PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tim Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Laruso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Daniel Laruso has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cooper
vs
Laruso

150 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

M/S Paint Fightwear

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tim Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Daniel Laruso!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laruso has his takedown stuffed
and Cooper counters with a good low kick that Laruso was not able to check.

Laruso tries to keep at a distance but Cooper has taken the fight into the clinch.

Cooper manages to break the clinch.
Laruso takes a kick to the side of the head.
Laruso throws a series of punches but Cooper moves out of range.
Cooper throws a head kick but Laruso moves out of range.
Laruso changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cooper tries to avoid it but Laruso manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cooper to the ground. Cooper escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A punch combination from Laruso misses.
Cooper misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cooper doesn't manage to clinch there - Laruso circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laruso takes a kick to the side of the head.
Cooper misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Laruso falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cooper counters with a head kick.
Cooper really is a fat lump.
Laruso tries for a takedown but Cooper sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tim Cooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Laruso.
Laruso shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Cooper counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Laruso sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Laruso blocks a head kick by Cooper.
Laruso tries to close the distance and clinch but Cooper swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Cooper shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Cooper is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Laruso is staying active underneath Cooper, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cooper seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Tim Cooper has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Laruso shoots for a double leg takedown but Cooper sprawls well. He's pushed Laruso's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laruso is looking to clinch but Cooper is avoiding it.
Cooper feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Laruso's calf.
Laruso throws a head kick that misses.
Laruso fails with the takedown.
Laruso looks gassed!

Cooper closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cooper lands in his opponent's guard.
Cooper stands and throws Laruso's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Cooper decides to stand up, so the ref orders Laruso to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cooper is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Laruso's half guard.
Laruso is looking for a sweep. Cooper is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Laruso kicks Cooper off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laruso slaps away a takedown attempt from Cooper, before circling back to the center of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cooper takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Cooper dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Laruso slips a jab and a cross from Cooper.
Cooper shoots for a takedown but Laruso saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cooper checks a low kick from Laruso.
Laruso throws a right hand that Cooper ducks under and follows up with a left that Cooper also avoids with ease.
Laruso shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cooper as he jumps to the side.
Laruso avoids the head kick by Cooper.

Laruso scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Laruso is trying to work for a kimura but Cooper is defending well.
Cooper tries to kick Laruso off but Laruso keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laruso trying to control the action but Cooper is working from the bottom.
Cooper is trying to stand.
Laruso wants to control but Cooper is keeping him busy.
Laruso is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Daniel Laruso hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Cooper lands with a kick to the ribs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laruso shoots and misses
and Cooper counters with a solid body kick.
A punch combination from Cooper misses.
Cooper swinging wildly here.
Laruso wants to clinch up but Cooper keeps it at a distance.
Laruso looks to clinch

and Cooper counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Laruso!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cooper controlling from the full mount.
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!
Laruso regains half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cooper decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Cooper gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Laruso has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Cooper after a bit of a struggle.
Tim Cooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Laruso.

Cooper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Daniel Laruso seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Laruso changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cooper looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Cooper is trying to improve his position.

Laruso decides to stand back up. Laruso steps back and let's Cooper get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper throws a head kick that misses.

Laruso is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cooper's half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Laruso is thwarting Cooper's attempts to control the position.
Laruso keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Daniel Laruso will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Laruso avoids the head kick by Cooper.
Cooper plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Horrible takedown by Laruso or perhaps it was just good defense by Cooper which made him look bad.

Laruso drives through and clinches with Cooper against the cage.
Laruso has Cooper pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Cooper manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Cooper breaks from the clinch.
Laruso fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tim Cooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Laruso.
Cooper throws a sloppy head kick and Laruso moves out of range easily.
Cooper misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laruso shoots in for a takedown but Cooper shows good takedown defense.
Laruso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cooper throws a head kick that half lands.
Laruso tries a head kick but it misses.
Cooper lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Laruso circles away quickly and effectively.

Cooper gets the takedown into side control.
Laruso is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Cooper's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Laruso is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Cooper stands up out of the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Cooper fails with an attempt to clinch.
Laruso fails with a takedown attempt.
Cooper scores with a head kick.
Cooper moves in looking to clinch but Laruso pushes him off.
Laruso with a poor takedown
and Cooper counters with a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cooper pushes Laruso away with a front kick.

Cooper closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Cooper is taking a breather. Laruso says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Cooper wants to get back to his feet.
Laruso slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laruso pulls Cooper in to control the position.
Cooper wants to control from the top but Laruso keeps moving.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Tim Cooper.
Cooper tries a head kick but it misses.
Laruso tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laruso looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
No luck for Laruso with that takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tim Cooper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cooper 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

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