PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brad Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mahmud Magomedov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Cooper
vs
Magomedov

185 cm
25
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

188 cm
25
204 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Brad Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mahmud Magomedov!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Illya Tyunina and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Magomedov gets tackled into the cage by Cooper. Cooper maintains the clinch.
Cooper lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Mahmud Magomedov has been cut.
Cooper creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Magomedov's defenses.
Magomedov tries to break free but Cooper pushes him back against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Cooper.
Cooper throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Magomedov blocks it with crossed arms.
Nice elbow from Cooper.
Cooper landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Cooper gets underhooks to prevent Magomedov's takedown attempt.
Cooper landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cooper is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Knees in the clinch landing for Cooper.
Magomedov looks winded!
Cooper lands a knee to the body.
Magomedov takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cooper lands an elbow inside.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Magomedov is trying to force a seperation but Cooper has the dominant position.
A knee to the head by Cooper.
Magomedov tries to circle away but Cooper has him pinned against the cage.
Magomedov looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cooper creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Magomedov's defenses.
Magomedov misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Magomedov is trying to force a seperation but Cooper has the dominant position.
Cooper crunches a lovely knee into Magomedov's ribcage.
Cooper is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Cooper is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Cooper lands an elbow just above Magomedov 's eye.
Cooper lands an elbow inside that Magomedov shrugs off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Magomedov takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cooper gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cooper landing knees to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Nice elbow from Cooper.
Cooper lands an elbow inside.
Cooper lands a damaging elbow.
Magomedov takes a knee to the side of the body.
Magomedov takes a knee right on the jaw!
Cooper creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Magomedov's defenses.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Cooper takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A knee to the head by Cooper.
Magomedov takes a knee right on the jaw!
Cooper displaying some good clinch control by pressing Magomedov up against the cage.
Cooper with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper crunches a lovely knee into Magomedov's ribcage.
Cooper landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Cooper with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Magomedov tries to circle away but Cooper has him pinned against the cage.
Magomedov tries to pull guard but Cooper won't allow it.
Magomedov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cooper lands a knee to the head.
Cooper pressing his opponent against the cage.
Cooper lands a good knee to the midsection. Magomedov won't want to take too many of those.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Cooper.
Cooper is looking to control Magomedov's arms but Magomedov gets an underhook and turns him. Now Cooper has his back to the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magomedov lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Magomedov misses with the head strike.
A knee to the head by Cooper.
Cooper with a knee to the head.
Magomedov avoids a wild elbow strike from Cooper.
Magomedov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cooper throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Magomedov is trying to push Cooper away but Cooper has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A left hand lands to the body for Magomedov.
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!
Cooper lands an elbow just above Magomedov 's eye.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Magomedov is trying to break the clinch but Cooper is controlling him.
Magomedov takes an elbow to the temple.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Cooper obliges.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Cooper dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mahmud Magomedov's cut.
That's time! Cooper's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Magomedov instigates a clinch.
Magomedov is trying to force a seperation but Cooper has the dominant position.
Magomedov trying to control the position but instead, Cooper has worked for underhooks and has pushed Magomedov into the cage.
Cooper trying to land knees to the body.
Cooper prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cooper creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Magomedov's defenses.
Stalling in the clinch from Cooper.
Magomedov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Magomedov is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cooper pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Cooper obliges.
Cooper scores with a knee to the head.
Magomedov is breathing heavily.
Cooper landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Cooper unloads a knee to the mid-section. Magomedov lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Cooper landing knees to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Cooper obliges.
Cooper scores with a knee to the head.
Magomedov is trying to break the clinch but Cooper is controlling him.
Cooper with a knee to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooper with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Cooper.
Cooper landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Cooper with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Cooper lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper throws a knee to the head but misses.
Magomedov tries to break free but Cooper pushes him back against the cage.
Cooper lands an elbow inside.
Cooper has Magomedov pushed against the cage.
Magomedov takes an elbow to the temple.
Cooper on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cooper misses with a knee to the head.
Cooper tries a knee to the head but Magomedov blocks it.
Magomedov managing to block the knees to the body from Cooper.
Magomedov lands an uppercut.
Magomedov working aggressively here.
Cooper lands an elbow just above Magomedov 's eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Magomedov wants to break free but Cooper has control.
Magomedov stalling in the clinch but Cooper improves position.
Magomedov can't break the clinch.
Cooper lands an elbow just above Magomedov 's eye.
Magomedov wants to break free but Cooper has control.
Cooper crunches a lovely knee into Magomedov's ribcage.
Cooper landing knees to the head.
Magomedov jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cooper walks away with a smile on his face. Magomedov gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Brad Cooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mahmud Magomedov.

Cooper rushes Magomedov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Magomedov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Magomedov has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cooper is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cooper trying to land knees to the body.
Cooper keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Magomedov's efforts to push away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper has Magomedov pressed against the cage, preventing Magomedov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Brad Cooper has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cooper scores a nice knee to the body.
Magomedov drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cooper pulls his leg out and moves away.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch but Magomedov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Magomedov swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cooper is looking to clinch but Magomedov is avoiding it.
Cooper is looking to clinch but Magomedov is avoiding it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Magomedov goes for a double leg but Cooper avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Cooper continues to drive forward.
Cooper scores with a knee to the head.
Cooper lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Cooper dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mahmud Magomedov's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Cooper closes the distance looking to clinch
and Magomedov counters with a three punch combo that has Cooper backing up. Cooper nods at Magomedov to acknowledge the strikes.
Cooper looks to clinch
and Magomedov counters with a left to the body.

Magomedov gets tackled into the cage by Cooper. Cooper maintains the clinch.
Cooper looking to throw knees to the head but Magomedov is blocking nicely.
Cooper lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Cooper lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Cooper comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Cooper lands a knee to the body.
Magomedov takes an elbow to the temple.
Cooper lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Magomedov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Magomedov takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cooper connects with a nasty looking knee right to Magomedov's face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Magomedov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cooper landing knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Cooper.
The referee calls for Cooper to work.
Magomedov tries to break the clinch but Cooper is controlling the position.
Cooper keeps control of Magomedov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cooper wants to stall.
Cooper crunches a lovely knee into Magomedov's ribcage.
Cooper unloads a knee to the mid-section. Magomedov lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Cooper keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Magomedov's efforts to push away.
Magomedov takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper crunches a lovely knee into Magomedov's ribcage.
A knee to the head by Cooper.
Cooper connects with a knee to the head.
Magomedov tries to circle away but Cooper has him pinned against the cage.
Cooper tries to land knees in the clinch but Magomedov avoids the damage to the body.
Magomedov is trying to break the clinch but Cooper is controlling him.
Magomedov is trying to break the clinch but Cooper has him pressed against the cage.
Cooper keeps control of Magomedov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Magomedov avoids a wild elbow strike from Cooper.
Magomedov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cooper has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooper throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Magomedov blocks it with crossed arms.
Magomedov is trying to push Cooper away but Cooper has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Cooper is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Magomedov can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magomedov looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cooper scores with a knee to the head.
Magomedov avoids a wild elbow strike from Cooper.
Magomedov is trying to break the clinch but Cooper has him pressed against the cage.
Magomedov lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Magomedov has a couple of punches blocked by Cooper.
Cooper with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cooper prevents Magomedov from breaking the clinch.
Cooper throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Cooper throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Magomedov takes an elbow to the forehead.

Magomedov turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Magomedov trying to control the action but Cooper is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Magomedov decides to stand back up.
Magomedov throws a nice looking combination but Cooper bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Brad Cooper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cooper tries to clinch there but Magomedov circles away.

Magomedov looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Cooper!
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Magomedov throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Cooper works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Brad Cooper.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cooper, 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

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