PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kenny Dugan (ranked 3683 p4p, 2912 weight class) and Harvey Cooper (ranked 489 p4p, 415 weight class). Kenny Dugan has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Dugan
vs
Cooper

190 cm
25
215
0 - 2 - 0

189 cm
25
205
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kenny Dugan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Harvey Cooper!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dugan misses with a head kick.
Cooper dodges the punch combination from Dugan.

Dugan gets tackled into the cage by Cooper. Cooper maintains the clinch.
Cooper content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Dugan jumps guard but Cooper stands there with Dugan around his waist. Dugan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Cooper gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Dugan.
Cooper controlling the action here for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cooper manages to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dugan advances to half guard.
Cooper tries to roll over but Dugan keeps him under control.

Dugan decides to stand up.

Cooper has taken the fight to the clinch.
Dugan can't break the clinch.

Cooper breaks the clinch.
Dugan throws a series of punches but Cooper avoids them all with ease.
Dugan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cooper fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dugan has his takedown stuffed
and Cooper counters with a nice body kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenny Dugan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Dugan.
Cooper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Dugan tries to sprawl but Cooper drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Dugan manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Cooper keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cooper tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Dugan is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Cooper has Dugan pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Cooper pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Dugan tumbling to the mat - Cooper dives into Dugan's guard.
Cooper throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Cooper wants to control from the top but Dugan keeps moving.
Dugan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cooper loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cooper engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Cooper wants to stand but Dugan has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Cooper stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Cooper stuffs the takedown attempt from Dugan. Dugan gets slowly back to his feet.
Cooper wants to counter the offense by Dugan and move into the clinch position.
Cooper fails with the takedown
and Dugan counters with a one-two to the body.
Cooper is trying hard to land a takedown here. Dugan sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cooper shoots in looking for a takedown. Dugan tries to sprawl out of it but Cooper keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Dugan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kenny Dugan will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cooper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Dugan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cooper sprawls well. Cooper wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Dugan gets slowly back to his feet.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Kenny Dugan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dugan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenny Dugan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cooper tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Dugan defends well and Cooper ends up having to push Dugan into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Dugan misses with a takedown

and Cooper moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dugan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cooper pulls his leg out and moves away.
Dugan shoots in looking for a takedown. Cooper tries to sprawl out of it but Dugan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cooper manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Dugan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cooper looking to score a takedown here. Dugan is defending well but Cooper drives through and ends up in Dugan's guard.

Dugan has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Cooper is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Cooper wants the takedown. Dugan is fighting it off but Cooper persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Dugan's guard against the cage.
Cooper is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kenny Dugan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Cooper stands and steps away. Dugan gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Cooper fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Dugan, pushing him back against the cage.
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!

Cooper breaks the clinch.

Cooper drives through with a takedown into guard.

Dugan has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Cooper off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Cooper shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Dugan is trying to defend but Cooper finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dugan is trying to control but can't.
Dugan is looking for a sweep. Cooper is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cooper scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Cooper seems to be looking for submissions.
Dugan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cooper lands strikes from half guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Dugan's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dugan is not content to let Cooper control the position.
Dugan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dugan is trying to control but can't.
Dugan tries to roll over but Cooper keeps him under control.
Dugan has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cooper is working away from the top position though.

Cooper decides to stand and escape the position.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dugan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cooper closes the distance and clinches up with Dugan, looking for a takedown. Cooper pushes Dugan against the cage but Dugan circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cooper keeps the fight on the outside.
Cooper with the inside leg kick.
Cooper misses with a two punch combination.
Dugan tries for a takedown but Cooper sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dugan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dugan changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cooper tries to avoid it but Dugan manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cooper to the ground. Cooper escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Cooper shoots in and bounces Dugan off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dugan controls Cooper momentarily but Cooper frees himself.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Harvey Cooper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Cooper looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Dugan is fending him off so far but Cooper persists. Nope, Dugan circles away and we're back to standing.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Dugan is defended easily by Cooper.
Dugan tries to land a body kick

and Cooper counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dugan 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.
Cooper slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooper with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cooper slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Cooper wants to control from the top but Dugan keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper won't allow Dugan to sweep him here.
Cooper wants to stand but Dugan is controlling his posture from full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Dugan holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Dugan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dugan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Cooper feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
My spies in Rio Grappling Club inform me that Cooper has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cooper drops back, looking for a kneebar! Dugan looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Dugan looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Dugan!

Cooper is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Dugan asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Cooper is trying to control Dugan's posture but Dugan avoids it.
Cooper is trying to get back to half guard.
Cooper can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dugan fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Cooper wants to control but Dugan postures up.
Cooper manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Cooper wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dugan keeps working.
Cooper controlling the action here.
Cooper is trying to control. Dugan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dugan trying to control here.
Dugan regains full guard. Nicely done.
Dugan wants to sweep here but Cooper controlling him for the moment.
Dugan throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Dugan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cooper throws a big elbow that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harvey Cooper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cooper 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harvey Cooper!