PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gustavo Gorbatchev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gustavo Gorbatchev has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gorbatchev
vs
Cooper

170 cm
19
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

166 cm
18
169 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Gustavo Gorbatchev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aaron Cooper!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Thiago Cunha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cooper staying out of range there.

Cooper clinches.

Gorbatchev manages to break the clinch.
Cooper takes a swing at Gorbatchev's ribcage but misses.
Gorbatchev shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cooper pinned against the cage. Cooper gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gorbatchev shoots in for a takedown but Cooper shows good takedown defense.
Gorbatchev looks to clinch

and Cooper counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Gorbatchev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cooper doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cooper manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Cooper is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Cooper's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
I looks like Cooper might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gorbatchev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gorbatchev controlling the position.
Cooper stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gorbatchev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cooper is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Aaron Cooper just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gorbatchev with a lazy takedown attempt
and Cooper counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gustavo Gorbatchev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gorbatchev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gorbatchev gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Cooper counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cooper is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gorbatchev working a defensive guard but Cooper passes into half guard.
Cooper takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Cooper keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Aaron Cooper just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cooper misses with a wild body shot.
Aaron Cooper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gorbatchev avoids the body shot from Cooper.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Cooper scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Gorbatchev could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gorbatchev shoots and misses

and Cooper counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cooper.
Gorbatchev is breathing heavily.
Gorbatchev wants to stand but Cooper is controlling the position.
Cooper showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cooper passes Gorbatchev's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Cooper frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Cooper controlling the pace for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cooper throws out a loose jab but Gorbatchev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gorbatchev closes the distance but Cooper moves to the side
letting Cooper counter with a right hand.
Cooper misses with a wild body shot.
Cooper is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gorbatchev rather than just go for the knockout.
Gorbatchev wants to clinch but Cooper slips to the side

and Cooper counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Cooper won't allow Gorbatchev to sweep him here.
Cooper sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Cooper advances position into side control!
Cooper remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Aaron Cooper just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gorbatchev gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Cooper holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Cooper lands a shot to the body.
Gorbatchev tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cooper just stands there and leans against the cage.
A body shot lands from Cooper.
Cooper lands a body punch.
Gorbatchev tries to break the clinch but Cooper is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper is working Gorbatchev over against the cage.
Cooper digs a right hand underneath Gorbatchev's ribcage. Gorbatchev let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Nice body punch from Cooper.
Cooper lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Cooper gets through Gorbatchev's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Nice body punch from Cooper.
Cooper lands a nice shot to the body.

Cooper has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Gorbatchev regains guard immediately.
Cooper stays in close to Gorbatchev's body and controls the position.
Cooper wants to pass the guard but Gorbatchev is keeping the position.
Cooper controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper passes Gorbatchev's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Cooper looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's four 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.
Gorbatchev flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Cooper takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Despite being in the dominant position, Aaron Cooper just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cooper stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Cooper moves into the clinch.
Gorbatchev tries to pull guard but Cooper won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gustavo Gorbatchev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cooper scores with a nice hook to the head.
Gorbatchev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cooper lands a body shot.

Cooper turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Cooper manages to end up in side control.
You can see the frustration on Gorbatchev's face as Cooper controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Cooper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Gorbatchev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cooper jabs at Gorbatchev's body.
Gorbatchev misses with a takedown

and Cooper counters with a takedown into side control.
Gorbatchev seems a little lost for a moment, as Cooper dominates the positioning.
Cooper tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Cooper controls the position.
Aaron Cooper has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gorbatchev stops Cooper from passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper controlling the position from side mount.
Gorbatchev tries to escape but Cooper is in control.
Cooper staying calm.

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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Aaron Cooper just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gorbatchev steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cooper.

Cooper is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Gorbatchev's half guard.
Cooper trying to pass the guard but Gorbatchev defending well.
Cooper not doing much here.
Cooper has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Cooper controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aaron Cooper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Despite being in the dominant position, Aaron Cooper just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cooper scores with a hook to the body. Gorbatchev takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Cooper sizes up Gorbatchev with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A leg kick checked by Gorbatchev.
Cooper misses with an uppercut.
Gustavo Gorbatchev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cooper takes a swing at Gorbatchev's ribcage but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Cooper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cooper 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 26:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 24:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Cooper!