PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damien Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Larry Hayes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cook comes to the cage accompanied by motherlover. Larry Hayes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cook
vs
Hayes

195 cm
26
245 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

200 cm
19
270 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Damien Cook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Larry Hayes!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hayes fails with a takedown attempt.

Cook pushes Hayes up against the cage in a clinch.
Cook can't break the clinch.

Cook breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hayes tries for a takedown but Cook sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Cook gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Hayes to score an easy takedown into full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Hayes wants to stand but Cook is controlling his posture from full guard.
Hayes prevents Cook from getting back to his feet.
Hayes wants to control from the top but Cook keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cook has his feet on Hayes's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Cook tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hayes paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Hayes gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cook to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Hayes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cook is one step ahead there.
Cook wants to stand but Hayes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Cook avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook preventing the sweep.
Cook prevents Hayes from getting back to his feet.
Hayes wants to sweep but no luck.

Cook stands up and waves to Hayes to follow him.
Hayes fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Damien Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Larry Hayes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hayes swinging wildly here.

Cook shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Hayes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hayes looking to control.
Hayes is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hayes is thwarting Cook's attempts to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cook pushes Hayes off and gets back to his feet.
Cook throws a one two combo.

Cook fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hayes to the ground. Cook is now in Hayes's guard.

That's four 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!
Cook wants to stand but Hayes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cook wants to control from the top but Hayes keeps moving.
Hayes is pulling down on Cook's head. It's preventing any offense from Cook, at least for the moment.
Hayes can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cook controls the pace.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cook with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cook is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Cook dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cook looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hayes wants to control but Cook is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hayes is looking to improve his position.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Cook here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Cook tries to stand and escape but Hayes is controlling the position.
Cook winds up and cracks Hayes with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hayes looks like he's trying to stand up.
Hayes is refusing to be controlled, as Cook sits in half guard.
Cook sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hayes defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook tries to pass to full mount but Hayes defends it.

Hayes kicks off Cook and gets to his feet.
Hayes looks for a takedown but Cook sprawls well.
Some wild striking there from Cook.
Hayes avoids a punch combination nicely.
A right-left combo lands from Cook.

It looks like Larry Hayes has been cut.
Cook fails with an attempt to clinch.
Horrible takedown by Hayes or perhaps it was just good defense by Cook which made him look bad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Danga de danga de dang - Cook scores with a four punch combination!
Hayes fails with a takedown attempt.
Damien Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Larry Hayes.
Hayes is breathing heavily.
Cook throws a right hand that Hayes ducks under and follows up with a left that Hayes also avoids with ease.
Cook is looking to clinch.

Cook looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Hayes!
Hayes is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cook controlling from the full mount.
Cook looking to control but Hayes is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes is working to get back to half guard.

Cook gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Hayes tries to clinch but Cook moves out of range.
Hayes tries for a takedown but Cook sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cook scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Damien Cook is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hayes fails with a takedown attempt.
Hayes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cook moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cook's waist but Cook gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hayes off to one side.

Hayes tries to sprawl but Cook drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Cook is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hayes can do to turn this around?
Cook is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Cook blocks the strikes from Hayes.
Hayes is looking for a sweep. Cook is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hayes trying to control but Cook postures up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Cook stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Cook fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hayes to the ground. Cook is now in Hayes's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Cook dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Larry Hayes's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're 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.

Cook tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hayes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cook digs a good body shot into Hayes's ribs.

Hayes gets caught napping as Cook dives in and scores a takedown. Hayes manages to retain guard.

Cook decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Cook throws a nice looking combination but Hayes bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hayes shoots and misses
letting Cook counter with a right hand.

Cook closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Hayes's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Cook stands up and waves to Hayes to follow him.
Cook fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hayes misses with a takedown attempt - Cook sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook feints a jab promting Hayes to slip. Cook then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Hayes slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Hayes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cook throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hayes.
Hayes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Damien Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Larry Hayes.
Cook is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cook scores with a jab.
Cook connects with a nice looking jab.
Cook fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hayes on the side of the head.

Hayes rushes Cook and presses him up against the cage.
Cook wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hayes has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook working aggressively here.
Hayes lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cook backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hayes wants to get back to striking at distance but Cook won't allow it.
Cook lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hayes backwards.
Cook stops a takedown attempt from Hayes.
Hayes is working for takedown but Cook is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cook makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Hayes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Cook uses from the top position.
Cook trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Cook gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Damien Cook is winning the standup battle so far.

Cook gets a double leg takedown into Hayes's guard.
Cook pushes down on Hayes's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Hayes is refusing to be controlled, as Cook sits in half guard.

Cook stands up out of the half guard.

Cook darts in and clinches Hayes up against the cage.
Hayes blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayes is working for takedown but Cook is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hayes jumps guard but Cook stands there with Hayes around his waist. Hayes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hayes just leaning against Cook, taking a breather.

Cook pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cook throws a right and a left that Hayes avoids nicely.
Hayes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cook.
Cook stuffs the takedown.
Cook swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cook throws a right hand that Hayes ducks under and follows up with a left that Hayes also avoids with ease.
Hayes shoots for a double leg takedown but Cook sprawls well. He's pushed Hayes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Larry Hayes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Damien Cook is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hayes has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damien Cook showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cook has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Damien Cook!