PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Graig Cooke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Cac (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cooke
vs
Cac

174 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Graig Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Leo Cac!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Josh West and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cooke wants to clinch.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Cac crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Cooke - the referee stops the clock and Cac gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Cooke. Cac manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Cooke throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Cooke gets tackled into the cage by Cac. Cac maintains the clinch.
Cooke looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cooke wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cac has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cooke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cac lands a nice shot that snaps Cooke's head back.
Cac's coach down at Hilo MMA Academy was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Cac's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Cac misses with a kick to the body.
Cac works over Cooke's head and body with a nice combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cooke closes the distance and clinches.

Cac gets control of Cooke's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cac will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Cooke trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cooke scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Cooke is working Cac over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Cooke throwing strikes but missing.
Cac utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cac is trying to control the position but Cooke postures up.

Cooke decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Cac moves into range and clinches up with Cooke.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Cooke is trying to break the clinch but Cac has him pressed against the cage.
Cac wants to get back to striking at distance but Cooke won't allow it.
Cac goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cooke prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke slows down the pace here.
Cooke has had enough of the clinch but Cac keeps him there for the moment.
Cac wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cooke has him pressed against the cage.

Cooke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cooke keeps Cac at a distance using the push kick.
Cac shoots in for a takedown but Cooke shows good takedown defense.
Cac looks winded!
Cooke shoots for a takedown but Cac saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cooke is looking to clinch.
Cac lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cac.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cooke moves in looking to clinch but Cac pushes him off.
Cooke fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cac shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cooke sprawls well. Cooke wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cac gets slowly back to his feet.
Graig Cooke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leo Cac.
Cac misses with a takedown attempt - Cooke sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cooke tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Cac manages to circle out of the way.
Cac moves out of range as Cooke throws a body kick.

Cac closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Cooke explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Cooke stuffs the takedown attempt from Cac. Cac gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cooke moves into range and clinches up with Cac.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Cooke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cooke fails to land the takedown.
Cooke shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cac blocks the body kick.
Cac shoots in and drives through. Cooke sprawls well.
Leo Cac seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cac tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cooke tries for a takedown but Cac sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
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 Graig Cooke will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cooke lands a head kick. Cac smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Cac gets caught flat footed, as Cooke shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cooke trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Cooke has gone for a leg lock! Cac slips out almost immediately though and dives into Cooke's guard.

Cooke is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cac pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cooke is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cac won't allow Cooke to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke keeping full guard, as Cac tries to pass.
Cac looking to sit in guard and control but Cooke gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Cooke postures up and lands a big shot to Cac's brow.
Cooke has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Cooke drops back looking for a leg! Cac is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cac manages to kick Cooke off! Cooke jumps back into Cac's guard.
Cac looking for a sweep. Not yet Cac, not yet.
Cac is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Cooke drops back looking for a leg! Cac is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cac manages to kick Cooke off! Cooke jumps back into Cac's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cooke drops back looking for a leg! Cac is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cac manages to kick Cooke off! Cooke jumps back into Cac's guard.
Cooke loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Cooke avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cac is breathing heavily.

Cooke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cooke wants to stand but Cac is controlling his posture from full guard.
Cac tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cac utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Cooke thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cooke stands up over Cac, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cooke cracks Cac with a solid left hand.
Cooke working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Graig Cooke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cooke trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cac trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Cooke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cooke throws a big right hand that misses.
Cooke wants to stand but Cac is controlling his posture from full guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cac is trying to control the position but Cooke postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cac shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cooke pinned against the cage. Cooke gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cooke keeps the fight on the outside.

Cooke scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cooke not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cac really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cooke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cooke throwing shots but Cac is blocking nicely.
Cooke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cac can do to turn this around?

Cooke seems to be working for a kimura but Cac defends the submission attempt.

Cac is defending against the submission attempts here by Cooke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Graig Cooke dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Cooke keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Cac fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Cooke scores with a takedown into Cac's guard.

Cooke drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cooke jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooke with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Cooke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cooke got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cac has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cooke has managed to get both his arms back between Cac's legs - danger averted.
Cac takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Cooke drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cooke jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Cooke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Cooke thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Cooke drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cooke jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cac is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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.
Cac looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cooke is one step ahead there.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cac can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cooke scoring with some ground and pound.
Cac has momentary wrist control but Cooke slips an elbow through the middle.
Cac is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cooke keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cac's head.
Cac is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cooke working some strikes from top position.
Cac is trying to control the position but Cooke postures up.
Cooke postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cooke postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke landing some decent shots from guard.
Cooke postures up and lands a big shot to Cac's brow.

Cooke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cooke works over Cac with some ground and pound from guard.
Cooke postures up.
Cooke landing with the ground and pound.
Cooke with a nice head shot there.
Cooke stopping the sweep attempt from Cac.
Cooke with a nice head shot there.
Cooke throwing strikes but missing.
Cooke cracks Cac with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke stands up over Cac, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Cooke is working Cac over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Cac is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cooke is controlling him.
Cac preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Cooke drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cooke jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cac controls Cooke momentarily but Cooke frees himself.
Cac looking for a sweep. Not yet Cac, not yet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cooke throws a big right hand that misses.
Cac has a closed guard, preventing Cooke from standing up.
Leo Cac has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Graig Cooke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cooke scoring with punches to the head and body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Graig Cooke showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cooke has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:26
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:26
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Graig Cooke!