PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sam Cooper (ranked 1016 p4p, 1692 weight class) and Ultima Kekkonen (ranked 129 p4p, 217 weight class). Cooper's entrance music is Tale of Cu Chulainn. A fine choice. Ultima Kekkonen has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Cooper
vs
Kekkonen

199 cm
25
258
6 - 4 - 0

195 cm
23
257
3 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Barry Bonds Performance Enhancers $110 160q Rec&St

FF Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sam Cooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ultima Kekkonen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Ron Honeybunn and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cooper moves into the clinch.

Kekkonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sam Cooper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cooper slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

It looks like Ultima Kekkonen has been cut.

Kekkonen gets tackled into the cage by Cooper. Cooper maintains the clinch.
Kekkonen can't break the clinch.

Kekkonen breaks the clinch.
Kekkonen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kekkonen lands a jab to the head.

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

Kekkonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kekkonen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

It looks like Sam Cooper has been cut.
Kekkonen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cooper has time to react.
Cooper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kekkonen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooper displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kekkonen throws out the jab.
Kekkonen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kekkonen misses with a looping right.
Cooper slips under a jab.
Cooper doesn't manage to clinch there - Kekkonen circles away.
A nice side step and Kekkonen releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Cooper lands with a hook. Kekkonen tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Cooper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kekkonen swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Cooper throws a big overhand right that connects, sending Kekkonen tumbling to the canvas!
Kekkonen looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Kekkonen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cooper is one step ahead there.
Kekkonen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kekkonen is pulling down on Cooper's head. It's preventing any offense from Cooper, at least for the moment.
Cooper tries to free his leg and advance position but Kekkonen is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper postures up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

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

Cooper has closed the distance and engaged Kekkonen in a clinch.
Kekkonen scores with a shot to the side of Cooper's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cooper working aggressively here.
Kekkonen blocks an uppercut.

Kekkonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cooper tries to clinch up
and Kekkonen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cooper fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kekkonen looks to land a combination but Cooper avoids it well.
Cooper moves away from the strike by Kekkonen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Kekkonen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Kekkonen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch but Kekkonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cooper doesn't manage to clinch there - Kekkonen circles away.
Kekkonen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kekkonen! But no joy.
Kekkonen looks to land a right hand but Cooper moved out of range.
Kekkonen misses with a hook.
Kekkonen tries to land a front kick but Cooper steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
As Kekkonen tries to get set, Cooper tries to push him back and clinch up but Kekkonen manages to avoid the attempt.
Cooper is looking to clinch but Kekkonen is avoiding it.
Kekkonen throws a looping overhand right but Cooper ducks down to avoid it.
Cooper moves in looking to clinch but Kekkonen pushes him off.
A low kick lands for Kekkonen.

Cooper has Kekkonen up against the cage in a clinch.
Kekkonen lands a left hand.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kekkonen.
Cooper misses with a body punch.

Kekkonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch but Kekkonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cooper is looking to clinch but Kekkonen is avoiding it.
Kekkonen now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Kekkonen swings widly with a right hand
enabling Cooper to counter with a crisp jab.

That has opened up Ultima Kekkonen's cut even more.
Both fighters circling a little - Cooper finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kekkonen lands with a nice body punch.
Cooper ducks under a wild hook from Kekkonen.
Kekkonen throws a head kick that misses.
Cooper swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cooper looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A thudding body kick lands there by Kekkonen!
Kekkonen keeps Cooper at a distance using the push kick.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kekkonen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch but Kekkonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cooper slips under a jab from Kekkonen.

Cooper clinches with his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ultima Kekkonen will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kekkonen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Cooper looks to clinch
and Kekkonen counters with a stiff right hand.
Kekkonen stuffs the takedown.
Kekkonen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kekkonen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Cooper gets a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Kekkonen fails to land.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kekkonen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Kekkonen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kekkonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cooper scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Cooper tries to clinch up but Kekkonen circles away and keeps his distance.
And Kekkonen responds with a good body kick, but Cooper manages to step out the way in time.
Ultima Kekkonen seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Kekkonen gets tackled into the cage by Cooper. Cooper maintains the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kekkonen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Cooper breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cooper clinches with his opponent.
Kekkonen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cooper backwards.

Kekkonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A cross from Kekkonen lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper is looking to clinch but Kekkonen is avoiding it.
Cooper has been working on his balance at Irish Collar & Elbow Academy (ICE), so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Kekkonen.
Cooper tries to clinch up but Kekkonen circles away and keeps his distance.
A nice side step and Kekkonen releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Kekkonen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Cooper throws a body shot but no joy.
Kekkonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Cooper.

Cooper moves into the clinch successfully.

Kekkonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kekkonen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kekkonen scores with a body shot.
Cooper ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kekkonen moves away.
Kekkonen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Cooper drives through and clinches with Kekkonen against the cage.
Cooper scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kekkonen prevents a body shot from Cooper.
Cooper misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen throws a punch but it's blocked by Cooper.
Kekkonen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cooper has him pressed against the cage.
Kekkonen lands with a right to the head.

Kekkonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kekkonen scores with a shot to the body.
Kekkonen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Cooper scores with a jab to the head.
Kekkonen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cooper wants to clinch.
Kekkonen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cooper.
Cooper moves away from the strike by Kekkonen.
Cooper tries to clinch up.
Kekkonen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kekkonen throws a leg kick which misses Cooper's front leg but catches the back leg as Cooper tries to avoid it.
Kekkonen moves out of range of the body kick from Cooper.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper cracks Kekkonen with a right hand to the side of the head.

The cut above Ultima Kekkonen's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Cooper tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cooper tries to clinch but Kekkonen moves out of range.
Kekkonen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kekkonen misses the body punch
and Cooper counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kekkonen thinking.
Cooper tries to clinch up but Kekkonen circles away and keeps his distance.

Cooper closes the distance and clinches.
Kekkonen is looking to break free of the clinch but Cooper has double underhooks.
Kekkonen tries to throw a body punch but Cooper avoids it by throwing Kekkonen back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kekkonen.
Cooper misses with a short punch on the inside.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kekkonen as Cooper tries to tie him up.

Kekkonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Cooper has managed to clinch.
Sam Cooper has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short right from Cooper on the inside.

Cooper lands a big left hand right to the temple and Kekkonen goes down!

Kekkonen is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cooper trying to control the pace.
Kekkonen is still in real trouble! Can Cooper finish him?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen moves into full guard.
Kekkonen seems to have recovered his senses.
Kekkonen is trying to keep Cooper in close.
Kekkonen pulls Cooper in to control the position.
Cooper stopping the sweep attempt from Kekkonen.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ultima Kekkonen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kekkonen connects with a body shot that sends Cooper's belly button to the back.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cooper looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cooper has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Kekkonen.
Cooper will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kekkonen misses with a hook. Cooper ducked under it nicely.
Kekkonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Cooper.
Kekkonen thows a body kick. Cooper tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Kekkonen misses with a body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cooper looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Cooper tries to clinch there but Kekkonen circles away.
Cooper uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kekkonen.
Sam Cooper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cooper swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cooper wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cooper wants to clinch up but Kekkonen keeps it at a distance.
Cooper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kekkonen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cooper chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kekkonen can pounce on him.
Cooper is looking to clinch but Kekkonen is avoiding it.
Kekkonen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Cooper on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kekkonen. Kekkonen obviously looking to wear him down.
Kekkonen misses with an uppercut.
Kekkonen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cooper dodges the punch combination from Kekkonen.
Kekkonen stalks Cooper and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cooper's face. Cooper staggers backwards, shaken.
Kekkonen tries to land a front kick but Cooper steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kekkonen takes one to the chin there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cooper tries to clinch but Kekkonen is having none of it.
Kekkonen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cooper counters with a nice body kick.
Kekkonen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cooper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kekkonen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And Kekkonen responds with a good body kick, but Cooper manages to step out the way in time.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A looping hook to the body misses from Kekkonen. Cooper does a little dance to reset his feet.

Cooper gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Cooper has Kekkonen pressed against the cage, preventing Kekkonen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Nice body punch from Kekkonen.
Cooper's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Kekkonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cooper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kekkonen looks for the body kick but Cooper saw that one coming.
Cooper wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Cooper lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kekkonen circles away quickly and effectively.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kekkonen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cooper takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kekkonen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kekkonen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kekkonen looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cooper tries to clinch up but Kekkonen circles away and keeps his distance.
Kekkonen lands with a cross.
A slow jab from Kekkonen misses its intended target.
Kekkonen moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Ultima Kekkonen's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Kekkonen throws a lazy right hand but Cooper sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cooper tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cooper takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Sam Cooper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kekkonen jabs Cooper right on the nose. Cooper blinks but takes it well.

Sam Cooper's cut is getting worse.
Kekkonen throws a jab when Cooper was well out of range.
Cooper tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Cooper pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kekkonen throws a front kick that sends Cooper stumbling back into the cage.
Kekkonen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cooper tries to clinch up but Kekkonen circles away and keeps his distance.
Kekkonen throws a wild body kick that Cooper sees coming a mile off.
Kekkonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Cooper.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cooper takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Cooper walks forward, straight into a front kick from Kekkonen.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cooper blocks a jab.
Cooper tries to clinch up but Kekkonen circles away and keeps his distance.
Kekkonen connects with a solid leg kick.
Kekkonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Cooper.
Cooper tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kekkonen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cooper throws a leg kick but Kekkonen moved away.
Kekkonen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Cooper wants to clinch up but Kekkonen keeps it at a distance.
Kekkonen walks into a jab.
Kekkonen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Kekkonen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A clash of legs there as Kekkonen blocks the low kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ultima Kekkonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kekkonen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Watson scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 27:30
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ultima Kekkonen!
After the fight, Ultima Kekkonen was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.