PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Cooke (ranked 187 p4p, 29 weight class) and Solomon Kahn (ranked 145 p4p, 23 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cooke
vs
Kahn

185 cm
36
203 lbs
30 - 10 - 1

188 cm
36
213 lbs
29 - 14 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

UnderGround Clothing Co.

KOMBAT KLOTHING
UnderGround Clothing Co.

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 30 - 10 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matt Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Solomon Kahn!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Paul Tew and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kahn tries to land a front kick but Cooke steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kahn throws a jab but it's blocked by Cooke.
Cooke feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Kahn misses with a body kick.
Cooke seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Kahn slips a straight right by Cooke.
Nice defenses there by Cooke.
Cooke scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Cooke blocks the body kick.
Cooke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A jab lands there for Kahn.
Cooke lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A head kick misses from Cooke.
Kahn cracks Cooke with a right hand to the side of the head.
Cooke takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Cooke ducks under a wild hook from Kahn.
Cooke slips a straight right by Kahn.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
A big right from Kahn misses.
Cooke staying out of range there.
Kahn looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cooke looks to score with a jab to the body but Kahn is just out of range.
Cooke throws a big shot that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kahn throws a push kick but Cooke slaps the foot to one side.
Kahn takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Cooke tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kahn takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kahn blocks a low kick nicely.
Kahn misses with a hook.
Cooke is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A combination from Kahn does no damage.
Cooke is looking to score with low kicks.
Cooke blocks the body kick.
Cooke throws out a loose jab but Kahn uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cooke misses with a wild body shot.
Cooke throws a low kick but Kahn avoids it.
Cooke misses with a head kick.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kahn! But no joy.
Cooke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cooke misses with a looping right.
Kahn tries to land a front kick but Cooke steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Cooke connects with a looping right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kahn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kahn lunges at Cooke with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Cooke's hand.
Cooke misses with a body shot.
Kahn throws the left hand but Cooke avoids the punch easily.
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!
Cooke slips under a jab.
Cooke misses with a hook. Kahn ducked under it nicely.
Cooke fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kahn looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cooke misses with a hook to the body
and Kahn counters with a nice uppercut.
Kahn swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice defenses there by Cooke.
Cooke is looking to score with low kicks.
Kahn looking to land some kicks to the body here.
No joy there for Kahn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cooke connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Cooke bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A quick step to the side and Cooke tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kahn thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cooke misses with a straight right.
A head kick by Kahn misses
and Cooke counters with a good low kick that Kahn was not able to check.
Cooke gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kahn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke lands a jab to Kahn's midsection.
Kahn throws out a loose jab but Cooke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cooke turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kahn looks to throw the jab but Cooke is out of range.
Cooke lands with a slapping head kick.
Cooke throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kahn.
Cooke fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Cooke throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cooke swings for the body but Kahn moves out of range.
Kahn misses with a straight right.
Kahn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cooke.
Cooke throws a body punch but Kahn moves out of range.
Kahn bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
The fighters circling - Cooke throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kahn lands a head kick!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kahn throws a shot from downtown. Cooke moves away and avoids it.
Cooke is looking to chop away at Kahn's legs.
Cooke misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Cooke.
Kahn bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cooke's head backwards.
Cooke misses with a body shot.
Kahn throws a poor cross that misses
and Cooke counters with a good low kick that Kahn was not able to check.
Kahn tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cooke moves out of range of the strikes.
Kahn takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Kahn throws the left hand but Cooke avoids the punch easily.
Cooke misses with a low kick as Kahn jumps back.
Kahn walks into a straight right hand from Cooke.
Kahn throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cooke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cooke feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Cooke slips under a jab from Kahn.
Cooke swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Kahn fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cooke on the side of the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kahn pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kahn takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cooke scores with a hook to the body. Kahn takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Kahn throws a hook to the side of Cooke's head but Cooke sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kahn steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cooke.
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 Matt Cooke will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kahn blocks a leg kick.
Kahn swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Cooke connects with an inside leg kick.
Cooke throws a front kick that sends Kahn stumbling back into the cage.
Cooke slips a straight right by Kahn.
Nice jab there from Kahn.
Kahn takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Kahn cracks Cooke with an open hand slap.
Kahn throws a shot from downtown. Cooke moves away and avoids it.
Cooke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kahn was well out of range. Poor timing from Cooke.
Kahn throws a wild body kick that Cooke sees coming a mile off.
A punch combination from Cooke misses.
Nice body kick from Cooke.
Kahn moves away from the strike by Cooke.
Cooke moves away from the strike by Kahn.
Kahn misses with a kick to the body.
Cooke gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cooke tries to score with a low kick but Kahn moves his leg out of the way.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cooke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kahn staying out of range there.
Cooke works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Cooke dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kahn. That did some damage!
Kahn throws a jab but it's blocked by Cooke.
Cooke throws a predictable looking body shot
and Kahn counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kahn's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kahn lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cooke will feel that in the morning.
Cooke throws out a loose jab but Kahn uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kahn misses with a straight right.
Cooke looks to throw the jab but Kahn is out of range.
Cooke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kahn was well out of range. Poor timing from Cooke.
Nice cross by Kahn.
Cooke tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kahn uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cooke just misses with a punch to the body.
Cooke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kahn was well out of range. Poor timing from Cooke.
Cooke thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kahn if he has to take too many more of those.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cooke moves out of range of the strikes.
Matt Cooke is winning the standup battle so far.
Kahn throws a body kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke misses with an uppercut.
Cooke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kahn manages to avoid it.
Cooke tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cooke will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cooke throws a series of punches but Kahn avoids them all with ease.
Kahn misses with a body kick.
Kahn drops his hands momentarily and Cooke takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Kahn gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Nice straight punches there by Cooke. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Cooke.
Cooke walks into a jab.
A slow jab from Kahn misses its intended target.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cooke blocks a jab.
Cooke moves out of range as Kahn throws a body kick.
Cooke fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kahn has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kahn misses with a hook.
Cooke gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Cooke throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke throws out a loose jab but Kahn uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cooke uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kahn.
Kahn lands a nice looking body kick.
Cooke misses with an uppercut.
Cooke is looking to slow Kahn down with leg kicks.
Cooke throws a lazy uppercut
and Kahn connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kahn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cooke staying out of range there.
A head kick from Cooke lands but Kahn takes it in his stride.
Cooke throws a body punch but Kahn moves out of range.
Kahn pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kahn throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Cooke counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kahn's knee momentarily.
Cooke throws a leg kick
and Kahn connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cooke looks to land a combination but Kahn avoids it well.
Cooke moves out of range of the strikes.
Kahn uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cooke.
Cooke looks to score with a jab to the body but Kahn is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cooke pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kahn lands a glancing blow to the side of Cooke's head.
A big left from Kahn misses.
Kahn connects with the punch.
Cooke throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cooke throws a head kick that misses.
Cooke throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kahn checks a leg kick nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Cooke misses the target.
Cooke ducks under a wild hook from Kahn.
Cooke misses the shot to the body.
Kahn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cooke moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Cooke scores with a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cooke slips under a jab from Kahn.
Kahn bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Cooke throws a body shot but no joy.
Cooke just misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Matt Cooke will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kahn dodges the punch combination from Cooke.
Cooke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kahn walks into a jab.
Cooke misses with a kick to the body.
Kahn missing with a left hand there. Cooke was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cooke gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Cooke walks forward, straight into a front kick from Kahn.
Kahn throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cooke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cooke is looking to wear down Kahn with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooke fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kahn avoids the body shot from Cooke.
Kahn scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Cooke takes one to the chin there.
Cooke throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
It seemed like Kahn was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Cooke rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kahn connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke throws the left hand but Kahn avoids the punch easily.
Cooke turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cooke shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Cooke scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kahn blocks the body kick.
Kahn follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Cooke throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cooke with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Kahn throws a hook to the side of Cooke's head but Cooke sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cooke wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Cooke misses with a looping left.
Cooke misses the shot to the body.
Cooke displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kahn throws out the jab.
Cooke lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A jab from Kahn misses.
Kahn connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Some wild striking there from Kahn.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kahn throws a shot from downtown. Cooke moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kahn throws a body kick that misses.
A punch combination from Kahn misses.
Cooke throws a body kick that misses
letting Kahn counter with a right hand.
Kahn throws a series of punches but Cooke moves out of range.
Cooke ducks under a wild hook from Kahn.
Cooke is looking to clinch but Kahn is avoiding it.
Kahn thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Cooke if he has to take too many more of those.
Kahn scores with a jab to the head.
Cooke fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Nice uppercut lands for Cooke. That snapped Kahn's head back.
Cooke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kahn moves away.
Kahn tests Cooke's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Jab, jab by Kahn - just one landing.
Kahn misses with a left hand
letting Cooke counter with a right hand.
Kahn misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke on the wrong end of a nice jab.
A slow jab from Kahn misses its intended target.
Cooke misses with a body shot.
A swing and a miss from Kahn.
Kahn throws a lazy uppercut
and Cooke counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Cooke with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Kahn looks to throw the jab but Cooke is out of range.
Cooke is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kahn.
Cooke looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cooke displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kahn throws out the jab.
Kahn pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cooke is looking for a counter combo.
Cooke misses the shot to the body.
Cooke misses the shot to the body.
Cooke displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kahn throws out the jab.
Kahn lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Matt Cooke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kahn was well out of range. Poor timing from Cooke.
Cooke misses with a low kick.
Kahn missing with a left hand there. Cooke was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cooke takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Cooke fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kahn has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kahn lands a nice looking kick to the body. Cooke takes a step back to recover.
Cooke connects with an inside leg kick.
Cooke walks into a left hand.
Cooke changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cooke throws a body shot but no joy.
Kahn waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cooke.
Cooke swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Kahn blocks a head kick by Cooke.
Solomon Kahn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cooke throws a body shot but no joy.
Kahn replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Cooke blocks it well.
Cooke looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Cooke moves away from the strike by Kahn.
Cooke misses with a right hand
and Cooke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cooke slips a jab from Kahn.

And that's the end of the fight!
Solomon Kahn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cooke 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!