PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Juan Cohen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ismat Wazini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ismat Wazini has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cohen
vs
Wazini

217 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 9 - 0

189 cm
18
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Juan Cohen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ismat Wazini!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cohen shoots for a double leg takedown but Wazini sprawls well. He's pushed Cohen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A punch combination from Wazini misses.

Wazini clinches up with Cohen and pushes him back against the cage.
Cohen tries to circle away but Wazini has him pinned against the cage.
Wazini goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cohen prevents it.

Wazini breaks the clinch.
Wazini fails with a takedown attempt.
Cohen lands with a nice body punch.
Wazini displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cohen.
Wazini closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cohen circles away.
Juan Cohen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ismat Wazini.
Cohen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Wazini as he avoids it easily.
Cohen really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Wazini shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cohen sprawls well. Cohen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Wazini gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cohen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cohen wants it to stay on the feet.
Cohen keeps the fight on the outside.
Cohen shoots in but Wazini avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Wazini displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cohen.
Wazini darts in looking for a takedown but Cohen gets double underhooks and turns Wazini into the cage.
Wazini is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Cohen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Wazini is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Wazini is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cohen fails to pull guard.
Cohen misses with a punch on the inside.
Cohen is trying to pull guard but Wazini has him pressed against the cage.
Cohen is breathing heavily.

Wazini breaks the clinch.
Cohen stuffs the takedown.
Cohen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Wazini.

Cohen moves into the clinch successfully.
Wazini avoiding damage.
Wazini wants a takedown but no success here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cohen pulls Wazini into guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Cohen controlling the position.
Cohen wants to stand up but Wazini is controlling him.
Wazini being controlled here momentarily.
Wazini wanted to stand there but Cohen had control of the position.
Cohen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Juan Cohen wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Cohen dives in for a single leg takedown but Wazini sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wazini goes for a takedown attempt but Cohen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Wazini misses with a two punch combination.
Wazini has a takedown stuffed.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cohen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Wazini drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cohen pulls his leg out and moves away.
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 Juan Cohen will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Wazini shoots in and drives through. Cohen sprawls well.

Wazini darts in and clinches Cohen up against the cage.
Wazini is looking to take this one to the mat.

Cohen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cohen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Wazini pinned against the cage. Wazini gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cohen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cohen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Wazini tries to avoid it but Cohen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Wazini to the ground. Wazini escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juan Cohen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cohen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Wazini manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wazini tries to land a body kick

and Cohen moves into the clinch.
Wazini tries for a takedown but Cohen manages to get underhooks.
Wazini lands a hook to the side of the head.
Wazini displaying some good clinch control by pressing Cohen up against the cage.
Cohen taking a breather.
Cohen landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Wazini is trying to break the clinch but Cohen has him pressed against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Wazini scores with a nice short uppercut.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Wazini jumps guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wazini is controlling Cohen's posture.
Cohen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cohen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cohen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Wazini swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Wazini looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Wazini looking for a guillotine here but Cohen defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cohen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Wazini's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wazini escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cohen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cohen forces his way into half guard.

Cohen decides to return to a standing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cohen checks a leg kick nicely.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cohen!
Cohen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Wazini manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Cohen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Cohen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Wazini has escaped the position, nice work there.
Cohen trying to control the action but Wazini is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wazini struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Cohen dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Cohen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cohen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Wazini avoids it really well and circles away.
Cohen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Wazini.
Cohen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Wazini shoots in for a takedown but Cohen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Wazini shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cohen as he jumps to the side.
Juan Cohen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ismat Wazini.
Wazini takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wazini shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cohen as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cohen fails with a takedown attempt.
Cohen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Wazini sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Wazini cracks the inside of Cohen's front leg.
Wazini tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Cohen defends well and Wazini ends up having to push Cohen into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Cohen prevents a body shot from Wazini.

Cohen breaks from the clinch.

Wazini moves into the clinch.
Wazini effectively controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cohen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Cohen has closed the distance and engaged Wazini in a clinch.
Wazini has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Wazini drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cohen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cohen missing with knees to the body.
Wazini fails to pull guard.
Cohen wants to take the fight to the mat but Wazini manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Cohen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wazini has had enough of the clinch but Cohen keeps him there for the moment.
Cohen can't break the clinch.
Wazini is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Cohen is keeping busy.
Wazini prevents the takedown attempt.
Wazini gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cohen.
Wazini is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Cohen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Cohen is trying to pull guard but Wazini has him pressed against the cage.
Wazini is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cohen is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wazini tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cohen smiles and moves away.
Wazini thows a body shot but no joy.
Wazini walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cohen doesn't manage to clinch there - Wazini circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Wazini as Cohen shoots in.
Wazini tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cohen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Wazini somewhat.
Wazini tries to clinch but Cohen moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ismat Wazini.
I think Cohen 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan Cohen!