PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mickey Cowan (ranked 289 p4p, 198 weight class) and Lindsay Apollo (ranked 21 p4p, 12 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cowan
vs
Apollo

174 cm
32
141
28 - 12 - 0

168 cm
35
140
34 - 13 - 2

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

NARCOS
Conviction

NARCOS
© Trap House

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mickey Cowan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Lindsay Apollo!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Matheus Silva and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Apollo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cowan.
Apollo misses with an uppercut. Cowan saw that one coming.
Apollo avoids the head kick by Cowan.
Apollo misses the shot to the body.
A low kick from Cowan is predictable there
and Apollo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cowan misses with a hook. Apollo ducked under it nicely.
Mickey Cowan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Apollo slips a jab from Cowan.
Apollo checks a leg kick nicely.
Cowan connects with a leg kick.
Apollo misses the shot to the body.
Cowan loads up on a big right hand but Apollo slips the punch.
Cowan takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Apollo has Cowan up against the cage in a clinch.
Cowan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cowan throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Apollo.
Cowan lands with a short shot to the head.
Apollo working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
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!
Cowan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cowan misses with a punch to the body.
Cowan blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowan swings wildly with an uppercut but Apollo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cowan misses with a punch to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cowan.
Apollo misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Apollo fails to land.
Cowan lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Apollo misses with a punch to the body.
Apollo scores with a nice hook to the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Apollo.
Apollo lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Apollo lands a shot to the body.
Apollo misses with a short punch on the inside.

Apollo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Apollo throws a shot from downtown. Cowan moves away and avoids it.
Cowan moves out of range of the leg kick from Apollo.
Cowan slips a straight right by Apollo.
Some bone on bone action there as Apollo checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Apollo on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Apollo with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Cowan to score with a decent uppercut.
Cowan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
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!
Apollo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cowan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick from Cowan, right into the meat of the thigh.
Apollo paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Cowan misses with an uppercut
letting Apollo counter with a right hand.
Apollo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cowan.
A big right from Cowan misses.
Cowan throws a leg kick but Apollo sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Apollo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cowan manages to avoid it.
Cowan looks to land a right hand but Apollo moved out of range.
Apollo was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Cowan ducks under a wild hook from Apollo.
A big right from Cowan misses.
Apollo looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A slow jab from Apollo misses its intended target.
Cowan looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cowan with a hook.
Apollo throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cowan on the side of the head.
Cowan takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Cowan throws a low kick but it's checked well by Apollo.
Cowan misses with a body shot.
Cowan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cowan chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Cowan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowan lands a leg kick that knocks Apollo off balance momentarily.
Apollo throws a chopping leg kick but Cowan manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Apollo looks to land a right hand but Cowan moved out of range.
Cowan swinging wildly here.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cowan.
Apollo lands a body shot.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cowan lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Apollo has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Apollo and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Apollo looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cowan fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Apollo on the side of the head.
Good shot there by Apollo.
Cowan misses with a series of wild punches.
Cowan walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Cowan wants to slow Apollo down by chopping away at his legs.
Cowan throws a quick inside leg kick.
Cowan misses with a low kick.
Cowan throws a lazy head kick
and Apollo counters with an inside leg kick.
Cowan bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Apollo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cowan.
Cowan throws a jab when Apollo was well out of range.

Apollo has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cowan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cowan lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cowan blocking some punches.
Apollo swings wildly with an uppercut but Cowan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cowan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cowan.
Apollo misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cowan.
Cowan lands an uppercut.
Apollo swings wildly with an uppercut but Cowan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Apollo lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Cowan.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Apollo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Apollo can't find room to land a body shot as Cowan controls the action.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Apollo.
Apollo blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Apollo lands with a short head shot on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lindsay Apollo will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Apollo throws a body punch but Cowan moves out of range.
A big left from Apollo misses.
Apollo avoids the body shot from Cowan.
Cowan chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Apollo can pounce on him.
Apollo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Apollo scores with a nice body kick.
Apollo misses with a body kick.
Cowan misses with a hook
and Apollo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice cross by Apollo.
Cowan lands with a hook. Apollo tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Cowan tried to score with a low kick but Apollo checks it.
Apollo is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Cowan with a body shot.
Cowan moves away from the strike by Apollo.
Cowan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Apollo was well out of range. Poor timing from Cowan.
Cowan scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Apollo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Apollo scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cowan in his tracks.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cowan ducks right into an uppercut from Apollo.
Apollo avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Cowan throws a hook but Apollo blocks it.
Cowan throws a jab but it's blocked by Apollo.
Apollo appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cowan.
Cowan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Apollo on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Cowan. Cowan obviously looking to wear him down.
Apollo scores with a punch to the head.
Apollo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cowan.
A nice combination there by Cowan.
A lazy left from Apollo finds it's target.
An inside leg kick from Cowan misses.
Mickey Cowan is winning the standup battle so far.
Apollo lands with a good body shot.
Apollo blocks a head kick by Cowan.
Apollo throws a shot from downtown. Cowan moves away and avoids it.
Cowan misses with a low kick.
Cowan blocks a jab.
Cowan throws a low kick, looking for Apollo's leg but Apollo calmly moves out of range.
Cowan throws a series of punches but Apollo avoids them all with ease.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Apollo connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Apollo takes one to the side of the head.
Cowan lands a high kick!
Apollo blocks a low kick nicely.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Apollo in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Apollo.
Cowan throws an off balance right hand
and Apollo counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Apollo slips a jab and a cross from Cowan.
Apollo tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Apollo with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Apollo blocks a jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Apollo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cowan misses with a low kick.
Apollo lands with a cross.
Cowan throws a jab but it's blocked by Apollo.
Apollo takes a swing at Cowan's ribcage but misses.
Apollo cracks Cowan with an open hand slap.
Apollo takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Apollo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Apollo cracks a nice hook into Cowan's ribs.
Apollo is looking to clinch.
Apollo tries to clinch there but Cowan circles away.
Cowan thuds a left hand into Apollo's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apollo misses with an uppercut. Cowan saw that one coming.
Apollo loads up on a big right hand but Cowan slips the punch.
A good leg kick by Cowan.
Cowan listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Cowan scores with a jab.
Cowan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Apollo.
Apollo has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cowan finds it's way round the side to connect with Apollo's head.
Cowan looks to land a left hand but Apollo moved out of range nicely.
Cowan lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Apollo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Apollo scores with a nice right hand.
Cowan fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Apollo is out of range.
A jab from Apollo does it's job there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Apollo staying out of range there.
Cowan takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cowan is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Cowan looks to throw the jab but Apollo is out of range.
Cowan connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Jab from Cowan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cowan jabs Apollo right on the nose. Apollo blinks but takes it well.
Cowan misses with a low kick.
Apollo's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Apollo checks a low kick from Cowan.
Apollo misses with a body shot.
Apollo takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
A cross from Cowan lands.
Apollo looks to land a left hand but Cowan moved out of range nicely.
Apollo blocks a leg kick.
Cowan takes a swing at Apollo's ribcage but misses.
Apollo misses with a looping left.
Cowan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cowan throws a good cross that connects.
Apollo takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Apollo gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Apollo throws a body punch but Cowan moves out of range.
Cowan throws a leg kick but Apollo moved away.
Cowan does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Apollo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cowan throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Apollo on the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mickey Cowan dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

A nice inside leg kick there by Cowan. That's going to slow Apollo down.
Cowan moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Apollo takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Cowan misses with a straight left.
Cowan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Cowan.
Cowan throws a leg kick
and Apollo counters with a straight right hand.
Apollo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Apollo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cowan.
Apollo comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Apollo tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Cowan is able to avoid easily.
Cowan throws a low kick, looking for Apollo's leg but Apollo calmly moves out of range.
Cowan rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Apollo counters with a straight right hand.
Apollo has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Cowan.
Some bone on bone action there as Apollo checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A little jabbing left from Apollo on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cowan takes a swing at Apollo's ribcage but misses.
Apollo looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A slapping leg kick lands for Cowan.
Apollo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cowan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Apollo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cowan sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowan throws a head kick that misses.
Nice defenses there by Cowan.
Cowan takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Apollo staying out of range there.
Apollo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cowan swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Apollo slips under a jab from Cowan.
Cowan pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Apollo looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Apollo defending well as Cowan loads up on a big left hand.
Apollo is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Cowan with a body shot.
Apollo takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cowan swats away the attempt to clinch by Apollo.
A counter left hand to the body from Cowan misses its target.
Cowan lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Cowan takes a swing at Apollo's ribcage but misses.
Apollo counters with a body kick.
A punch combination from Cowan misses.
Apollo digs a good hook to Cowan's body.
Cowan cracks Apollo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Apollo moves away from the strike by Cowan.
Apollo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cowan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Apollo tries to clinch up.
A telegraphed right hand from Cowan misses the target.
Apollo throws a leg kick but Cowan checks it.
Apollo digs a good body shot into Cowan's ribs.
Cowan has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Apollo finds it's way round the side to connect with Cowan's head.
Cowan does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
The crowd cheers as Apollo lands an impressive looking overhand right. Cowan doesn't seem phased though.
Apollo scores with a hook.
Cowan swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Apollo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Apollo fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Apollo tries a low kick but Cowan avoids it.
A low kick from Cowan is predictable there
and Apollo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cowan has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Apollo.
A swing and a miss from Cowan.
A left lands for Apollo.
Apollo thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cowan avoids the body shot from Apollo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowan misses with a leg kick
and Apollo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cowan slips a jab from Apollo.
Cowan misses with a looping left.
Apollo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Apollo tries to land a front kick but Cowan steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Cowan walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Apollo has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

Apollo closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Apollo.
Apollo blocks a body shot from Cowan.
Apollo lands a shoulder strike.
Nice body punch from Apollo.
Cowan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Apollo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cowan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Good body shot from Apollo.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Apollo.
Cowan tries to throw a body punch but Apollo avoids it by throwing Cowan back against the cage.
Apollo blocking some punches.
Cowan misses with a punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cowan struggles to land a body shot inside as Apollo controls his hands.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Cowan creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Apollo throws a punch but it's blocked by Cowan.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cowan.
Cowan lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Apollo or not.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Apollo.
Apollo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cowan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cowan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short right from Apollo.
Apollo scores with a shot to the side of Cowan's head.
Apollo presses Cowan against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Cowan prevents a body shot from Apollo.
A head punch on the inside from Apollo fails to land.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cowan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cowan misses with some punches.
Apollo misses with the head strike.
Cowan tries to work over Apollo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cowan misses with a body punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Lindsay Apollo.
I think Apollo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lindsay Apollo!
During a confident post fight interview, Lindsay Apollo thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.