PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hildebrand Coenan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Whitehope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mark Whitehope is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Coenan
vs
Whitehope

185 cm
34
180 lbs
17 - 7 - 0

179 cm
28
184 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Hildebrand Coenan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Whitehope!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A thudding body kick lands there by Whitehope!
Whitehope drops his hands momentarily and Coenan takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Coenan throws out a loose jab but Whitehope uses good head movement to avoid it.
Whitehope dives in for a single leg takedown but Coenan sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Whitehope closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Coenan did well to prevent Whitehope getting side control.
Coenan is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Whitehope's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Whitehope's back!
Coenan misses with an elbow to the head.
Whitehope trying to control the hands but Coenan breaks the grip.

Coenan is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Whitehope defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Coenan missing with strikes.
Can Whitehope hold on?! Coenan is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Coenan connects with a big shot to the side of Whitehope's head.
Coenan missing with strikes.

Whitehope defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Coenan's arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coenan is punishing Whitehope with some ground and pound.
Whitehope tries to roll but Coenan sticks to his back.

Coenan is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Whitehope defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Coenan punches Whitehope on the ear.
Coenan lands a shot to the body.
Whitehope turns into Coenan and is now in his guard.
Coenan has momentary wrist control but Whitehope slips an elbow through the middle.
Whitehope wants to pass the guard but Coenan is keeping the position.
Whitehope loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coenan wants to stand but Whitehope is controlling the position.
Whitehope postures up in Coenan's guard and throws a big left but Coenan blocks it.
Whitehope throws a big right hand that misses.
Coenan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Whitehope throws a strike but Coenan rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Whitehope is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Let's hope that Whitehope 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 three minutes gone in the round.
Coenan postures up in Whitehope's guard and throws a big left but Whitehope blocks it.
Whitehope is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Coenan postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Coenan pushes down on Whitehope's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Whitehope manages to get to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Coenan landing some decent shots from guard.
Coenan trying to control but Whitehope is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitehope managing to control the position.

Whitehope throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Whitehope keeping moving, preventing Coenan from controlling successfully.
Coenan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Coenan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Coenan trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitehope is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Coenan lands a couple of digs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Coenan listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Whitehope shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Coenan is trying to defend but Whitehope finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Coenan kicks Whitehope off and gets back to his feet.
Whitehope moves away from the strike by Coenan.
Coenan doesn't manage to clinch there - Whitehope circles away.
It seemed like Whitehope was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Coenan moves in looking to clinch but Whitehope pushes him off.
Coenan swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Whitehope throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Whitehope throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Coenan.
Coenan swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Whitehope on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Coenan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Whitehope can do to turn this around?
Whitehope misses with a right hand
and Whitehope takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mark Whitehope is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Coenan scores with a shot to the body.
Whitehope gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Coenan counters with a stiff right hand.
Whitehope dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coenan connects with a body shot that sends Whitehope's belly button to the back.
Whitehope swinging wildly here.
Coenan throws a big shot that misses.

Coenan looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Coenan scoring with some ground and pound.
Coenan trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitehope is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Whitehope seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Whitehope working for a triangle but Coenan defends it easily.
Coenan landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coenan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Whitehope works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Coenan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hildebrand Coenan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Whitehope preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Coenan trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitehope is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Coenan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Coenan sitting in guard here, content to control.
Coenan trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitehope is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coenan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Whitehope escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Coenan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Coenan looking to pass the guard.
Coenan is working hard here to advance position.

Whitehope looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Coenan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Coenan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

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.
Coenan wants to pass the guard but Whitehope is keeping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Coenan throws a hook to the side of Whitehope's head but Whitehope sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Whitehope moves forwards but Coenan connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Whitehope throws a right hand that misses
enabling Coenan to counter with a crisp jab.
Whitehope thuds his shin into the meat of Coenan's side.
Whitehope fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Coenan checks it well.
Whitehope swings for the body but Coenan moves out of range.
Coenan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Whitehope moves away.

Whitehope clinches up against the cage.
Coenan lands on the inside with an uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Coenan.
Whitehope misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Whitehope.
Coenan misses with the head strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Whitehope throws an elbow but misses.

Whitehope gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Coenan keeping hold of Whitehope's head, controlling as best he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Whitehope feints and as Coenan raises his hands in defense, Whitehope changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Coenan is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Whitehope presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Whitehope makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Whitehope lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Whitehope is trying to break the clinch but Coenan has him pressed against the cage.
A short right from Coenan on the inside.
Whitehope misses with the head strike.
Coenan blocks an uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Coenan struggles to land a body shot inside as Whitehope controls his hands.

Whitehope pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A jab from Coenan finds it's way through Whitehope's defenses.
Whitehope misses with a straight right.
Whitehope ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Mark Whitehope seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Whitehope tries to sprawl but Coenan drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Coenan looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Coenan 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coenan looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Whitehope actively working from the bottom here.
Whitehope on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Coenan missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Coenan wants to take a breather but Whitehope is having none of it.
Whitehope is trying to maintain the position but Coenan is very close to passing his half guard.
Coenan throwing shots but Whitehope is blocking nicely.
Coenan works his way into side control.
Whitehope is trying to improve his position.
Coenan working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Coenan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Whitehope is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Whitehope struggling a bit here.
Coenan in side control, throwing shots but Whitehope defends.
Coenan scoring with punches from side control.
Whitehope parries the strikes from Coenan easily there. Coenan is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Whitehope to escape.

Coenan tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
You can see the frustration on Whitehope's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coenan in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Coenan working the ground and pound but Whitehope is defending the strikes.
Coenan working the ground and pound.
Whitehope takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Coenan scores with a couple of short elbows.
Whitehope is not content to let Coenan control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Coenan lands some shots froms side control.
Mark Whitehope has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hildebrand Coenan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Coenan tries to score with some ground and pound. Whitehope controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Whitehope is not content to let Coenan control the position.
Coenan scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Whitehope to see if he's OK.
Coenan connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Whitehope some visible discomfort.
Coenan is putting a hurting on Whitehope here, landing some big shots from side control.
Whitehope can't do much from the bottom here.
Whitehope throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Whitehope taking punishment in the form of punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hildebrand Coenan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Coenan, 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hildebrand Coenan!
During a confident post fight interview, Hildebrand Coenan thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.