PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Clemente Cooley (ranked 25507 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muhammad Zaffran (ranked 6550 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Cooley
vs
Zaffran

169 cm
21
177 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

181 cm
22
174 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Clemente Cooley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Muhammad Zaffran!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Colin Fotheringham and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zaffran throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cooley is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Zaffran.

It looks like Clemente Cooley has been cut.

Cooley tries to sprawl but Zaffran drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Cooley knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zaffran on the ground.
Zaffran throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Zaffran winds up and cracks Cooley with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Zaffran landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Cooley tries to roll over but Zaffran keeps him under control.
Cooley is staying active underneath Zaffran, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cooley could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Cooley is trying to stand back up but Zaffran is controlling him
Cooley blocking the ground and pound attempt from Zaffran.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Zaffran looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Zaffran is looking to stall here but Cooley recovers full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooley is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Zaffran dives into side control.
Zaffran scoring with punches and elbows.
Zaffran in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Zaffran throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Cooley works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaffran not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Zaffran not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Zaffran thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cooley's head.
Zaffran lands strikes from half guard.
Zaffran missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Zaffran stalling away here and it's allowed Cooley to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Cooley wants to stand but Zaffran is controlling the position.

Zaffran is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Cooley is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Cooley has escaped and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zaffran working for a triangle but Cooley defends it easily.
Cooley postures up.

Zaffran escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cooley gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cooley throws a big right hand that misses.

Zaffran isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Cooley stacks Zaffran on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Cooley!
Cooley working the body and head with strikes.
Check out the look on Cooley's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Cooley connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Zaffran some visible discomfort.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zaffran tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cooley creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Zaffran sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muhammad Zaffran dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Clemente Cooley's cut.
That's time! Cooley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Horrible takedown attempt by Cooley or perhaps it was just good defense by Zaffran, which made it look bad.
Cooley sets himself, and Zaffran steps forward looking for the clinch! Cooley avoids it this time.

Zaffran closes the distance and clinches.
Zaffran tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Zaffran tries to land knees in the clinch but Cooley avoids the damage to the body.
Cooley is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Zaffran to keep the fight standing.
Cooley takes a knee right on the jaw!
A short right from Zaffran on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Zaffran manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Cooley might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Zaffran looking for subs off his back but Cooley has passed one foot through into half guard.

Zaffran looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaffran is looking to get back to full guard here but Cooley has managed to pass to side control instead.
Zaffran gets back to half guard.
Zaffran is trying to stand up here but Cooley is controlling him well.

Zaffran actively working from the bottom here.
Zaffran is breathing heavily.
Cooley looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Zaffran with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Zaffran has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two 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.
Cooley drops an elbow to the side of Zaffran's head.

Cooley seems to be looking for submissions.
Zaffran tries to kick Cooley off but Cooley keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Zaffran trying to control from the bottom.

Zaffran looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Zaffran is trying to stand up here but Cooley is controlling him well.

Cooley is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Cooley lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooley scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Zaffran is looking to get back to is feet but Cooley passes into side control.
Cooley cracks Zaffran with a big elbow.
Zaffran is trying to buck Cooley off.
Zaffran tries to bench press Cooley off him but Cooley keeps the position.

Cooley has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Cooley moves into the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Zaffran throws an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaffran misses with a body punch.
Cooley lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Zaffran or not.
Cooley is trying to pull guard but Zaffran has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Clemente Cooley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice body punch from Zaffran - that landed with a thud.
Zaffran looking to throw knees to the head but Cooley is blocking nicely.
Zaffran using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cooley has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A frustrated look appears on Zaffran's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Cooley manages to break the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Cooley has closed the distance and engaged Zaffran in a clinch.
Cooley tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Cooley lands a knee to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Clemente Cooley will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Clemente Cooley's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Zaffran defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cooley.
Zaffran misses with a few strikes there.
Cooley tries to clinch but Zaffran moves out of range.

Zaffran instigates a clinch.
Zaffran is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Zaffran fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zaffran using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Zaffran trying to land knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zaffran tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cooley's elbow.
Zaffran is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cooley is defending well for now.

Zaffran jumps guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cooley gets to his feet. Zaffran looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Zaffran misses the shot to the body.
Zaffran takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cooley takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Cooley throws a head kick but Zaffran moves out of range.
Cooley is looking to clinch but Zaffran is avoiding it.
Zaffran moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Cooley clinches up with Zaffran and pushes him back against the cage.
Zaffran misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cooley.
Cooley tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Cooley on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cooley managing to block the knees to the body from Zaffran.
Cooley tries to pull guard but Zaffran forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Clemente Cooley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaffran tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cooley avoids it.
Zaffran misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cooley on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Zaffran working Cooley over with knees to the body.
Cooley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Zaffran pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Cooley goes for a takedown attempt but Zaffran pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zaffran misses with a head kick.
Muhammad Zaffran seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zaffran will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cooley seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Zaffran misses with a combination
and Cooley counters with a head kick. That will keep Zaffran thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooley is trying hard to land a takedown here. Zaffran sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Zaffran gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Cooley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cooley shoots in for a takedown but Zaffran shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cooley takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Zaffran lands with a hook. Cooley tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Zaffran tries a head kick but it misses.
Muhammad Zaffran is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cooley is defended easily by Zaffran.

Cooley closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cooley breaks the clinch.
A left and a right from Zaffran both land. Nice combination.

Zaffran fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cooley sprawls well initially but Zaffran persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zaffran landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Zaffran throws a strike but Cooley avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Zaffran wants to control from the top but Cooley keeps moving.
Zaffran trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zaffran forces his way into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Muhammad Zaffran comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zaffran 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Muhammad Zaffran!
An out of breath Muhammad Zaffran thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.