PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Connor Cozad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ariel Levin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cozad
vs
Levin

173 cm
28
158 lbs
24 - 12 - 0

165 cm
35
145 lbs
23 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
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 24 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Connor Cozad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Ariel Levin!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, William Gold and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cozad tries to clinch but Levin is having none of it.
Ariel Levin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Levin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cozad sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Levin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cozad misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Some bone on bone action there as Cozad checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Cozad gets a clinch.
Cozad jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Levin walks away with a smile on his face. Cozad gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Horrible takedown by Levin or perhaps it was just good defense by Cozad which made him look bad.
Connor Cozad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ariel Levin.
Levin misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Levin misses with a wild body shot.
Cozad wants to clinch up but Levin keeps it at a distance.
Good standup being displayed there by Levin as he connects with a hook.
Cozad loads up on a big right hand but Levin slips the punch.
Cozad is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Levin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Levin tries to work over Cozad's front leg with a kick but Cozad checks it.
Levin misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cozad darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Levin has Cozad up against the cage in a clinch.
Levin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Levin wants to get back to striking at distance but Cozad won't allow it.

Levin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Levin misses with an uppercut.
Levin misses with a takedown

and Cozad moves into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Cozad decides to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Cozad manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Levin manages to get himself to full guard.
Cozad wanted to stand there but Levin had control of the position.
Levin looking for a sweep. Not yet Levin, not yet.
Cozad is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Levin controls Cozad momentarily but Cozad frees himself.
Levin keeping full guard, as Cozad tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Levin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cozad's waist but Cozad gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Levin off to one side.
Levin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cozad.
Cozad tries to clinch there but Levin circles away.
Cozad blocks a jab.
Cozad is looking to clinch.
Levin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cozad manages to avoid it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cozad tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Levin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cozad tries to bum rush Levin with a series of wild strikes but Levin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Connor Cozad dominated that round.
That's time! Cozad's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Cozad uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Levin.
A combination from Levin does no damage.
Cozad takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Levin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Levin slips a jab and a cross from Cozad.
Levin throws a quick inside leg kick.
Nice takedown defense from Levin. No joy for Cozad on that attempt.
Cozad tries to close the distance and clinch up but Levin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Connor Cozad is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cozad is looking to clinch but Levin is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Levin is defended easily by Cozad.
No luck for Cozad with that takedown attempt.
Cozad wants to clinch.

Levin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Levin wants a takedown but no success here.

Levin breaks the clinch.
Levin is looking to chop away at Cozad's legs.
Levin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cozad counters with a three punch combo that has Levin backing up. Levin nods at Cozad to acknowledge the strikes.
Levin misses with a wild combination.
Cozad tries to clinch up but Levin circles away and keeps his distance.
Levin looks to score with a jab to the body but Cozad is just out of range.
Cozad closes the distance looking to clinch
and Levin counters with a low kick, right behind Cozad 's knee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Levin throws an overhand right that lands on Cozad's shoulder, as Cozad tries to avoid the shot.
Cozad shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Levin as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Connor Cozad. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cozad tries to close the distance and clinch up but Levin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Levin shoots for a takedown but Cozad saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Levin throws a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Levin scoring well with a low kick there.
Cozad ducks under a wild hook from Levin.
Levin shoots in for a takedown but Cozad shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cozad tries to score a power double leg takedown but Levin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cozad somewhat.
Cozad changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Levin tries to avoid it but Cozad manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Levin to the ground. Levin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cozad tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Levin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ariel Levin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Levin throws a lazy right hand but Cozad sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Levin just misses with a punch to the body.
Cozad tries to clinch up
and Levin counters with a two punch combo.
Levin fails with the takedown.
Levin shoots in for a takedown but Cozad shows good takedown defense.
Cozad is trying hard to land a takedown here. Levin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Levin gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cozad to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Cozad wants to control from the top but Levin keeps moving.
Cozad trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Levin wants to sweep but no luck.

Cozad drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cozad jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cozad cracks Levin with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cozad would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Cozad trying to control but Levin is working from the bottom.
Cozad in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Levin looking for a sweep. Not yet Levin, not yet.
Cozad wants to control from the top but Levin keeps moving.
Cozad won't allow Levin to get back to his feet.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Cozad drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Levin dives on top into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cozad is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Levin looking to pass the guard.
Levin passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Levin trying to control the position but Cozad is working away.
Levin throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Levin grinds an elbow into Cozad's temple.
Levin is looking to take a break and control but Cozad is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Levin working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cozad taking a bit of punishment here - Levin scoring with strikes.
Cozad is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Cozad is working hard here to advance position.
Cozad stops Levin from passing to mount.
Levin looks up at the clock and then as Cozad takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Levin smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
An elbow from Levin crashes against the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cozad is trying to improve his position.
Cozad is not content to let Levin control the position.

Levin tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Levin has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ariel Levin.
I think Levin has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ackerman scores the fight as a draw!
Judge William Gold scores the fight for Ariel Levin!
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight as a draw!

The fight ends as a draw!