PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lee Cooke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damie Grand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Damie Grand enters the cage!

Cooke
vs
Grand

211 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

190 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lee Cooke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Damie Grand!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Albert Achterberg and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grand darts in trying to clinch
and Cooke counters with a series of strikes. Grand will be more careful next time no doubt.

Grand has managed to clinch.
Grand is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Cooke.
Cooke fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Grand stalling against the cage.

Grand is trying to trip Cooke. He has hold of a leg but Cooke is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Grand persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Cooke has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Grand off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grand tries to clinch but Cooke moves away
and Cooke counters with a series of strikes. Grand will be more careful next time no doubt.
Grand doesn't manage to clinch there - Cooke circles away.

Grand rushes Cooke and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grand lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Grand is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Cooke can't fight it off and eventually Grand manages to take the fight to the floor. Cooke looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Grand lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Grand works over Cooke with some ground and pound from guard.
Cooke seems keen to control Grand's posture.

Grand postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Cooke is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Grand, into his guard.

Grand is trying to keep Cooke in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grand is adopting a defensive guard.
Grand throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Cooke is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Cooke will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cooke postures up.
Cooke has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Grand is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cooke is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grand tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Grand is still trying to improve position.
Grand trying to keep a closed guard but Cooke is proving a slippery customer.
Grand is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Grand throws a sloppy head kick and Cooke moves out of range easily.
Grand wants to clinch
and Cooke counters with a series of strikes. Grand will be more careful next time no doubt.
Cooke shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Grand as he avoids it easily.
Grand swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Grand takes the fight into the clinch.
Cooke really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Come on Grand - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grand tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Cooke pulls guard effortlessly.
Grand is stalling in the full guard.
Grand wants to pass the guard but Cooke is keeping the position.
Grand controls from within his opponent's guard.
Cooke wants to sweep here but Grand controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Lee Cooke will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Grand tries to clinch but Cooke is having none of it.

Grand scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
You can see the frustration on Cooke's face as Grand controls the position.
Cooke wants to control but Grand postures up.
Cooke tries to bench press Grand off him but Grand keeps the position.
Grand controls the position from side control.
Grand is continuing to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grand scoring with punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke is trying to control Grand's posture but Grand avoids it.
Cooke is looking to reverse the position.
Grand laying and praying for a moment but Cooke takes advantage and regains half guard.
Cooke tries to get to full guard but Grand has control of the leg.
Grand slows the pace down in half guard.
Let's hope that Grand 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cooke is refusing to be controlled, as Grand sits in half guard.
Grand winds up and cracks Cooke with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Grand throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cooke is controlling Grand's trapped leg to prevent Grand from advancing to side control.
Grand thows a huge punch but Cooke dodges it nicely.

Grand is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Cooke is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Grand scores with a couple of nice shots.
Grand stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooke blocking the ground and pound attempt from Grand.
Grand sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cooke defending well though.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Grand drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Grand trying to control the position from guard on top but Cooke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grand's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Damie Grand has got the better of the ground game so far.
Grand wants to pass the guard but Cooke is keeping the position.
Grand stays in close to Cooke's body and controls the position.
Cooke trying to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grand is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Grand missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cooke keeps the fight on the outside.

Grand closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Grand looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damie Grand showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Cooke circles away from the clinch attempt
and Cooke counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Grand looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Grand wants to control from the top but Cooke keeps moving.
Grand is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Grand wants to control from the top but Cooke keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooke is pulling down on Grand's head. It's preventing any offense from Grand, at least for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooke tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Grand looking to sit in guard and control but Cooke gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Grand looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cooke is one step ahead there.
Grand bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cooke's guard.

Grand pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cooke is keeping the position for now.
Cooke keeping moving, preventing Grand from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooke trying to control the position.
Grand has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Grand with a nice head shot there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Grand throws a strike but Cooke rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Grand is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Grand working a defensive guard here.
Grand wants to sweep here but Cooke controlling him for the moment.

Cooke avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Grand takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Grand not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grand lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Grand won't allow Cooke to get back to his feet.
Grand is looking to pass into half guard but Cooke pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Cooke is in guard.

Grand being controlled here, momentarily.
Grand keeping moving, preventing Cooke from controlling successfully.
Grand controls Cooke momentarily but Cooke frees himself.
Cooke won't allow Grand to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grand is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Cooke postures up.
Cooke stops Grand from standing up.
Grand not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Grand wants to stand and escape but Cooke is having none of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Grand pushes Cooke up against the cage in a clinch.
Grand is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Grand gets control of Cooke's arms and successfully pulls guard. Grand will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cooke content to stall in guard here.
Cooke throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Grand works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damie Grand comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Grand has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Damie Grand!