PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kratos Sparta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Cook
vs
Sparta

190 cm
18
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
19
183 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Daniel Cook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kratos Sparta!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sparta looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cook throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Sparta postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sparta trying to control the position from guard on top but Cook is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cook is on top in guard.
Cook has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sparta can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cook controls the pace.
Sparta wants to get back to his feet but Cook is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cook is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Daniel Cook.

Sparta gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cook to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Cook trying to control the position from guard on top but Sparta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cook not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Cook lands a couple of elbows.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sparta can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cook stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sparta swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparta is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Cook dives into side control.
Cook staying calm.

Cook is trying to get an arm triangle but Sparta is defending well.

Cook stands up and we're back to a striking position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Cook drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Sparta manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Cook has Sparta in his guard.

Cook is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sparta must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cook strikes from his own guard.
Cook keeping moving, preventing Sparta from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook trying to control the position here.
Sparta trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Sparta postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Cook is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Sparta, into his guard.
Sparta wants to get back to his feet but Cook passes into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cook is keen to just control but Sparta is a slippery customer.
Sparta tries to kick Cook off but Cook keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Cook dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Cook clinches up against the cage.

Sparta escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice takedown defense from Cook. No joy for Sparta on that attempt.
Cook fails with a takedown attempt.
Sparta shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cook pinned against the cage. Cook gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cook has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sparta is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Sparta prevents Cook from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparta has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cook is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Daniel Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kratos Sparta.

Cook breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Daniel Cook is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cook tries to clinch up but Sparta circles away and keeps his distance.

Sparta rushes Cook and presses him up against the cage.
Cook changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sparta fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Cook decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sparta is looking to escape.
Still in half guard, Cook seems content to control.

Cook decides to stand up.
Cook tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sparta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparta 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!
Sparta moves in looking to clinch but Cook pushes him off.
Sparta misses with a takedown attempt - Cook sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Cook moves into the clinch successfully.
Sparta looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A right handed body shot lands from Cook.

Cook is trying to trip Sparta. He has hold of a leg but Sparta is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Cook persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Cook stays in close to Sparta's body and controls the position.
Sparta wants to stand and escape but Cook is having none of it.
Sparta is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook advances to half guard.

Cook decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Sparta wants to clinch up but Cook keeps it at a distance.

Cook looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cook engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Cook stands up and waves to Sparta to follow him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook tries a head kick but it misses.

Cook drives through and clinches with Sparta against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sparta keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cook's efforts to push away.

Sparta breaks from the clinch.
Sparta lands with a nice combination. Cook backs away looking to recover.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cook misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sparta looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cook is fending him off so far but Sparta persists. Nope, Cook circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Cook dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cook tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sparta tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cook sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sparta somewhat.
Cook fails with a takedown attempt.
Cook throws a lazy body kick
and Sparta counters with a two punch combo.
Cook is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sparta sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Horrible takedown by Sparta or perhaps it was just good defense by Cook which made him look bad.

Cook rushes Sparta and presses him up against the cage.
Cook is pushing Sparta up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Cook prevents the takedown attempt.
Daniel Cook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kratos Sparta.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparta goes for a takedown attempt but Cook pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Cook scores a takedown into full mount!
Sparta really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cook. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sparta takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cook working the ground and pound effectively.
Cook can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sparta is looking to escape.
Cook controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparta taking shots to the head.
Cook cracks Sparta with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cook tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sparta wants to get back to his feet.
Cook postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Sparta looks a forlorn figure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cook is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Cook moves into the clinch.

Cook manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Cook pulls Sparta in to control the position.
Cook looking to control.

Sparta avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sparta loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cook is trying to keep Sparta in close.
Sparta prevents Cook from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparta trying to control the position from guard on top but Cook is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sparta trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cook's guard.
Cook throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Sparta trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cook's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sparta has a takedown stuffed.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cook closes the distance and pushes Sparta back into the cage.
Kratos Sparta has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Daniel Cook is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Sparta manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Cook showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cook, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Cook!
As Daniel Cook got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: I think my KING Donald Riley for creating me '.