PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joel Sands (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Cowelll (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joel Sands has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sands
vs
Cowelll

181 cm
19
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

183 cm
23
155 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joel Sands!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Cowelll!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sands tries for a takedown but Cowelll sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cowelll throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sands counters with a single leg into guard. Cowelll didn't expect that.
Sands won't allow Cowelll to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sands throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cowelll works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cowelll keeping full guard, as Sands tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowelll keeping moving, preventing Sands from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Joel Sands just wasn't active enough.
Sands falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cowelll counters with a one-two to the body.
Cowelll scores with a jab.
Cowelll lands with a nice body punch.
Cowelll misses with a combination
and Sands counters with a nice leg kick.
Nice takedown defense from Sands. No joy for Cowelll on that attempt.
Cowelll smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Cowelll lands a nice shot to the body.
Cowelll throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Sands stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Sands drops his hands momentarily and Cowelll takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Cowelll stuffs the takedown attempt from Sands. Sands gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cowelll looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cowelll thows a big elbow that misses.
Sands has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sands controls Cowelll momentarily but Cowelll frees himself.
Cowelll missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sands is trying to keep Cowelll in close.
Cowelll throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sands works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cowelll working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cowelll trying to control the position from guard on top but Sands is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cowelll distracts Sands with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Cowelll throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cowelll is looking to work some ground and pound but Sands has wrist control.
Cowelll postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Cowelll stands and throws Sands's legs to the side, diving into side control.
An elbow from Cowelll crashes against the mat.
Cowelll is looking to take a break and control but Sands is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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.
An elbow from Cowelll crashes against the mat.
Cowelll misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Sands on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Sands gets back to half guard.
Sands trying to control here.
Cowelll is trying to control. Sands wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cowelll might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sands kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cowelll connects with a nice short shot to Sands's temple.
Sands manages to get to full guard.
Sands is breathing heavily.
Cowelll postures up and lands a big shot to Sands's brow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Cowelll dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cowelll lands a jab to Sands's midsection.
Left hook, right uppercut from Cowelll.
Cowelll will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cowelll tries to score with a low kick but Sands moves his leg out of the way.
Cowelll throws a push kick but Sands slaps the foot to one side.
Cowelll throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sands with a lazy takedown attempt

and Cowelll counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cowelll.
Cowelll wants to stand but Sands has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cowelll postures up and lands a big shot to Sands's brow.
Sands keeping moving, preventing Cowelll from controlling successfully.
Sands has momentary wrist control but Cowelll slips an elbow through the middle.
Cowelll postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sands utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowelll postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cowelll pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sands is keeping the position for now.
Cowelll working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sands's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cowelll accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cowelll wants to control from the top but Sands keeps moving.
Sands wants to stand and escape but Cowelll is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cowelll connects with a couple of short punches.
Cowelll throws a strike but Sands rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sands won't allow Cowelll to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sands trying to control the position from guard on top but Cowelll is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cowelll wants to get back to his feet but Sands is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll keeping moving, preventing Sands from controlling successfully.

Joel Sands has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Cowelll lands with a nice body punch.
Sands walks into a stiff left hand from Cowelll.
Sands dodges the punch combination from Cowelll.
Mike Cowelll seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cowelll tries to score with a low kick but Sands moves his leg out of the way.
Sands with a poor takedown
and Cowelll cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cowelll lands with a right hand.

Cowelll throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Sands was covering up waiting for the punch and Cowelll finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Sands kicks Cowelll off and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sands gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Cowelll counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joel Sands. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cowelll wants to get up but he can't break Sands's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sands is trying to keep Cowelll in close.
Sands avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cowelll working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Cowelll is looking to work some ground and pound but Sands has wrist control.
Cowelll lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sands avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cowelll really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sands. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cowelll loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cowelll is looking to work some ground and pound but Sands has wrist control.
Cowelll with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Cowelll showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - 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.

Sands is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sands misses with a takedown attempt
and Cowelll counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cowelll shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Sands eats them both and turns towards Cowelll to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Joel Sands is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cowelll throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sands on the side of the head.
Sands doesn't manage to clinch there - Cowelll circles away.
Cowelll looks to land a combination but Sands avoids it well.
Cowelll motions for Sands to come forward. Cowelll throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cowelll moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Cowelll throws a half hearted mid kick.
Cowelll looks for the body kick but Sands saw that one coming.
Cowelll darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cowelll throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cowelll lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Sands takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Sands gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cowelll counters with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cowelll pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Sands back to the cage. Cowelll follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Cowelll is looking to chop away at Sands's legs.
Sands misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sands checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cowelll feints a jab promting Sands to slip. Cowelll then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Sands slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Nice uppercut there from Cowelll.
Sands on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Sands gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cowelll scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cowelll throws a strike but Sands rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sands wants to stand but Cowelll has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sands is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cowelll wants to get back to his feet but Sands passes into half guard.
Sands is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sands prevents Cowelll from standing back up.
Mike Cowelll has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sands is looking to take a break and control but Cowelll is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Joel Sands wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Sands tries to clinch but Cowelll is having none of it.
Cowelll throws a leg kick but Sands sees it coming and moves out of range.
Cowelll looks to land a combination. Sands sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Donk. Cowelll catches Sands right on the button with a cross.
Sands tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cowelll manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Joel Sands has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mike Cowelll is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cowelll looks for the body kick but Sands saw that one coming.
Cowelll feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Sandss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Cowelll comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cowelll 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Cowelll!