PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mirko Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Cogliano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Van Damme
vs
Cogliano

190 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mirko Van Damme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Josh Cogliano!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Robert Douchet and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Van Damme.
Van Damme tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Van Damme tries to keep at a distance but Cogliano has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cogliano throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Van Damme blocks it with crossed arms.
Van Damme tries a knee to the head but Cogliano blocks it.
Cogliano jumps guard but Van Damme stands there with Cogliano around his waist. Cogliano gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Cogliano gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Cogliano is controlling the pace.
Van Damme is looking to escape.
Cogliano tries to pass to full mount but Van Damme defends it.
Well, if Cogliano is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Cogliano's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Van Damme is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cogliano is looking for a kimura here.
Cogliano sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Cogliano is working for a kimura but Van Damme is defending it quite comfortably.
Cogliano prevents Van Damme from standing back up.
Cogliano lands strikes from half guard.
Cogliano controlling the action here.

Cogliano is trying to work for a kimura but Van Damme is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cogliano looks gassed!
Cogliano tries to pass the half guard into mount. Van Damme knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Van Damme pushes Cogliano off and gets back to his feet.
Cogliano avoids the head kick by Van Damme.
Van Damme tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Van Damme misses with a head kick.

Cogliano scores with a takedown into Van Damme's guard.
Cogliano slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Cogliano gets to his feet. Van Damme looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Van Damme throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Cogliano's head.

Cogliano drives through and clinches with Van Damme against the cage.
Van Damme misses with a knee to the head.
Van Damme throws a knee to the head but misses.

Cogliano pulls guard successfully.
Van Damme wants to get up but he can't break Cogliano's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cogliano is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Van Damme wants to stand but Cogliano has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Van Damme misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Van Damme swinging wilding here.

Cogliano shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cogliano sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Van Damme is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cogliano is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cogliano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Van Damme wants to stand and escape but Cogliano is having none of it.
Cogliano forces his way into half guard.
Cogliano moves nicely into side control.
Cogliano works to advance to full mount. Van Damme defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Van Damme taking shots to the head.

Cogliano working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Van Damme is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Cogliano takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Van Damme squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Cogliano dominated that round.
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.

Cogliano drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Cogliano advances to mount.
Van Damme knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cogliano on the ground.
Van Damme squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Van Damme in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Cogliano with shots to the head and body - Van Damme looks very uncomfortable down there.
Van Damme tries to buck Cogliano off but he can't manage it.

Cogliano working for a guillotine from mount but Van Damme is in no mood to give up.
Cogliano controlling his opponent.
Van Damme tries to buck Cogliano off but he can't manage it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cogliano content just to control the position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Van Damme has given up his back here. Will Cogliano look for the submission or keep pounding away?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Van Damme is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Cogliano gets his way!

Cogliano looking for the rear naked choke. And he's got it! Van Damme taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Josh Cogliano!