PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Connor Cozad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emile Gaston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Cozad
vs
Gaston

173 cm
20
158 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
158 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Connor Cozad!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Emile Gaston!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cozad swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cozad fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
No luck for Gaston with that takedown attempt.
Cozad swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Gaston drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Gaston looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Cozad is trying to get back to half guard.
Cozad is working hard here to advance position.

Gaston goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Cozad rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gaston's guard! Nice work there by Cozad!

Cozad thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaston has momentary wrist control but Cozad slips an elbow through the middle.
Cozad postures up and lands a big shot to Gaston's brow.

Gaston is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Cozad connects with a couple of short punches.

Gaston looking for a guillotine here but Cozad defends easily.
Gaston looks gassed!
Cozad wants to pass the guard but Gaston is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cozad lands a couple of digs.
Cozad is pushing down on Gaston's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gaston is fighting to maintain full guard but Cozad has managed to sneak the leg through.
Cozad has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaston is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cozad pulls his head out easily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Cozad lands a nice short elbow.
Gaston taking some punishment here, with Cozad in his half guard.
Gaston taking some punishment here, with Cozad in his half guard.
Cozad looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Gaston keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cozad connects with a nice short shot to Gaston's temple.
Gaston wants to control the action here but instead Cozad manages to pass to full mount!
Cozad is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Gaston is trying to escape the mount.
Cozad trying to control but Gaston is having none of it.
Gaston tries to reverse the position but Cozad maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Cozad.
Cozad lands a big shot there that rocks Gaston but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Gaston is rocked!
Gaston is trying to escape the mount.
Gaston is still in real trouble! Can Cozad finish him?

Cozad is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Gaston can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Gaston seems to have recovered his senses.
Gaston is looking to get to half guard.
BOOM! Cozad connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gaston is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaston slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Gaston looking for submissions off his back.
Gaston makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gaston.
Cozad stands and throws Gaston's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Cozad scores with a couple of short elbows.
Gaston is trying to get back to half guard.
Cozad working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Connor Cozad dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

The fighters circle momentarily. Cozad darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gaston.
An inside leg kick from Cozad misses.
Cozad throws a body punch but Gaston moves out of range.
Gaston shoots in for a double leg but Cozad sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Connor Cozad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gaston shoots in but Cozad avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Connor Cozad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Emile Gaston.

Cozad has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gaston is breathing heavily.
Gaston looking for a takedown.
Gaston jumps guard but Cozad stands there with Gaston around his waist. Gaston gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Cozad is pushing Gaston up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cozad breaks the clinch.
Connor Cozad is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gaston slips a jab and a cross from Cozad.
A shot to the body from Gaston misses

and Cozad counters with a single leg into guard. Gaston didn't expect that.
Cozad throwing strikes from guard but Gaston blocks nicely.

Gaston had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cozad defends it easily.
Gaston avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gaston has momentary wrist control but Cozad slips an elbow through the middle.

Gaston looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cozad accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cozad is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cozad with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Gaston is looking for a triangle here but Cozad uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Cozad is chipping away with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Gaston's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cozad trying to control the action but Gaston is working from the bottom.
Gaston is looking to regain half guard here but Cozad keeps moving and retains side control.
Gaston takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaston is trying to get back to half guard.
Cozad in side control lands a decent elbow.

Cozad is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gaston has escaped the position, nice work there.
Cozad is putting a hurting on Gaston here, landing some big shots from side control.
Cozad gets to mount! Gaston was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Cozad landing shots from mount.
Cozad lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Cozad landing strikes from the mount and Gaston is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cozad landing punches.
Gaston is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cozad cracks Gaston with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Connor Cozad!
Connor Cozad retains his featherweight title!