PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Cooke (ranked 949 p4p, 854 weight class) and Dexter Krampus (ranked 126 p4p, 116 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Dexter Krampus was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Cooke
vs
Krampus

185 cm
40
210
39 - 17 - 3

190 cm
33
208
16 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

Urban Fighter
Voodoo Nutrition

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 39 - 17 - 3, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matt Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dexter Krampus!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Donald Grub and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cooke throws a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cooke looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Krampus scores with a jab to the head.
Krampus uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cooke has time to react.

Krampus shoots in and gets a takedown into Cooke's guard.
Cooke trying to keep a closed guard but Krampus is proving a slippery customer.
Krampus throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cooke trying to keep a closed guard but Krampus is proving a slippery customer.
Krampus throws a big elbow that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Krampus is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Cooke looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Krampus has picked Cooke up and slammed him! Cooke can't keep hold of the triangle and Krampus manages to pass to side control!
Sloppy strikes there by Krampus.
Cooke is holding Krampus down, trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krampus landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Cooke is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Krampus is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cooke knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Cooke takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Krampus wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cooke, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Krampus is chipping away with strikes.
Krampus has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke taking punishment in the form of punches.
Krampus working the ground and pound but Cooke is defending the strikes.
Krampus trying to control the position but Cooke is working away.
Krampus misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Krampus wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cooke, who protects the arm well.
Cooke manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Cooke keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Krampus is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cooke doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Krampus.

Krampus is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Krampus manages to pass to mount!
Cooke tries to hold on but Krampus postures up.
Krampus scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cooke?
Cooke is trying to escape the mount.
Krampus lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Cooke is in a horrible position here. Krampus smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Cooke is in a horrible position here. Krampus smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooke tries to hold on but Krampus pushes him away.
Cooke can't escape the position.
Cooke slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Ground and pound from Krampus.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooke is trying to control but can't.
Krampus lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Cooke wants to improve his position but Krampus is controlling well.
Krampus prevents Cooke from standing back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dexter Krampus dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Krampus will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
As Krampus tries to get set, Cooke tries to push him back and clinch up but Krampus manages to avoid the attempt.
Krampus scores with a leg kick.
Krampus with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Cooke to score with a decent uppercut.
Krampus fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Cooke checks it well.
A looping hook to the body misses from Krampus. Cooke does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cooke lands a right hook to the body.
Krampus has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cooke moves out of range as Krampus strikes.
Krampus keeps the fight on the outside.
Decent striking displayed by Cooke there.
Krampus swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cooke cracks Krampus with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Cooke connects with an inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Krampus checks a leg kick nicely.
Krampus steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Cooke.
Krampus fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cooke manages to avoid it.
Krampus scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Cooke chopping away at his opponent's legs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cooke scores with a leg kick.
Krampus shoots in but Cooke avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krampus connects with a looping right hand.
Krampus dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cooke. That did some damage!
Cooke with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Krampus to score with a decent uppercut.
Cooke throws a body shot but no joy.
Cooke throws a wild body kick that Krampus sees coming a mile off.
Dexter Krampus seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cooke throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Krampus.
Cooke lands with a nice body punch.
Cooke tries to clinch up but Krampus circles away and keeps his distance.
Krampus avoids a kick to the body.
Krampus buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Krampus jabs Cooke to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Matt Cooke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cooke misses the shot to the body.
Krampus tries to counter with a clinch but Cooke shakes him off and moves away.
Krampus throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Krampus keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke tries to work over Krampus's front leg with a kick but Krampus checks it.
Matt Cooke is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cooke lands a body shot.
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 throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Krampus misses with an uppercut. Cooke saw that one coming.
A nice leg kick from Krampus, right into the meat of the thigh.
Krampus misses with a straight left.
Krampus lands a nice looking body shot.
Cooke ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Matt Cooke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cooke takes a swing at Krampus's ribcage but misses.
Krampus catches Cooke with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Krampus throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Krampus throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cooke checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Cooke uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Krampus.
Cooke throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Krampus throws a body shot but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krampus throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cooke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Krampus checks a leg kick nicely.
Cooke ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cooke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Krampus manages to avoid it.
Cooke throws a nice head kick!
Krampus misses with a straight left.
Cooke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Krampus manages to avoid it.
Cooke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Krampus flicks out a counter leg kick but Cooke steps away.
Krampus slips a jab and a cross from Cooke.
Krampus ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cooke takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Krampus shoots in and drives through. Cooke sprawls well.
Cooke throws a counter high kick but Krampus was just alert enough to avoid it.
Krampus misses with an uppercut
and Cooke counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Krampus throws a looping overhand right but Cooke ducks down to avoid it.
Krampus throws a looping overhand right but Cooke ducks down to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Krampus jabs at Cooke's body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Krampus connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Krampus missing with a left hand there. Cooke was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cooke misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Krampus.
That kick from Cooke tenderised Krampus's leg. Krampus is trying to keep his angry face on.
Some bone on bone action there as Krampus checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cooke ducks under a wild hook from Krampus.
Krampus shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cooke sprawls well. Cooke wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Krampus gets slowly back to his feet.
Matt Cooke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dexter Krampus.
Krampus tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cooke was well out of range. Poor timing from Krampus.
A jab from Krampus misses.
Krampus blocks a head kick by Cooke.
Cooke takes a swing at Krampus's ribcage but misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Krampus. Cooke does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cooke thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Krampus if he has to take too many more of those.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dexter Krampus will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Krampus throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cooke is looking to wear down Krampus with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Krampus crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Cooke - the referee stops the clock and Krampus gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Cooke. Krampus manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Cooke swings for the body but Krampus moves out of range.
Krampus looks to land a body kick but Cooke moved away.
Krampus finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Cooke wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cooke. Krampus does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cooke misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Krampus.
Krampus is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Krampus throws a low kick but Cooke moves out of range easily.
Krampus tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Cooke fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Krampus checks it well.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cooke.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Krampus misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cooke.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cooke. Krampus does a little dance to reset his feet.
Krampus throws a jab but it's blocked by Cooke.
Krampus waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cooke.
A slow jab from Krampus misses its intended target.
Cooke seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Krampus doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Cooke staying out of range there.
Cooke is looking to counter punch.
Krampus misses with a wild body shot.
Cooke swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cooke throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cooke misses with a low kick.
Cooke throws a leg kick but Krampus checks it.
Cooke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Krampus moves away.
Cooke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A slapping leg kick lands for Krampus.
Krampus lands with a nice body punch.
Krampus fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cooke.
Cooke throws a head kick but Krampus moves out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cooke.
Krampus throws out a powerful jab.
Cooke throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Krampus counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Dexter Krampus is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krampus lands an overhand right.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Krampus jabs at Cooke's body.
Cooke scores with a jab to the body.
Cooke throws a shot to the body.
Cooke takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Krampus thuds his right hand into Cooke's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Cooke scores with a jab. Krampus acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

It looks like Dexter Krampus has been cut.
Krampus scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cooke in his tracks.

Krampus bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Krampus remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Cooke tries to escape but Krampus is in control.
Cooke is looking to regain half guard here but Krampus keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krampus taking a breather here.
Krampus is continuing to stall.
Krampus working away.
Krampus is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Cooke will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Cooke is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Cooke is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cooke manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Still in half guard, Krampus seems content to control.
Cooke is looking to improve his position.
Krampus keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
The adventures of Krampus the control monster continue. Boring.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Cooke connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nice body punch from Krampus.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dexter Krampus.
Well Krampus has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Edwards scores the fight 28:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dexter Krampus!
In his post fight interview, Dexter Krampus started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.