PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Archie Laird (ranked 790 p4p, 1833 weight class) and Ganny Kogir (ranked 122 p4p, 252 weight class). Ganny Kogir has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Laird
vs
Kogir

180 cm
26
211
8 - 2 - 0

189 cm
26
218
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Archie Laird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ganny Kogir!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, David Hoff and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laird fails with the takedown
and Laird takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Laird.
Decent striking displayed by Kogir there.
Kogir misses with a hook.
Laird fires out a quick counter leg kick but Kogir just manages to avoid it.
Kogir keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Laird scores with a takedown into Kogir's guard.
Kogir trying to control the position.
Laird is working Kogir over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Laird working some strikes from top position.
Laird advances to half guard.
Kogir taking some punishment here, with Laird in his half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ground and pound from Laird.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laird content to control rather than advance.
Kogir tries to get to full guard but Laird has control of the leg.
Laird slips a nice elbow through Kogir's hands, connecting with Kogir's forehead.
Kogir looks like he's trying to stand up.
Laird landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Kogir is looking to escape.
Laird 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.
Laird seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Kogir is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kogir trying to hold on to Laird's head to control him but Laird postures up.

Laird is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kogir defends it well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Laird in particular looking to stall.
Kogir trying to control here.
Kogir really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Laird. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Kogir makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Laird looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Laird doesn't manage to clinch there - Kogir circles away.
Kogir keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kogir throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Laird tried to counter with a leg kick but Kogir avoided it.

Laird fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kogir sprawls well initially but Laird persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
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!
Laird is taking a breather. Kogir says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kogir trying to control but Laird postures up.
Laird is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Kogir taking some punishment here, with Laird in his half guard.
Laird performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Laird is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Laird is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Kogir trying to control here.
Laird takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Kogir is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kogir is trying to maintain the position but Laird is very close to passing his half guard.
Kogir is still in real trouble! Can Laird finish him?
Kogir tries to kick Laird off but Laird keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Kogir seems to have recovered his senses.
Laird with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Laird drops an elbow to the side of Kogir's head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Laird lands a nice short elbow.
Kogir has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Tez’s Stand N Bang !. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Laird prevents Kogir from improving his position.
Kogir tries to kick Laird off but Laird keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Laird slows the pace down in half guard.
Laird scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Laird tries to clinch up.
Laird displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kogir throws out the jab.
Laird seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Laird with a poor takedown
enabling Kogir to counter with a crisp jab.
Kogir swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Laird.
Laird loads up on a big right hand but Kogir slips the punch.
Laird shoots in for a double leg but Kogir sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Laird instigates a clinch.
Kogir working hard to break the clinch.
Kogir scores with a shoulder strike.
A head punch on the inside from Kogir fails to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kogir managing to block the knees to the body from Laird.
Laird looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Archie Laird. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kogir throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Lairds head.
Laird misses with an elbow over the top.
Kogir struggles to land a body shot inside as Laird controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kogir gets underhooks to prevent Laird's takedown attempt.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Laird.
Laird is working for takedown but Kogir is calmly controlling the position for now.
Kogir stops a takedown attempt from Laird.
Kogir tries to break the clinch but Laird is controlling the position.
Kogir taking a breather.
A head punch on the inside from Laird fails to land.
Kogir throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Lairds head.
Kogir blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kogir creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Kogir is trying to stall.

Kogir breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kogir has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Kogir ducks under a wild hook from Laird.
Kogir throws a hook but Laird blocks it.
An attempted straight right counter from Laird misses the target.
Kogir throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Laird.
Kogir just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laird tries to close the distance and clinch but Kogir swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kogir connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Laird pushes Kogir up against the cage in a clinch.
Kogir lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Laird backwards.
Kogir lands a body punch in the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kogir is trying to break the clinch but Laird is controlling him.

Kogir's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ganny Kogir is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Laird looks for a takedown but Kogir sprawls well.
Kogir doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Kogir lands a really nice looking cross but Laird seems unphased.
Laird rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting Kogir counter with a right hand.
Laird tries to clinch up
letting Kogir counter with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kogir lands a head shot.
A jab from Kogir misses.
Kogir throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Kogir connects with a body shot that sends Laird's belly button to the back.
Laird walks into a straight right hand from Kogir.
Laird misses with a takedown
and Kogir counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Laird looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kogir is fending him off so far but Laird persists. Nope, Kogir circles away and we're back to standing.

Laird feints and as Kogir raises his hands in defense, Laird changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kogir is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Laird presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kogir is pressed up against the cage. Laird has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Kogir down to the mat. Kogir avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Laird swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Kogir counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kogir. Laird does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kogir chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Laird can pounce on him.
Laird tries to close the distance and clinch but Kogir swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ganny Kogir seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Laird shoots in but Kogir avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nice shot lands for Kogir.
Laird avoids the body shot from Kogir.
Archie Laird seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fighters circle momentarily. Kogir darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Kogir lands an overhand right.
Kogir misses with a two punch combination.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ganny Kogir showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kogir scores with a punch to the head.
Kogir missing with a left hand there. Laird was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kogir jabs Laird right on the nose. Laird blinks but takes it well.

Laird drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kogir is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kogir has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Laird slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Laird lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kogir tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Laird wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
A lull in the action here.
Archie Laird overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kogir wants to get back to his feet but Laird drags him back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laird lands a nice forearm strike.
Laird in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Kogir is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Laird has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Kogir is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Laird has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Kogir takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Laird's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Archie Laird!
A victorious Archie Laird thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.