PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sea Level Cain (ranked 1954 p4p, 279 weight class) and Matt Cooke (ranked 1385 p4p, 196 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Level Cain
vs
Cooke

184 cm
32
196 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

185 cm
29
203 lbs
18 - 9 - 0

Great wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sea Level Cain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matt Cooke!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A solid leg kick lands there for Cain.
Cain misses the body punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cain fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cooke now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Cain changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cooke looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Cain working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cain throws an elbow but Cooke slips to the side and avoids it well.
Cooke managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Cain.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The strikes coming from Cain are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The strikes coming from Cain are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The strikes coming from Cain are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Cain wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cooke, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cain looking to control but instead Cooke has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Cain with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cain trying to control from half guard but Cooke is working away.
Cain stalling away here and it's allowed Cooke to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Cooke is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Cain with a flurry of punches that miss.

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.
Cooke looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Cain puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Cooke has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cain is working away from the top position though.
Cain trying to control the action but Cooke is working from the bottom.
Cain is stalling here. Cooke is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Cain seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Cooke has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Cain is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke slows the pace down.
Cain is trying to control Cooke's posture but Cooke avoids it.
Cain holding on.
Cooke moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cooke has knee on belly and moves into mount.

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.
Cain is looking to improve his position but Cooke isn't that keen on the idea.
Cooke takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Cain working to try and regain half guard.
Cooke controlling the position easily from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matt Cooke will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cain misses with a head kick.
Cain is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cain looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cain takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Cooke ducks under a wild hook from Cain.
Cain throws the kick towards the body but Cooke avoids it.

Cain moves into the clinch.
Cain blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooke is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cooke misses with a hook from the clinch.

Cooke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cain will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cooke looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A low kick from Cain is predictable there
and Cooke counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cain misses with the body kick
and Cooke counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cain closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cain takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cooke checks a leg kick.
A little jabbing left from Cooke on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Cain throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
An inside leg kick from Cain misses.
Cooke feints a counter leg kick.
A cross from Cooke lands.
Cooke throws a front kick aimed at Cain's knee but Cain avoids it well.
Cooke checks a leg kick nicely.
Cooke lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Cain.
Cain shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Cain throws a leg kick but Cooke moved away.
Cain misses with a hook to the body
and Cooke counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cain thinking.
Cain fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cooke has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cooke throws a leg kick but Cain moved away.
Cain looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

Cain clinches.
A short uppercut from Cooke.
Cooke working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Cooke has a couple of punches blocked by Cain.
Cooke lands a shoulder strike.
Cain doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cooke prevents a body shot from Cain.
Cain blocking some punches.
Cooke is trying to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cain stalling in the clinch.
Cain misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cain misses with some punches.
Cain misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cain tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cooke swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cain.

Cooke breaks from the clinch.
Cain's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Cooke connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Cain scrambles back to his feet.
Matt Cooke seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cain dives in and grabs Cooke's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cooke pushes down on Cain's head and hops out.
Matt Cooke is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cain throws a leg kick which misses Cooke's front leg but catches the back leg as Cooke tries to avoid it.

Cain has Cooke up against the cage in a clinch.

Cooke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cain connects with a crisp jab.
Cain throws a low kick but Cooke moves out of range easily.
Cain throws a leg kick
and Cooke makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sea Level Cain seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cooke thuds his shin into the meat of Cain's side.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Cain tries for a takedown but Cooke sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cooke lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Cain pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cooke is out of range and Cain settles back down.
Cooke stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Cain.
Cain missing with a left hand there. Cooke was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A countering left hand to the body from Cooke misses.
Cooke loads up on a big right hand but Cain slips the punch.
Cooke has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cooke throws a body punch but Cain moves out of range.
A low kick from Cain is predictable there
and Cooke counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cain thinking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Cooke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Cooke swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cain pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cooke is out of range and Cain settles back down.
A nice side step and Cooke releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Cooke checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cain closes the distance but Cooke moves to the side
and Cooke cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cooke misses the shot to the body.
Cooke bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cooke throws a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cain tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cooke manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A leg kick checked by Cooke.
Cain takes a swing at Cooke's ribcage but misses.
Cain throws a head kick that misses.
Cooke now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Nice takedown defense from Cooke. No joy for Cain on that attempt.
Cain moves out of range as Cooke strikes.
Cooke fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cain has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cooke takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cain tries to land a leg kick but Cooke saw it coming and moves away.
Cain buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cooke takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Cain throws a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Cooke checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cooke now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Cooke works Cain's body with a nice hook.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cooke drives through and clinches with Cain against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Cooke fails to land.
Cain blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cooke.
Matt Cooke seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A head punch on the inside from Cooke fails to land.
Cain tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cooke's elbow.
Cooke misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cain lands a body shot.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Cooke.
Cooke lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Cooke fails to land.
Cooke lands a nice shot to the body.
Cooke throws a head punch that misses.
Cooke misses with a hook from the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Cooke scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sea Level Cain has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cooke misses with some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cain.
Cooke lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cain blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cain lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Cooke breaks the clinch.
Cooke moves out of range of the strikes.
Cooke tries to land a body kick

and Cain decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cooke's guard.
Sea Level Cain overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cooke working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cain.
Cooke preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cooke keeping moving, preventing Cain from controlling successfully.
Cooke has his hands on Cain's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke working a defensive guard here.
Cain working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cooke is controlling Cain's posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cain fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cooke looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cain throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
A low kick from Cain is predictable there
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cooke with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Cooke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cooke 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Cooke!
Matt Cooke bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.