Photo provided courtesy of PFL MMA
Champ Ray Cooper III stamps his mark early; submits Jason Ponet
PFL will return for the second event of 2021. Last week, the promotion made it’s return after taking 2020 off due to the global pandemic.
PFL will host their second event of 2021. Rory MacDonald (21-6-1). MacDonald was a massive signing for PFL and is slated to fight Curtis Millender (18-6) in the main event.
The PFL 2 co-main event features PFL veteran and knockout artist “Bradda Boy” Ray Cooper III taking on Frenchman Jason Ponet.
The common denominator around PFL 1 was upsets as in Anthony Pettis, Lance Palmer and Natan Schulte all came out on the losing end of fights.
Cooper III (20-7-1) starts his journey in the PFL’s new season at Thursday’s 2021 PFL 2 event, which airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+ from Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. French newcomer Jason Ponet (20-12-1) stands on the opposite side of the cage
Ponet (20-12-1, 1 NC), a 32-year-old PFL newcomer from France who has won his last three fights, although all have been at lightweight.
Cooper is no stranger to competing for PFL championships, Cooper fell short in that $1 million welterweight finale in 2018, but the following year he made it to the final again, and became the tournament champion.
Ray Cooper III submits Jason Ponet in round one
Ray Cooper III with the big time slam and sub 💥 #2021PFL2 pic.twitter.com/szhUKGuoUT
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 30, 2021
Here is how the fight played out round by round:
ROUND 1
Gary Copeland the man in charge for the co main event of the evening. Ponet pushes cooper up against the cage. Cooper slams Ponet to the mat, and is advancing for ezekiel choke; it LOOKS TIGHT. Ponet is shaking his legs, he looks in danger, the Frenchman has no choice but to TAP.
Cooper gets the submission win in the FIRST round to earn six points at the start of the opening 2021 season. The reigning champ puts on a stamp and a statement for the welterweight division.
Official result: Ray Cooper III def. Jason Ponet via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 1:23
