PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jamie Cooney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Barden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cooney
vs
Barden

180 cm
21
180 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

191 cm
24
185 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jamie Cooney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eli Barden!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Lou da Vinci and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cooney throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Barden throws a head kick that Cooney semi-blocks.
Barden's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Barden duly obliges.
Cooney slips a jab from Barden.
Barden clobbers Cooney with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A low kick from Barden misses
and Cooney counters with a head kick. That will keep Barden thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Barden looks to score with a jab to the body but Cooney is just out of range.
Cooney throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Barden counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cooney utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cooney keeping moving, preventing Barden from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barden looking to sit in guard and control but Cooney gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Barden has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Barden trying to keep a closed guard but Cooney is proving a slippery customer.
Barden looking for a sweep. Not yet Barden, not yet.

Cooney avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Barden avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two 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.
Cooney engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Cooney distracts Barden with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Barden keeping moving, preventing Cooney from controlling successfully.
Cooney content to stall in guard here.
Barden wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooney trying to control the position from guard on top but Barden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Barden trying to control the position here.
Barden keeping moving, preventing Cooney from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jamie Cooney.
Barden swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cooney counters with a leg kick.
Nice shot lands for Barden.

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.
Barden takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Nice body kick there by Barden.
Barden lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cooney circles away quickly and effectively.
Cooney misses with a head kick.
Barden pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Barden throws a lazy head kick

and Cooney counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Barden's guard now.
Barden doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Barden is trying to control the position but Cooney postures up.
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 Jamie Cooney will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Barden swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cooney counters with a stiff right hand.
Barden slips under a jab from Cooney.
Cooney shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barden as he jumps to the side.
Barden stalks Cooney and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cooney's face. Cooney staggers backwards, shaken.
Cooney looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooney passes to side control.
Barden is not content to let Cooney control the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Barden regains half guard.
Barden tries to kick Cooney off but Cooney keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Barden makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Barden.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Barden looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Barden is trying to control the position but Cooney postures up.
Cooney stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barden swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barden looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Barden tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Eli Barden hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Cooney shoots for a double leg takedown but Barden sprawls well. He's pushed Cooney's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamie Cooney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barden throws a good cross that connects.
Barden throws a right hand that misses
and Cooney makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Cooney staying out of range there.
A swing and a miss from Barden.
Barden connects with a right hand. Cooney shakes it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Cooney throws a looping overhand right but Barden ducks down to avoid it.
Barden throws a looping overhand right but Cooney ducks down to avoid it.
Cooney uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Barden.
Cooney throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Barden cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Eli Barden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cooney blocks a leg kick.
Cooney misses with a leg kick
letting Barden counter with a right hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cooney moves out of range as Barden strikes.
Barden connects with an inside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eli Barden will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Cooney slips under a jab from Barden.
Barden misses with a combination
and Cooney counters with an inside leg kick.
Cooney misses with a low kick as Barden jumps back.
Barden misses the jab.

Barden is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cooney's half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cooney is staying active underneath Barden, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cooney is controlling Barden's trapped leg to prevent Barden from advancing to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooney wants to improve his position but Barden is controlling well.
Cooney avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Barden.
Cooney trying to control but Barden postures up.
Cooney is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Barden's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Barden's back!
Barden is trying to break free.
Barden grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Cooney's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooney lands a shot to the body.
Barden manages to reverse the position and now he's in Cooney's guard. Nice work there by Barden.
Barden is in close to Cooney's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cooney keeping moving, preventing Barden from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barden throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cooney is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cooney keeping full guard, as Barden tries to pass.
Cooney wants to sweep but no luck.
Cooney is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

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.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jamie Cooney wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Barden changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cooney tries for a takedown but Barden circles away easily
and Barden counters with a good, hard body kick but Cooney shrugs it off.
Barden throws a poor cross that misses
and Cooney counters with a nice leg kick.
Barden misses with a shot to the body

so Cooney counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jamie Cooney showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cooney has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:28
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jamie Cooney!