PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Cozad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph Arthur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cozad kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Daft Punk - Hard Better Faster Stronger. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Cozad
vs
Arthur

178 cm
22
180 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

182 cm
21
181 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Australian Xtreme - All 159 Video Proof.
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 4 - 1 - 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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joseph Arthur!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Russell Pearce and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arthur slips under a jab from Cozad.
Cozad misses with a straight right.
Arthur misses with a low kick.
Cozad throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Arthur throws an overhand right that lands on Cozad's shoulder, as Cozad tries to avoid the shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cozad. Arthur does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cozad fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arthur manages to avoid it.
Cozad fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Cozad shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Arthur as he avoids it easily.
Arthur gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Arthur lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Cozad jabs Arthur to the body, keeping him at a distance.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cozad keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Cozad fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cozad with a jab.
Arthur throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Cozad.
Arthur doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Arthur takes one to the chin there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cozad thuds a left hand into Arthur's body.
Arthur looks gassed!
Cozad lands a nice shot to the body.
Cozad swinging wildly here.
Cozad lands a jab to Arthur's midsection.
Cozad tests Arthur's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cozad scores with a hook to the body. Arthur takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arthur uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cozad.
Arthur tries to clinch but Cozad moves out of range.
Cozad shoots for a double leg takedown but Arthur sprawls well. He's pushed Cozad's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Arthur rushes Cozad and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Cozad tries to score a body lock takedown but Arthur shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matthew Cozad. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arthur stalling in the clinch.
Knees to the body from Arthur.
Still in the clinch, Cozad scores with a nice short uppercut.
Arthur landing knees to the head.
Cozad wants to stall.
Arthur creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Cozad is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Arthur pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arthur trying to land knees to the body.
Cozad lands a nice shot to the body.
Cozad tries to break free but Arthur pushes him back against the cage.
Arthur with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Arthur misses with a knee to the head.
Arthur is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cozad is defending well for now.
Cozad is looking to control Arthur's arms but Arthur gets an underhook and turns him. Now Cozad has his back to the cage.
Cozad blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cozad stalling in the clinch but Arthur improves position.
Arthur tries to land a knee to the head but Cozad blocks with his arms.
Cozad wants a takedown but no success here.
Arthur with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Arthur swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Arthur misses with a knee to the head.
Cozad stalls.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cozad trying to stall but Arthur improves his position.
Cozad takes a shot to the head.
Arthur missing with knees to the body.
Arthur tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cozad avoids it.
Arthur connects with a knee to the head.
Cozad working some nice short punches in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cozad looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Cozad is trying to break the clinch but Arthur is controlling him.
Cozad goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Arthur lands a knee to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Arthur landing knees to the head.
Arthur tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cozad trying to land knees to the body.
Arthur throws a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Arthur showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cozad.
Cozad misses with a hook. Arthur ducked under it nicely.
Cozad works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Cozad fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arthur manages to avoid it.
Arthur keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cozad throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Arthur's waist but Arthur gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cozad off to one side.
Cozad on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Matthew Cozad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cozad swings for the body but Arthur moves out of range.
Nice body punch from Cozad.
No joy there for Arthur, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cozad cracks a nice hook into Arthur's ribs.
Arthur is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cozad scores with a shot to the body.
No luck for Cozad with that takedown attempt.
Arthur wants to clinch up but Cozad keeps it at a distance.
Cozad stalks Arthur and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Arthur's face. Arthur staggers backwards, shaken.
Matthew Cozad is winning the standup battle so far.
Cozad throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cozad fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matthew Cozad. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cozad keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Arthur.
Cozad misses with a right hand
and Arthur counters with a nice uppercut.
Cozad looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cozad throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Arthur to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arthur uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cozad.
Cozad dodges the punch combination from Arthur.
Arthur misses with a hook.
Cozad misses with a looping left.
Cozad takes a swing at Arthur's ribcage but misses.
Cozad throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cozad ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cozad misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Arthur.
Joseph Arthur is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice body punch from Cozad.
Arthur darts in trying to clinch
and Cozad counters with a one-two to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cozad ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Arthur moves away.
Cozad has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Cozad slips a straight right by Arthur.
Arthur throws a right and a left that Cozad avoids nicely.
Cozad works over Arthur's head and body with a nice combination.
Arthur fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cozad throws the left hand but Arthur avoids the punch easily.
Arthur avoids the body shot from Cozad.
Arthur tries to clinch there but Cozad circles away.
Arthur is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cozad wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Cozad tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Arthur was well out of range. Poor timing from Cozad.
Cozad thuds a left hand into Arthur's body.
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!
Cozad digs a good body shot into Arthur's ribs.
Cozad misses with a double jab.
Cozad avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nice body punch from Cozad.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cozad stuns Arthur with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cozad connects with a nice looking jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Cozad dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cozad fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Cozad fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Cozad scores with a nice right hand.
Cozad thuds a left hand into Arthur's body.
Cozad punishes Arthur's body with a nice straight punch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Arthur misses with a looping left.
Arthur gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Arthur is rocked!
Arthur glances at the clock... BAM! Cozad nails him with a big right hand! A momentary lapse in concentration sends Arthur crashing to the mat! The referee steps in and this one is over! Damn, Arthur is out of it, he thinks the ref is his opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Matthew Cozad!
After winning the bout, Matthew Cozad thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.