PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cody Montgomery (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Garrett Cox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Montgomery
vs
Cox

172 cm
20
136 lbs
4 - 13 - 0

168 cm
21
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 4 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cody Montgomery!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Garrett Cox!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Daniel Franklin and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Montgomery gets tackled into the cage by Cox. Cox maintains the clinch.
Cox has Montgomery pressed against the cage, preventing Montgomery from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Cox pulls Montgomery into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Montgomery wants to pass the guard but Cox is keeping the position.
Cox tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Cox pushes Montgomery off and scrambles back to his feet.
Cox keeps Montgomery at a distance using the push kick.
Montgomery looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Montgomery shoots in for a takedown but Cox shows good takedown defense.
Montgomery has a takedown stuffed.
Montgomery takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
No luck for Cox with that takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montgomery shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cox defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cody Montgomery. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cox shoots for a takedown but Montgomery saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Montgomery closes the distance and clinches up with Cox, looking for a takedown. Montgomery pushes Cox against the cage but Cox circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Montgomery.
Montgomery tries to clinch but Cox moves away

and Cox counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cox.

Cox jumps guard and drags Montgomery to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Montgomery throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cox works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cox is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cox trying to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montgomery trying to control but Cox is working from the bottom.
Cox trying to control the position here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Montgomery moves forwards but Cox connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Cox dives in and grabs Montgomery's left leg, looking for a takedown. Montgomery pushes down on Cox's head and hops out.

Cox clinches up with Montgomery and pushes him back against the cage.
Montgomery misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montgomery jumps guard but Cox turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Cox is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Montgomery is defending well.
Montgomery tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cox just stands there and leans against the cage.

Cox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Montgomery throws a lazy head kick

and Cox moves into the clinch.
Cox is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Montgomery is defending well.
Cox prevents Montgomery from breaking the clinch.
Cox wants a takedown but no success here.
Cox looks winded!
Cox gets underhooks to prevent Montgomery's takedown attempt.
Cox prevents the takedown attempt.

Cox breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Montgomery throws a wild body kick that Cox sees coming a mile off.
Cox shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Montgomery sprawls well. Montgomery wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cox gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Montgomery stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Montgomery wants it to stay on the feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Montgomery.
Cox shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Montgomery shoots in but Cox avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Montgomery misses with a takedown attempt - Cox sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cox checks a leg kick.
Cox shoots in and drives through. Montgomery sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garrett Cox dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Montgomery wants to clinch.
Montgomery shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cox but Cox pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cox scores with a head kick.

Cox fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Montgomery, pushing him back against the cage.
Montgomery is trying to break the clinch but Cox has him pressed against the cage.

Cox breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cox moves into the clinch.
Montgomery tries to circle away but Cox has him pinned against the cage.
Cox tries for a takedown. No joy.

Cox pulls Montgomery into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cox escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Montgomery gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Montgomery working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cox is breathing heavily.

Montgomery avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cox has a closed guard, preventing Montgomery from standing up.
Montgomery trying to control but Cox is working from the bottom.
Montgomery is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Cox is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Montgomery is looking to work some ground and pound but Cox has wrist control.

Cox working for a triangle but Montgomery defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Montgomery wants to pass the guard but Cox is keeping the position.
Montgomery has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cox is proving hard to escape from.
Cox is adopting a defensive guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cox keeping moving, preventing Montgomery from controlling successfully.

Cox working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Montgomery doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Montgomery manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Montgomery wanted to stand there but Cox had control of the position.
Cox is pulling down on Montgomery's head to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Montgomery has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Montgomery fails in his attempt to clinch.
Montgomery closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cox circles away.

Cox closes the distance and pushes Montgomery back into the cage.
Cox using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Cox.

Cox jumps guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cox holds on and takes a little breather.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Let's hope that Cox has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garrett Cox showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Montgomery has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Montgomery misses with a body kick.
Montgomery shoots in looking for a takedown. Cox tries to sprawl out of it but Montgomery keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cox manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Cox manages to break the clinch.
No joy there for Montgomery, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Montgomery misses with a series of wild punches.
Montgomery moves to clinch but Cox breaks away
and Cox counters with a low kick, right behind Montgomery 's knee.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cox pushes Montgomery up against the cage in a clinch.

Cox manages to break the clinch.
Cox fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Montgomery avoids it really well and circles away.
Montgomery tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cox swivels and escapes.
Montgomery fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cody Montgomery. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cox shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Montgomery defends it nicely.
Cox takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cox takes one to the chin there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cox fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Montgomery, pushing him back against the cage.
Cox lands a body shot.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Cox escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cox defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Montgomery.
Cox shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Montgomery fails with a takedown attempt.
Cox lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cox.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montgomery tries to clinch up.
Montgomery misses with a head kick.

Cox rushes Montgomery and presses him up against the cage.

Cox manages to break the clinch.
Cox looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Montgomery is fending him off so far but Cox persists. Nope, Montgomery circles away and we're back to standing.
Montgomery shoots in looking for a takedown. Cox tries to sprawl out of it but Montgomery keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cox manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cox slaps away a takedown attempt from Montgomery, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Cox lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cox.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cox closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Cox throws a body kick that misses.
Cox closes this distance looking for a takedown but Montgomery circles away.
Garrett Cox seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cox displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Montgomery.
Montgomery shoots in looking for a takedown. Cox tries to sprawl out of it but Montgomery keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cox manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cox shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Montgomery but Montgomery pushes him off and we're back to square one.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Montgomery shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cox but Cox pushes him off and we're back to square one.

And that's the end of the fight!
Garrett Cox comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cox has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Garrett Cox!