PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Franck Kodjia (ranked 320 p4p, 598 weight class) and Tyson Cobb (ranked 13 p4p, 18 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Kodjia
vs
Cobb

195 cm
33
275
24 - 16 - 0

178 cm
37
265
27 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Warrior Fight Store
Brooklyn Apothecary

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Franck Kodjia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tyson Cobb!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kodjia swings for the body but Cobb moves out of range.
Cobb ducks right into an uppercut from Kodjia.

It looks like Tyson Cobb has been cut.
Kodjia wants to clinch
and Cobb counters with a straight right hand.
Kodjia takes a swing at Cobb's ribcage but misses.
Kodjia finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Cobb throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kodjia throws a sloppy head kick and Cobb moves out of range easily.
Good work by Kodjia as he checks the leg kick.
Cobb moves forwards but Kodjia connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Cobb takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cobb blocks a head kick by Kodjia.
Cobb scores with a shot to the body.
Kodjia swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cobb is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Kodjia with a body shot.
Kodjia is looking to land body kicks.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kodjia lands with a hook. Cobb tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That has opened up Tyson Cobb's cut even more.
Kodjia connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cobb momentarily.
Cobb keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kodjia misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kodjia misses with a shot to the body
and Cobb counters with a left and a right that stings Kodjia.

Cobb tries to keep at a distance but Kodjia has taken the fight into the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kodjia.
Cobb pushes Kodjia back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
I was talking to Kodjia's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Cobb dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kodjia creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Kodjia lands a damaging elbow.

The cut above Tyson Cobb's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cobb.
Cobb blocks an uppercut.
Kodjia with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cobb blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cobb has had enough of the clinch but Kodjia keeps him there for the moment.
Cobb is trying to break the clinch but Kodjia has him pressed against the cage.
Kodjia scores with a knee to the head.
Cobb blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kodjia landing knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kodjia lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kodjia lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Cobb's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Tyson Cobb's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Cobb's coach down at Alpha Brasil was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Cobb's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Cobb misses with the head strike.
Cobb using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kodjia has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cobb misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cobb can't find room to land a body shot as Kodjia controls the action.
Cobb blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cobb prevents a body shot from Kodjia.
Kodjia misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cobb lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Cobb lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kodjia misses with a knee to the head.
Cobb controlling the action here for a moment.
Cobb lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cobb misses with a knee to the head.
Cobb blocks an uppercut.
Kodjia misses with the head strike.
Kodjia scores with a shot to the side of Cobb's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cobb blocks a body shot from Kodjia.
Kodjia tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kodjia has a couple of punches blocked by Cobb.
Cobb blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cobb misses with some punches.
Cobb avoids a wild elbow strike from Kodjia.
Kodjia swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cobb misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cobb misses with a punch to the body.
Kodjia with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Tyson Cobb's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Franck Kodjia!
After the fight, Franck Kodjia was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.