Preview: PFL 6 ‘Harrison vs. Young’

Welterweights

Ray Cooper III (24-8-1, 11-3-1 PFL) vs. Bret Cooper (28-16, 1-1 PFL)

It was an all-around disappointing effort for Cooper III at PFL 3, where he missed weight by 5.4 pounds ahead of his fight with Carlos Leal Miranda and then put forth a sluggish performance against his unheralded opponent in a unanimous decision loss. Whether those struggles were the result of a pre-fight injury or Cooper III simply becoming complacent after back-to-back PFL championships is unclear, but the Hawaiian is now facing an uphill struggle to earn a postseason berth. The improved wrestling and grappling that “Bradda Boy” displayed against the likes of Magomed Magomedkerimov and Rory MacDonald was nowhere to be found against Miranda, as he plodded forward and was repeatedly denied on his takedown attempts. Meanwhile, Miranda controlled the action at range, battering the defending champ with a variety of punches and kicks while Cooper III often swung wildly and inaccurately. It was not until the waning moments of third round that the favored Cooper III showed any signs of life, but by then, it was too late. His track record in recent years suggests this is more of a blip on the radar than a trend, and assuming he can make weight, he will have a good opportunity to get back on track. Cooper offered little resistance against MacDonald in his first PFL regular-season bout, as he was taken down easily and battered with ground-and-pound before succumbing to a rear-naked choke. The American is a well-traveled veteran of the sport who has competed in numerous organizations all over the globe and has championship experience. While he has solid knockout power—see 18 KO/TKOs on his resume—he can struggle against opponents with solid wrestling and a heavy top game. If Cooper III is closer to his top form, he should have a clear wrestling advantage against “Fudoshin,” but the Hawaiian has never been one to back down from a brawl. However, in this case, it will behoove Cooper III to use his heavy hooks and overhands to close the distance against his adversary, at which point he can do damage in the clinch and work for takedowns. On the canvas, “Bradda Boy” should be able to batter the Bellator veteran with ground-and-pound and threaten with submissions, including his favored arm-triangle choke. Expect Cooper III to come out motivated following a flat performance and earn a victory inside the distance.

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Harrison vs. Young
MacDonald vs. Sy
Cooper III vs. Cooper
Magomedkerimov vs. Zeferino
The Prelims