PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Charles Cozad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yannick Ahmed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Charles Cozad has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Cozad
vs
Ahmed

185 cm
24
160 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Charles Cozad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yannick Ahmed!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cozad fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Ahmed has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Ahmed tries for a takedown but Cozad circles away easily
and Cozad counters with a nice leg kick.
Cozad stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A head kick misses from Cozad.
A punch combination from Cozad misses.
Cozad swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Ahmed.
Cozad will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ahmed changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cozad tries to avoid it but Ahmed manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cozad to the ground. Cozad escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cozad misses with a head kick.
Ahmed fails to land the takedown.
Charles Cozad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yannick Ahmed.

Ahmed looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cozad is looking for a sweep. Ahmed is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahmed works his way into side control.

Ahmed is trying to get an arm triangle but Cozad is defending well.
Cozad is trying to get back to half guard.
Ahmed wants to control but Cozad is keeping him busy.
Cozad is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Cozad manages to get back to half guard.
Cozad has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ahmed is working away from the top position though.

Cozad looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cozad tries to roll over but Ahmed keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ahmed is trying to work for a kimura but Cozad is defending well.
Cozad keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Ahmed wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cozad keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ahmed is thwarting Cozad's attempts to control the position.
Ahmed sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cozad defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahmed sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cozad defending well though.
Cozad blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ahmed.
Ahmed is looking to advance position but Cozad won't allow it.
Ahmed throwing shots but Cozad is blocking nicely.
Ahmed throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ahmed has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ahmed wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cozad keeps working.
Ahmed is taking a breather. Cozad says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Ahmed is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Cozad defends it well.
Cozad wants to control but Ahmed is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cozad is looking to escape.
Ahmed is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Cozad reverses the position - he's now on top in Ahmed's guard.
Ahmed throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Cozad wants to pass the guard but Ahmed is keeping the position.
Ahmed keeping moving, preventing Cozad from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ahmed working for a triangle but Cozad defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Charles Cozad will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cozad throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ahmed.
Ahmed shoots in but no luck this time.
Cozad throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ahmed fails with a takedown attempt.
Ahmed takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ahmed fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ahmed on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Cozad misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cozad feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ahmed's calf.
Nice sprawl there from Cozad as Ahmed shoots in.
Charles Cozad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yannick Ahmed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cozad lands the left hand.
Ahmed fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cozad throws a jab but it's blocked by Ahmed.
Cozad throws a right hand that Ahmed ducks under and follows up with a left that Ahmed also avoids with ease.
Cozad tries to score with a low kick but Ahmed moves his leg out of the way.
Ahmed tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Charles Cozad is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cozad listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Ahmed fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cozad turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cozad slaps away a takedown attempt from Ahmed, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Cozad clinches.
Cozad is trying to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cozad misses with some punches.
Ahmed dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ahmed changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cozad fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ahmed misses with a takedown attempt
and Cozad counters with an inside leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ahmed tries for a takedown but Cozad sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cozad displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ahmed.
Ahmed is breathing heavily.
Cozad scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Cozad has managed to clinch.

Cozad breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ahmed misses with a takedown attempt - Cozad sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cozad looks to land a combination but Ahmed avoids it well.

Cozad drives through and clinches with Ahmed against the cage.
Ahmed trying to stall but Cozad improves his position.
Ahmed jumps guard but Cozad stands there with Ahmed around his waist. Ahmed gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Cozad is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Ahmed pushes Cozad back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cozad prevents a takedown attempt there.
A short body shot lands from Cozad as the two fighters clinch.
Ahmed misses with some punches.
Cozad stops a takedown attempt from Ahmed.
Ahmed has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cozad is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ahmed tries to throw a body punch but Cozad avoids it by throwing Ahmed back against the cage.
Cozad is trying to break the clinch but Ahmed has him pressed against the cage.
Ahmed swings wildly with an uppercut but Cozad uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ahmed tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ahmed drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cozad pulls his leg out and moves away.
Cozad throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Ahmed on the side of the head.

It looks like Yannick Ahmed has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ahmed avoids the head kick by Cozad.

Cozad closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cozad is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Cozad trying to stall but Ahmed improves his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Cozad dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Yannick Ahmed's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Cozad connects with a good right hand that stumbles Ahmed. Ahmed circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ahmed wants to clinch.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cozad lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Ahmed has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Ahmed and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

Cozad has Ahmed up against the cage in a clinch.
Cozad is trying to maintain a safe position but Ahmed gets an underhook and turns Cozad into the cage.
Cozad tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ahmed avoids it.
Cozad tries to break the clinch but Ahmed is controlling the position.
Cozad tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ahmed smiles and moves away.
Ahmed misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahmed checks a low kick from Cozad.
Good leg kick by Cozad there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Cozad throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ahmed gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cozad counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ahmed's knee momentarily.
Cozad 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.

Ahmed looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cozad is pressing down on Ahmed's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Ahmed postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Cozad is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ahmed, into his guard.

Cozad stands up from Ahmed's guard - Cozad perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cozad feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Ahmeds jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ahmed closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Cozad's guard.
Ahmed pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cozad is keeping the position for now.
Ahmed passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cozad slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Cozad tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ahmed stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cozad swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Charles Cozad is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cozad keeping moving, preventing Ahmed from controlling successfully.
Cozad bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ahmed's guard.
Cozad looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cozad throwing strikes but missing.
Ahmed is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ahmed thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cozad's head.

Ahmed is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cozad is trying to maintain the position but Ahmed is very close to passing his half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Charles Cozad showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cozad, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charles Cozad!