PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between David Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arstan Selmy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cook
vs
Selmy

184 cm
38
268 lbs
33 - 19 - 1

190 cm
26
226 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 19 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, David Cook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Arstan Selmy!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Selmy bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Selmy misses with the combination.
Selmy shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cook but Cook pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Selmy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Selmy throws a body shot but no joy.
Selmy throws an overhand right that lands on Cook's shoulder, as Cook tries to avoid the shot.

Selmy drives through with a takedown into guard.
Selmy wants to control from the top but Cook keeps moving.
Selmy looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cook looking to hit a scissor sweep but Selmy is one step ahead there.
Cook keeping moving, preventing Selmy from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selmy in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cook is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cook looks for a takedown but Selmy sprawls well.
Selmy scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Selmy shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Cook wants to get back to full guard.
Selmy is keen to just control but Cook is a slippery customer.
Selmy keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Selmy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cook wants to control but Selmy is keeping busy.
Cook is trying to stand up here but Selmy is controlling him well.
Selmy prevents Cook from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook blocking the ground and pound attempt from Selmy.
Cook is not content to let Selmy control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Cook shoots in for a takedown but Selmy shows good takedown defense.
Selmy misses with a low kick.
Cook shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Selmy counters with a thumping low kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Cook. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Selmy takes a swing at Cook's ribcage but misses.
Cook wants to clinch up but Selmy keeps it at a distance.
Selmy keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Cook gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Cook wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cook fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook trying to stall but Selmy improves his position.
Cook tries to pull guard but Selmy holds him up against the cage and eventually Cook drops back down to his feet.
Selmy tries for a takedown but Cook manages to get underhooks.
Selmy tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Cook breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice defenses there by Cook.

Selmy throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Cook tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Selmy is in Cook's guard.
Selmy connects with a couple of short punches.
Selmy wants to pass the guard but Cook is keeping the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cook wants to sweep but no luck.
Selmy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cook is keeping the position for now.
Selmy has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Selmy looking to sit in guard and control but Cook gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arstan Selmy dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cook tries to clinch but Selmy is having none of it.
Selmy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Crunch! Selmy slams his shin into Cook's torso.
Nice takedown defense from Selmy. No joy for Cook on that attempt.
Selmy lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Selmy just misses with a punch to the body.
Selmy swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Selmy shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Cook eats them both and turns towards Selmy to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Selmy looks to throw a body kick
and Cook counters with a body kick that stops Selmy in his tracks momentarily.
Cook thows a left - swing and a miss!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Selmy throws the left hand but Cook avoids the punch easily.
Selmy is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cook throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Selmy's waist but Selmy gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cook off to one side.
Selmy has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cook shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Cook. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Selmy closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Cook's guard.
Selmy is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Selmy advances position into side control!
Selmy wants to take a breather but Cook manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Selmy.
Selmy is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Selmy wants to control from the top but Cook keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook being controlled here, momentarily.
Cook wants to stand but Selmy is controlling the position.
Cook wants to sweep but no luck.
Cook is working hard here to advance position.
Selmy trying to control the position from guard on top but Cook is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Selmy is in close to Cook's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cook looking to hit a scissor sweep but Selmy is one step ahead there.
Selmy looking to sit in guard and control but Cook gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selmy controlling Cook's posture.
Selmy keeping moving, preventing Cook from controlling successfully.
Selmy is trying to hold Cook in close to prevent damage but Cook has managed to pass into half guard.
Selmy has his hands clasped together around Cook's back. He's all about the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Selmy wants to control but Cook is keeping busy.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Cook seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cook keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arstan Selmy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Selmy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cook fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Selmy throws a quick inside leg kick.

Selmy fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cook sprawls well initially but Selmy persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Selmy controlling the pace.
Selmy is looking to stall here but Cook recovers full guard.
Selmy lands a couple of digs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Selmy with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cook working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Selmy.
Selmy stays in close to Cook's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selmy trying to control but Cook is working from the bottom.
Cook is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Selmy keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cook's head.
Selmy trying to control but Cook is working from the bottom.
Arstan Selmy has got the better of the ground game so far.
Selmy is working Cook over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Selmy trying to control the position from guard on top but Cook is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Selmy tries to free his leg and advance position but Cook is retaining full guard.

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 ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cook scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Cook misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cook tries to clinch but Selmy is having none of it.
Arstan Selmy seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Selmy buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cook is trying hard to land a takedown here. Selmy sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cook moves forwards but Selmy connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Selmy walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Cook checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
David Cook is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Selmy fails with the takedown.
Selmy digs a good body shot into Cook's ribs.
Cook doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Cook shoots in but Selmy avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Cook. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook avoids the head kick by Selmy.
Cook shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Selmy but Selmy pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Selmy looks to score with a jab to the body but Cook is just out of range.

Cook gets a takedown into half guard.
David Cook has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are battling for position here. Selmy manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Selmy has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cook can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Selmy has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Selmy working for submissions but it's allowed Cook to get to half guard.

Selmy looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Selmy gets back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arstan Selmy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Selmy winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arstan Selmy!