PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kareem Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Johnson
vs
Cook

190 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, Kareem Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Cook!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cook.
Cook fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson is looking to clinch but Cook is avoiding it.

Cook looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Cook wants to work for an arm triangle but Johnson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Cook missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Johnson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cook on the ground.
Cook wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.
Cook throwing shots but Johnson is blocking nicely.

Cook seems to be working for a kimura but Johnson defends the submission attempt.
Cook passes to full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cook working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Cook can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johnson is looking to escape.
Cook looks gassed!
Cook misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Johnson tries to buck Cook off but he can't manage it.
Johnson trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Cook looking to secure an arm triangle but Johnson defends it well.

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.

Cook goes for an armbar but Johnson turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Johnson.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Johnson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Cook is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.
Johnson won't allow Cook to sweep him here.
Johnson is working Cook over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Johnson trying to control but Cook is working from the bottom.

Johnson gets to his feet - Cook follows without any prompting.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to clinch but Cook is having none of it.
Johnson lands a head kick. Cook smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Cook swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Johnson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Johnson stops a takedown attempt from Cook.
Johnson slows down the pace here.
Johnson with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch but Cook is having none of it.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cook swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson is looking to clinch but Cook is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson scores with a spinning back kick!
Johnson is looking to clinch.

Johnson moves into range and clinches up with Cook.
Johnson throws a knee to the head but misses.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Good leg kick by Johnson there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Cook avoids a punch combination nicely.
Johnson throws a head kick that Cook semi-blocks.
Cook tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Johnson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cook shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kareem Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Cook.
Johnson tries to clinch up but Cook circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kareem Johnson will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Johnson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A punch combination from Johnson misses.
Cook throws a right and a left that both miss.

Johnson moves into the clinch.
Cook blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Johnson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Johnson pulls guard.
Cook advances to half guard.
Cook wants to pass to mount but Johnson is defending the position.

Johnson is defending against the submission attempts here by Cook.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson is trying to stand back up but Cook is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cook prevents Johnson from standing back up.
Cook missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Cook looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Cook looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Johnson!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson taking shots to the head.

Cook jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Johnson is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Johnson and Cook has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Cook is trying to get an arm triangle but Johnson is defending well.

Cook thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cook has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to get back to his feet.

Cook tries for a kimura but Johnson is defending well.

Cook working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cook trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnson pushes Cook away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Cook gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson stuffs the takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A head kick misses from Johnson.
Johnson tries to clinch but Cook is having none of it.
Johnson wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Cook showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Cook avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cook.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Cook swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kareem Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cook swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cook closes this distance looking for a takedown but Johnson circles away.
Johnson wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Johnson rushes Cook and presses him up against the cage.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson drives through and clinches with Cook against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Johnson tightens his grip and picks Cook up, before dumping him to the ground. Cook manages to land in guard.
Johnson won't allow Cook to sweep him here.
Cook keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

Johnson has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Cook to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Johnson is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Cook pulls down on the head and he's put Johnson to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Mike Cook!