PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Frank Cote (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cody Harlow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cote comes to the cage accompanied by Drake-City Is Mine. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cote
vs
Harlow

178 cm
22
172 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Frank Cote!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cody Harlow!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Robert Douchet and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harlow darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Cote is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cote wants to get back to full guard but Harlow has mounted him!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harlow controlling his opponent.
Cote tries to lock up and control but Harlow gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cote is breathing heavily.

Harlow has control of Cote's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Cote regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Harlow controlling the position easily from mount.
Harlow landing strikes from the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harlow working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harlow pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Harlow with good strikes from the mount here!

Cote is rocked!
Harlow unloading with bombs!
Oh Cote is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Harlow cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Cote working to try and regain half guard.
Harlow controlling the position easily from mount.
Let's hope that Harlow has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Harlow lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Cote seems to have got his legs back now.
Harlow looking to control but Cote is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Cote has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cote tries to escape but Harlow has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Harlow lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cote controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Harlow lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Harlow lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Harlow is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Cote tries to break free.
Cote prevents Harlow from getting a body triangle.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Harlow. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!

Harlow is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Cote defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cote looking very determined here, making life difficult for Harlow.
Cote tries to escape but Harlow has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Harlow working for a choke but Cote is defending well.
Cote trying to get back to his feet but Harlow is in full control for now.

Harlow is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
I would not like to be Cote right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harlow has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Harlow biding his time, looking for the opening.

Harlow tightening his grip on Cote, looking for the choke.
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!
I really don't envy Cote right now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Harlow's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Cote rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Harlow dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Harlow fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cote throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Harlow's waist but Cote gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cote off to one side.
Cote shoots in but Harlow avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Harlow wants to clinch up but Cote keeps it at a distance.

Harlow changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cote looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Cote takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Harlow tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Cote sneaks back into half guard.
Harlow is looking to take a break and control but Cote is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Harlow in particular looking to stall.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harlow is looking for a kimura but Cote is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Harlow to get the leverage.
Harlow performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Harlow trying to pass the guard but Cote defending well.
Harlow moves into full mount! Cote won't be happy about that!
Cote is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cote is trying to reverse the position but instead Harlow has taken his back - oops!
Harlow avoiding Cote 's attempts to control his hands.

Harlow has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Cote has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Cote is really stuck here.

Harlow is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Cote defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Harlow's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Cote covering up well and avoiding damage.
Cote breaks Harlow's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Cote trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Harlow throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Harlow not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Harlow keeping full guard, as Cote tries to pass.
Harlow keeping moving, preventing Cote from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Harlow shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Harlow showed some decent athleticism there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harlow content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harlow uses his free foot to push down on Cote's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Cote.
Cody Harlow has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cote is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Harlow with the ground and pound from mount.
Harlow controlling from the full mount.
Harlow scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cote?
Cote is working to get back to half guard.
Cote slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Harlow working Cote over with strikes.

Cote is defending against the submission attempts here by Harlow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cote is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Harlow scores with a couple of nice shots.
Cote wants to control but Harlow is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cote slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Cote looking for a guillotine here but Harlow defends easily.
Harlow trying to control but Cote is working from the bottom.
Cote throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harlow lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Harlow is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Harlow postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Harlow showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Cote swats away the attempt to clinch by Harlow.
Cote with a lazy takedown attempt

and Harlow counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Cote not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Harlow works over Cote with some ground and pound from guard.
Cote wants to sweep but no luck.
Cote is pulling down on Harlow's head to control his posture.

Cote throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Harlow passes Cote's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Cote is looking to improve his position.
Cote manages to get to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Cote looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Harlow 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cote looking for a guillotine here but Harlow defends easily.
Harlow forces his way into half guard.
Cote wants to control but Harlow is keeping busy.
Harlow seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Harlow is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cote is just riding it out for now. Harlow eventually gives up the hold.
Harlow content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Harlow seems to be working for a kimura but Cote defends the submission attempt.
Harlow has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cote slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Cote is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Cote wants to sweep here but Harlow controlling him for the moment.
Harlow sitting in guard here, content to control.
Cote keeping moving, preventing Harlow from controlling successfully.

Harlow is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Harlow stopping the sweep attempt from Cote.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harlow slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Harlow passes Cote's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Harlow seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cote does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Harlow is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Harlow is working for a submission of some sort.
Cote works his way to full guard. Good work.
Cote looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Harlow is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cote is trying to control the position but Harlow postures up.
Frank Cote has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cote looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Harlow puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Harlow trying to pass the guard but Cote defending well.
Cote wants to get back to full guard but Harlow has passed into side control.
Harlow landing strikes from the mount.
Harlow prevents Cote from getting the reversal.
Cote is working hard here to advance position.

Harlow jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Cote is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Cote and Harlow has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Cote is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Harlow off and has taken his back!
Cote doesn't have the hooks in and Harlow manages to turn into his guard.
Harlow is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Harlow pushes down on Cote's leg and manages to get into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cody Harlow comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Harlow has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 26:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 26:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cody Harlow!