PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Julien King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Cook acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

King
vs
Cook

188 cm
19
184 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

188 cm
19
199 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Julien King!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Cook!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Bruno Hogan and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

King darts in and clinches Cook up against the cage.
King is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Cook manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
King 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.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Cook stalling in the clinch.
Cook wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but King has him pressed against the cage.
King using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

King successfully pulls guard.
King looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cook is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cook slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.
King manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cook manages to get himself to full guard.

King trying to control the position from guard on top but Cook is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
King wants to get up but he can't break Cook's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cook keeping full guard, as King tries to pass.
Cook throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
King trying to control the position from guard on top but Cook is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cook really doesn't want to stay on the ground with King. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
King throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
King not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
King stops Cook from standing up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
King throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
King throws a head kick that misses.
Cook only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Cook throws an off balance right hand

and King counters by clinching up.

Cook's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Cook closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.
King blocks an elbow strike.
King tries to pull guard but Cook forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

King jumps guard and drags Cook to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
King trying to control the position.
King being controlled here, momentarily.
Cook working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of King's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
King has Cook pulled in close to control his posture.
Cook content to stall in guard here.
Cook must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

King escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cook gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cook wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
King is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julien King dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

King has managed to clinch.
King taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Cook has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. King seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Cook can turn it around.
King has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Cook after a bit of a struggle.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
King fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Cook escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
King throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

King tries to keep at a distance but Cook has taken the fight into the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Cook controlling the action here for a moment.
The crowd are getting on Cook's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Cook is struggling to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook is pushing King 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 escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Julien King is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as King checks a leg kick.

Cook takes the fight into the clinch.
Cook wants to break the clinch but can't.

King drags the fight down to the ground.

King is looking for a triangle but Cook pushes his legs off easily.
King working a defensive guard here.
King looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
King managing to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
King controls Cook momentarily but Cook frees himself.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cook's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
King trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. King is keeping the position for now.
King is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cook can do to turn this around?
Cook slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Cook wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cook looking to pass the guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cook misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Cook moves into range and clinches up with King.
Cook keeps control of King as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Cook breaks the clinch.

Cook gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A short right from King on the inside.
Cook taking a breather.
James Cook seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Cook stalling the fight.
King looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Julien King. That's going to take a lot out of him.
King fails to pull guard.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
King is trying to pull guard but Cook has him pressed against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
King fails to pull guard.
Cook looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

King jumps guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now King is on top in guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Cook will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Cook moves into the clinch successfully.
King slowing the pace effectively.
Cook is looking to break free of the clinch but King has double underhooks.
King jumps guard but Cook turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Cook slowing the pace effectively.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Cook just misses with a elbow thrown towards King's brow.
King is trying to pull guard but Cook turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cook breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A decent looking body kick lands there for King.

Cook rushes King and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
King fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Julien King. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cook keeps the fight in the clinch, despite King's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cook is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

King jumps into guard, dragging Cook to the mat.
King working a defensive guard here.
Cook is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
King is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
King managing to control the position.
King can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cook controls the pace.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
James Cook seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Cook closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cook tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cook is trying to stall.
King has had enough of the clinch but Cook keeps him there for the moment.
King fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
King goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cook prevents it.
Cook is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
King tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Cook wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
King tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cook smiles and moves away.

King has closed the distance and engaged Cook in a clinch.
Cook takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cook misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cook misses with a knee to the head.
Cook taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook lands a body punch.
King is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Cook to keep the fight standing.
Cook is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.
Cook taking a breather.
Cook is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.
Cook keeps the fight in the clinch, despite King's efforts to push away.
Cook stalling in the clinch.
Cook stalling the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
King tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Cook manages to break the clinch.

Cook rushes King and presses him up against the cage.
King prevents Cook from breaking the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Cook comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cook 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Cook!
James Cook took some time post fight to say the following; 'IM COOKKKKKKKK'.