PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Filiberto Cooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Denis Baker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cooper
vs
Baker

171 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 London, Filiberto Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Denis Baker!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Atkins and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baker throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Filiberto Cooper has been cut.
Baker looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cooper is fending him off so far but Baker persists. Nope, Cooper circles away and we're back to standing.
Cooper went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Baker pushes Cooper up against the cage in a clinch.
Baker can't get the takedown.
Cooper is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Baker is defending well.
Cooper prevents the takedown attempt.
Filiberto Cooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Denis Baker.
Baker effectively controlling the action here.
Baker missing with knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooper is pressed up against the cage. Baker has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cooper down to the mat. Cooper avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Cooper wants to clinch up but Baker keeps it at a distance.
Baker wants to counter with a clinch but Cooper pushes him away.

Baker closes the distance and pushes Cooper back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker tries to land knees in the clinch but Cooper avoids the damage to the body.

Baker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Baker shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cooper is trying to defend but Baker finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Cooper pushes Baker off looking to stand but Baker dives back in and keeps control.
Cooper throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Cooper trying to control from the bottom.
Baker tries to pass the half guard into mount. Cooper knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker blocks the strikes from Cooper.
Cooper tries to get to full guard but Baker has control of the leg.
Cooper is working hard here to advance position.
Baker drops an elbow to the side of Cooper's head.
Cooper is trying to control but can't.
Baker tries to pass the half guard into mount. Cooper knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Baker tries to stand but can't do so whilst Cooper controls his leg.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cooper or perhaps it was just good defense by Baker, which made it look bad.
Despite the aggression on Baker's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker swats away the attempt to clinch by Cooper.

Baker drives through and clinches with Cooper against the cage.
Baker leaning his opponent against the cage.
Cooper jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Baker walks away with a smile on his face. Cooper gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Baker tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Cooper decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Baker's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baker is looking to stand up but Cooper isn't so interested in that idea.
Cooper would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

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

Baker must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Baker throws a big elbow that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Baker sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Baker dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Filiberto Cooper's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Baker has a takedown stuffed.
Cooper uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Baker fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cooper sprawls well initially but Baker persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Baker 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.

Baker is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cooper has managed to free his arm - good work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooper misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker is pressing down on Cooper's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cooper is holding on for now.
Baker is trying to control the action in half guard but Cooper is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Baker wants to free his trapped foot but Cooper is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Cooper trying to hold on to Baker's head to control him but Baker postures up.
Cooper manages to get to full guard.
Cooper throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Cooper is looking to stand up but Baker isn't so interested in that idea.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Cooper could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cooper throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Baker shoots in and bounces Cooper off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Baker trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Baker's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cooper is striking but Baker is not phased and passes to half guard.
Baker prevents Cooper from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper trying to hold on to Baker's head to control him but Baker postures up.
Baker lands with a punch from half guard.
Baker wants to get back to his feet.
Cooper flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Baker is pressing down on Cooper's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cooper is holding on for now.
Baker controlling the action here.
Let's hope that Baker has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Denis Baker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Baker shoots in for a takedown but Cooper shows good takedown defense.
Cooper feinted with a counter takedown.
Baker stuffs the takedown.
Baker scores with a three punch combo!

Baker has closed the distance and engaged Cooper in a clinch.
Baker takes a knee to the side of the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Baker working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Baker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Baker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Filiberto Cooper's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Baker tries to clinch there but Cooper circles away.
Cooper half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Baker gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Baker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Filiberto Cooper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Baker swings away with a body shot that misses
and Cooper counters with a slapping leg kick.
Baker throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cooper is looking for a counter combo.
Cooper looks to clinch

and Baker decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cooper's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker works over Cooper with some ground and pound from guard.
Cooper strikes from his own guard.
Baker's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Baker distracts Cooper with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper keeping moving, preventing Baker from controlling successfully.
Baker seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Baker's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cooper throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Cooper trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Baker wants to stand and escape but instead Cooper has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Cooper prevents Baker from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Baker wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Cooper is now in half guard.
Baker trying to control but Cooper postures up.

Cooper is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The fighters are battling for position here. Baker manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Cooper stopping the sweep attempt from Baker.

Baker pushes Cooper off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker tries to clinch up but Cooper circles away and keeps his distance.
Cooper attempts a counter takedown but Baker avoids it well and moves away.
Baker fails with the takedown.
Baker takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Baker shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cooper sprawls well. Cooper wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Baker gets slowly back to his feet.
Cooper scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Baker throws a shot to the body.

Baker shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Cooper manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Baker has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cooper is proving hard to escape from.
Cooper keeping moving, preventing Baker from controlling successfully.
Baker has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cooper striking off his back but it's not causing Baker any problems.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Baker trying to control but Cooper is working from the bottom.
Filiberto Cooper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Denis Baker is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Cooper throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Baker escapes and throws Cooper's legs to the side, diving into side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
Denis Baker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Baker 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denis Baker!
A relieved looking Denis Baker thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.