PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Geoff Strangle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rob Coogan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Strangle
vs
Coogan

190 cm
26
215 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
215 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI
Black Belt Nutrition #=========||=========#

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Geoff Strangle!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rob Coogan!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Igor Prikhodko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strangle fails to land the takedown.
A head kick misses from Strangle.
Strangle shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Coogan counters with a single leg into guard. Strangle didn't expect that.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Strangle looking to control.
Coogan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Coogan passes Strangle's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Strangle manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Strangle is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strangle keeping moving, preventing Coogan from controlling successfully.
Strangle working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Coogan.

Coogan has gone for a leg lock! Strangle slips out almost immediately though and dives into Coogan's guard.
Strangle is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coogan has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Coogan controls Strangle momentarily but Strangle frees himself.
Strangle tries to free his leg and advance position but Coogan is retaining full guard.
Strangle stands and throws Coogan's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Coogan gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Strangle is working for a submission of some sort.
Coogan is in trouble now - Strangle has advanced to mount!
Strangle wants to take his opponent's back but instead Coogan manages to regain half guard.
Coogan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Coogan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strangle trying to control but Coogan is working from the bottom.
Coogan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Strangle controls the pace.
Strangle trying to control but Coogan is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Coogan is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rob Coogan will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Strangle fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Coogan, pushing him back against the cage.

Strangle's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Strangle shoots in looking for a takedown. Coogan tries to sprawl out of it but Strangle keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Coogan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Strangle shoots in and drives through. Coogan sprawls well.
Strangle throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Strangle fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Geoff Strangle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strangle throws a head kick but Coogan moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strangle moves in looking to clinch but Coogan pushes him off.
Coogan keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Strangle does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Strangle fails with the takedown
and Coogan counters with a stiff right hand.
Strangle tries for a takedown but Coogan circles away easily

and Coogan counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

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

Coogan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Coogan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Coogan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Strangle is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Coogan there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Strangle keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Rob Coogan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Coogan wants to control the pace but Strangle is squirming around nicely.
Strangle wants to hold on but Coogan pushes him away.
Strangle regains half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Coogan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Strangle does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coogan thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Strangle is trying to control but can't.
Strangle tries to kick Coogan off in order to stand up. Coogan Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

Coogan wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Strangle, who protects the arm well.
Strangle seems a little lost for a moment, as Coogan dominates the positioning.
Strangle keeping his opponent close.
Coogan is looking to take a break and control but Strangle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strangle gets back to half guard.
Strangle moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Coogan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Strangle controls Coogan momentarily but Coogan frees himself.
Coogan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
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 Geoff Strangle will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Strangle shoots in for a takedown but Coogan shows good takedown defense.
The fighters circle momentarily. Coogan darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Coogan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Strangle paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Coogan throws a jab but it's blocked by Strangle.
Strangle shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Coogan sprawls well. Coogan wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Strangle gets slowly back to his feet.
Strangle blocks a jab.
Geoff Strangle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Coogan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Strangle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Geoff Strangle. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strangle doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Coogan counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Coogan.
Coogan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Strangle keeping moving, preventing Coogan from controlling successfully.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rob Coogan hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
The fight stays on the outside here - Strangle looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coogan tries to bum rush Strangle with a series of wild strikes but Strangle uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Strangle throws a body punch but Coogan moves out of range.
Strangle is looking to clinch but Coogan is avoiding it.
Strangle tries for a takedown but Coogan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Coogan moves out of range of the body kick from Strangle.
Coogan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Coogan stuffs the takedown attempt from Strangle. Strangle gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coogan scores with a nice head shot.
Coogan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Strangle sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Coogan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Strangle throws a sloppy head kick and Coogan moves out of range easily.
Strangle throws a combination. Coogan tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Strangle tries to clinch up but Coogan circles away and keeps his distance.
Strangle shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Coogan as he jumps to the side.

Strangle gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Coogan trying to control but Strangle is working from the bottom.
Strangle wants to get back to his feet but Coogan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Coogan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Coogan prevents Strangle from getting back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Strangle keeping full guard, as Coogan tries to pass.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Coogan working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Strangle fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Coogan, pushing him back against the cage.
Strangle lands with a light punch inside.
With the fighters up against the cage, Strangle throws an elbow but misses.
Strangle lands a hook to the side of the head.
Strangle misses with a body punch.

Strangle's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Coogan swats away the attempt to clinch by Strangle.
Coogan misses with a low kick.
Strangle shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Coogan as he avoids it easily.
Strangle misses with a wild combination.
Coogan wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strangle throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Strangle fails to land the takedown.
Strangle will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Geoff Strangle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Coogan.

Coogan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coogan is trying to control the action in half guard but Strangle is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Strangle works his way to full guard. Good work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Strangle is on top in guard.

Coogan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Strangle doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Strangle manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Coogan wants to sweep here but Strangle controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coogan is trying to keep Strangle in close.
Strangle stays in close to Coogan's body and controls the position.
Strangle seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Coogan for as long as he can get away with.
Strangle wants to control from the top but Coogan keeps moving.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Coogan seems keen to control Strangle's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Rob Coogan wasn't active enough on the ground.

Strangle gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Strangle manages to break the clinch.
Strangle is looking to clinch.
Coogan changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Strangle changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Coogan tries to avoid it but Strangle manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Coogan to the ground. Coogan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Strangle looking to score a takedown here. Coogan is defending well but Strangle drives through and ends up in Coogan's guard.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Strangle trying to control the position from guard on top but Coogan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Geoff Strangle had his way with Rob Coogan in that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Coogan moves out of range as Strangle throws a body kick.
Coogan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Strangle shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Coogan counters with a left to the body.
Strangle swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Geoff Strangle is winning the standup battle so far.

Coogan shoots in and gets a takedown into Strangle's guard.

Strangle throws his legs up looking for a submission but Coogan uses it to pass to side control.
Coogan looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Strangle is avoiding damage well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coogan controls the position.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

Coogan is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Strangle is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Strangle tries to bench press Coogan off him but Coogan keeps the position.
Coogan is looking to take a break and control but Strangle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Strangle is trying to get back to half guard.

Coogan working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Coogan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Coogan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Coogan misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Coogan tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Strangle tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Coogan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Coogan in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Strangle is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 5, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Rob Coogan!
Rob Coogan is the new light heavyweight champion!
Our winner, Rob Coogan, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.