PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Cozad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Spartan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cozad comes to the cage accompanied by Daft Punk - Hard Better Faster Stronger. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cozad
vs
Spartan

178 cm
21
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

177 cm
28
178 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

BioPharm Nutrition

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matthew Cozad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Spartan!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Columbo Gatti and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spartan wants to clinch.
A head kick misses from Spartan.
Spartan fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cozad avoids it really well and circles away.
Spartan connects with a high kick.

It looks like Matthew Cozad has been cut.
Spartan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cozad looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Spartan tries to clinch
and Cozad counters with a nice uppercut.
Cozad on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Spartan throws a front kick aimed at Cozad's knee but Cozad avoids it well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Spartan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Spartan takes a swing at Cozad's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Spartan. No joy for Cozad on that attempt.
Spartan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Spartan goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Matt Spartan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cozad displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Cozad ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Spartan moves away.
Cozad lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Spartan at a distance.
Spartan takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Spartan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cozad was well out of range. Poor timing from Spartan.

Spartan drives through and clinches with Cozad against the cage.
Spartan leaning against his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Cozad.
Spartan lands a hook that snaps the head of Cozad backwards.
Cozad stalling in the clinch but Spartan improves position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Spartan can't find room to land a body shot as Cozad controls the action.
Spartan leaning his opponent against the cage.
Cozad trying to stall but Spartan improves his position.
Spartan tries to stall but Cozad uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Matt Spartan.
Spartan takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Spartan closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Spartan scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spartan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cozad tries to get to full guard but Spartan has control of the leg.
Spartan sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cozad defending well though.
Spartan prevents Cozad from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Spartan throwing shots but Cozad is blocking nicely.
Cozad won't allow Spartan to pass to mount.
The fighters are battling for position here. Cozad manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Spartan working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Spartan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Spartan working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cozad lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Spartan!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cozad takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Spartan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Spartan is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cozad putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cozad pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Spartan working to try and regain half guard.
Spartan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matt Spartan will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Matthew Cozad's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cozad fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cozad swats away the attempt to clinch by Spartan.
Cozad checks a low kick from Spartan.
Cozad looks to score with a jab to the body but Spartan is just out of range.
Cozad steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Spartan.
Cozad avoids a kick to the body.
Cozad misses with a body shot.
Cozad takes a swing at Spartan's ribcage but misses.
Spartan tries to clinch but Cozad moves out of range.
Spartan tries to clinch but Cozad is having none of it.
Cozad connects with a single shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cozad missing with a left hand there. Spartan was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Spartan wants to clinch up but Cozad keeps it at a distance.
A leg kick checked by Cozad.
Cozad connects with a looping right hand.
Cozad fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Spartan manages to avoid it.
Cozad keeps the fight on the outside.
Spartan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cozad paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Spartan throws out a loose jab but Cozad uses good head movement to avoid it.
Matt Spartan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Spartan throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Spartan throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Spartan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Spartan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cozad fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Spartan on the side of the head.
Spartan throws a body punch but Cozad moves out of range.
Cozad misses with the combination.
A swing and a miss from Spartan.
Cozad blocks a head kick by Spartan.
Spartan tries to clinch up.
Spartan staying out of range there.
Spartan is looking to clinch.
Spartan walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cozad just misses with a punch to the body.
Spartan tries to clinch but Cozad is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spartan throws a head kick but Cozad moves out of range.
Cozad lands with a good body shot.
Cozad lands a body shot.
Spartan tries to clinch up.
Spartan keeps Cozad at a distance using the push kick.
Spartan misses with a head kick.
Spartan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cozad.
Cozad lands an overhand right.
Spartan throws a head kick but Cozad moves out of range.
Cozad looks to score with a jab to the body but Spartan is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cozad moves out of range of the leg kick from Spartan.
Spartan just misses with a punch to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Spartan is looking to clinch.
Spartan looks for the body kick but Cozad saw that one coming.
Spartan looks to clinch
and Cozad connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cozad lands a body shot.
Cozad shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Spartan eats them both and turns towards Cozad to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Spartan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Spartan slips a jab from Cozad.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Spartan takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Spartan tries to clinch but Cozad moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Cozad dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Matthew Cozad's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Spartan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cozad manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cozad swings for the body but Spartan moves out of range.

Spartan rushes Cozad and presses him up against the cage.
Cozad stalling.
Spartan's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Cozad can't break the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Spartan stalls.
Spartan continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cozad is trying to stall.
Cozad taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Cozad creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Cozad is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Spartan throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Cozad misses with a punch to the body.
Cozad looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spartan holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Cozad wants to break the clinch but can't.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Matt Spartan.
Spartan changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cozad throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cozad cracks Spartan with a right hand to the side of the head.
Spartan tries to clinch there but Cozad circles away.
Spartan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cozad.
Spartan throws a hook but Cozad blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Cozad misses.
Cozad lands a glancing blow to the side of Spartan's head.
The fighters circling - Spartan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Spartan tries to clinch there but Cozad circles away.
Spartan tries to move into range but Cozad moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Spartan is looking to clinch.
Cozad stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cozad wants it to stay on the feet.
Cozad just misses with a punch to the body.
Cozad feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Spartans jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Cozad throws out a loose jab but Spartan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cozad connects with a body shot.
Spartan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spartan misses with a kick to the body.
Cozad will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cozad swings for the body but Spartan moves out of range.
Cozad will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cozad lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Spartan circles away quickly and effectively.
Spartan misses with a head kick.

Cozad gets tackled into the cage by Spartan. Spartan maintains the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Spartan wants to stall.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Spartan as Cozad tries to tie him up.
Cozad is trying to break the clinch but Spartan is controlling him.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Matthew Cozad.
I think Cozad has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matthew Cozad!
A very excited looking Matthew Cozad made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.