PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Eric (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rickson Cozad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Cozad's choice of entrance music: Too Legit To Quit by Hammer. John Eric had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Eric
vs
Cozad

187 cm
25
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Eric!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rickson Cozad!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Robert Douchet and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Eric throws a shot from downtown. Cozad moves away and avoids it.
Eric shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cozad sprawls well. Cozad wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Eric gets slowly back to his feet.
A head kick misses from Eric.

Cozad gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Eric blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cozad working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Cozad softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Cozad makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Cozad tries to land a knee to the head but Eric blocks with his arms.
A right hand to the body from Cozad.
Cozad throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Cozad scores with a hook to the body.
Eric 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.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Cozad.

Eric is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Cozad creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Oh Eric is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Cozad tries to land a knee to the head but Eric blocks with his arms.
Eric looking to stall.
Cozad is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Nice body punch from Cozad.
Cozad throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Eric blocks it with crossed arms.
Eric seems to have got his legs back now.
Eric blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Eric is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cozad misses with an elbow strike.
Eric managing to block the knees to the body from Cozad.
Cozad digs a right hand into Eric's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Eric's gas tank.
Eric has had enough of the clinch but Cozad keeps him there for the moment.
Cozad lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like John Eric has been cut.
Eric fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Eric. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cozad stalling.
Eric jumps guard but Cozad stands there with Eric around his waist. Eric gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Cozad stops a takedown attempt from Eric.
Cozad lands a body punch in the clinch.
Eric jumps guard but Cozad turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Eric is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee is keeping an eye on Cozad - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Cozad lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Cozad is working Eric over against the cage.
Cozad lands a body shot in the clinch.
Cozad landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Cozad lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short right from Cozad on the inside.
Cozad softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Cozad throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cozad softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Eric really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cozad lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Eric backwards.
Cozad scores with a shot to the side of Eric's head.
Cozad lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cozad landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nice body punch from Cozad.
Cozad gets through Eric's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Nice elbow from Cozad.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Cozad obliges.
Cozad throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Cozad lands with a short shot to the head.
Eric wants a takedown but no success here.
Cozad lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Cozad is leaning against Eric and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Cozad throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Erics head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Cozad.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A short body shot lands from Cozad as the two fighters clinch.
Cozad scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A shot in the inside from Cozad.
Cozad manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Cozad lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Cozad dips a shoulder and cracks Eric with a mighty uppercut! Eric falls back against the cage and Cozad unloads with a barrage of strikes! Eric is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Cozad screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rickson Cozad!
Rickson Cozad bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.