PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Zlatko Zahovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Cox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Zahovic
vs
Cox

175 cm
28
160 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

167 cm
25
155 lbs
10 - 3 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Zlatko Zahovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 1, fighting out of London, Steve Cox!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Sam Margolis and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zahovic closes the distance and clinches up with Cox, looking for a takedown. Zahovic pushes Cox against the cage but Cox circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Zahovic swings widly with a right hand

and Cox decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zahovic's guard.
Zahovic is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cox is looking for a sweep. Zahovic is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Zahovic controlling the pace.
Zahovic not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Zahovic scoring with strikes to the body and head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cox controlling the position for now.
Cox is refusing to be controlled, as Zahovic sits in half guard.

Cox actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zahovic trying to control the action but Cox is working from the bottom.
Zahovic prevents Cox from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cox is still trying to improve position.
Zahovic content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cox has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Cox is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cox keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Zahovic sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Cox is concentrating on defense, preventing Zahovic from advancing position.
Cox is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Zahovic tests Cox's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cox takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zahovic with a hook.
Zahovic lands a jab to the nose.
Cox walks into a left hand.
Zahovic throws a jab but it's blocked by Cox.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zahovic. Cox does a little dance to reset his feet.

Cox fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Zahovic to the ground. Cox is now in Zahovic's guard.
Cox lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Zahovic throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cox throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zahovic works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cox connects with a couple of short punches.
Cox scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Cox postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cox makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Cox throwing strikes from guard but Zahovic blocks nicely.
Cox throws a big right hand that misses.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zahovic is on top in guard.

Zahovic trying to control but Cox is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zahovic sitting in guard here, content to control.
Zahovic won't allow Cox to sweep him here.
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 Zlatko Zahovic will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Zahovic just misses with a punch to the body.
Zahovic cracks Cox with a right hand to the side of the head.
Zahovic thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cox wants to counter the offense by Zahovic and move into the clinch position.
Zahovic ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cox moves away.
Cox with the counter takedown but Zahovic avoids it easily.
Cox defending well as Zahovic loads up on a big left hand.
Nice takedown defense from Cox. No joy for Zahovic on that attempt.
Zahovic misses with a shot to the body
and Cox counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Cox gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zahovic scores with a nice hook to the head.
Cox blocks an uppercut.
Zahovic pushes Cox back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A short uppercut from Zahovic.
Cox blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zahovic misses with a body punch.
Zahovic misses with a punch to the body.
Cox blocks a body shot from Zahovic.
Zahovic tries to throw a body punch but Cox avoids it by throwing Zahovic back against the cage.
Zahovic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cox jumps guard but Zahovic turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A short left from Zahovic.
Zahovic blocking some punches.
Zahovic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Coxs head.
A head punch on the inside from Zahovic fails to land.
Cox stalling in the clinch but Zahovic improves position.
Zahovic working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Cox lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Cox is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Zahovic gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Zahovic works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Zahovic lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cox working aggressively here.
Zahovic tries a body shot but Cox blocks it.
Cox lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Zahovic stalling in the clinch but Cox improves position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cox lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short right from Zahovic on the inside.
A short uppercut from Zahovic.
A short left from Zahovic.
Cox working aggressively here.
Zahovic blocks an uppercut.
Cox lands an uppercut.
Cox throws a punch but it's blocked by Zahovic.
Cox jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Zahovic walks away with a smile on his face. Cox gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Zlatko Zahovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Cox.
Cox on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Sloppy strikes from Zahovic. Those never looked like landing.
Cox tries to counter with a clinch but Zahovic shakes him off and moves away.
Zahovic dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
No joy there for Zahovic, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Zahovic shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cox but Cox pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Zahovic moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromCox.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Zahovic.
Zahovic is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Cox throws a hook to the side of Zahovic's head but Zahovic sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cox defending well as Zahovic loads up on a big left hand.
Cox wants to counter the offense by Zahovic and move into the clinch position.

Cox darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Cox slips a nice elbow through Zahovic's hands, connecting with Zahovic's forehead.
Zahovic on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Cox is looking for a kimura but Zahovic is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cox to get the leverage.
Cox lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zahovic tries to roll over but Cox keeps him under control.
Cox landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Cox is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Zahovic defends it well.

Zahovic actively working from the bottom here.

Zahovic is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cox pulls his head out easily.

Cox is working for a kimura but Zahovic is defending it quite comfortably.
Cox not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Zlatko Zahovic will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Zahovic misses with a straight right.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cox keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Zahovic's efforts to push away.
Cox tries for a takedown. No joy.
Zahovic throws a punch but it's blocked by Cox.

Cox gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Cox is thwarting Zahovic's attempts to control the position.
Cox throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cox is trying to control the action in half guard but Zahovic is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cox tries to pass the half guard into mount. Zahovic knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Cox drops an elbow to the side of Zahovic's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cox is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Zahovic with the active half guard here but Cox passes nicely into side control.
Cox slows the pace down.
Cox wants to control but Zahovic is keeping him busy.
Cox working the head with strikes.
Zahovic throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Zahovic struggling a bit here.
Cox landing a few strikes.

Zahovic is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zahovic takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Oh Zahovic is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Zahovic is trying to control Cox's posture but Cox avoids it.
An elbow from Cox crashes against the mat.

Cox working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Zahovic is not content to let Cox control the position.
Zahovic seems to have got his legs back now.
Zahovic is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zahovic looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cox is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Zahovic is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Cox's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Cox's back!
Zahovic missing with punches from the back.
Steve Cox has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zahovic keeps control of the position as Cox tries to break free.
Steve Cox has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cox keeps trying to improve his position.
Cox trying to control but not successfully.

Zahovic looking for the choke but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zahovic has the hooks in. Cox is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Zahovic misses with a punch to the head.
Cox is keeping busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
What can Cox do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Cox comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zahovic 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 James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zlatko Zahovic!
Zlatko Zahovic seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.