head kick by Cowan.
Dahan attempts a counter takedown but Cowan avoids it well and moves away.
Cowan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Dahan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Cowan gets a double leg takedown into Dahan's guard.
Cowan working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Dahan escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cowan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Dahan working for submissions but it's allowed Cowan to get to half guard.
Cowan lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dahan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cowan pulls his head out easily.
Cowan looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dahan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Dahan looking for a kimura from the bottom but Cowan passes into side control!
Cowan trying to control the action but Dahan is working from the bottom.
Cowan scores with punches from side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cowan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dahan keeps working.

And that's the end of the fight!
Finley Cowan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cowan has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29

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