Cobb perfect foil for Fickett
Rival submission specialists to battle in MFC 30 co-main event
Press Release – May 26, 2011: The Maximum Fighting Championship has signed world-ranked lightweight Brian “The Bandit” Cobb to a multi-fight contract that will include his debut bout in the main event at MFC 30: Up Close & Personal.
Cobb (18-6) will meet top title contender Drew “Night Rider” Fickett (41-13) in a three-round, non-title affair on Friday, June 10 at the Mayfield Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. HDNet Fights will air the event live, including the evening’s co-main event of Pete “The Secret Weapon” Spratt against “The Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (check local listings for channel designation).
“I am very excited about this matchup,” said Mark Pavelich, MFC Owner/President. “Brian Cobb (http://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-search/?fName=brian+cobb) is someone who has been on our radar for some time, and I think this is the perfect time to bring him in.
“He’s ranked in the top 20 in the world, which is outstanding considering the depth of talent in the lightweight division. I believe he and Drew Fickett will put on a tremendous showcase of their skills which will make for a dynamic and entertaining fight. Having two extremely tactical fighters like Cobb and Fickett apply their trade in a co-main event with such devastating as Spratt and Davis – that’s the best of both worlds for true mixed martial arts fans.”
A submission specialist with 12 victories coming by way of tapout, Cobb enters the MFC ring for the first riding a three-fight winning streak. The 31-year-old Bakersfield, California, product holds a notable career win over Diego Saraiva, defeated Kazunori Yokota in Japan last fall, and holds three wins in three bouts against former rival John Reedy – the only losses in Reedy’s career.
Along with his jiu-jitsu game, Cobb is an accomplished wrestler with a decorated amateur career. A former high school All-American, Cobb was an NCAA Division I national qualifier and was a Pac-10 finalist while competing for Cal State University-Bakersfield.
Fickett, who fights out of Tucson, Arizona, will make his long-awaited return to the Maximum Fighting Championship following his scintillating performance over Matt Veach at MFC 28. The gifted submission specialist carries a five-fight winning streak into his matchup against Cobb, and has notable career wins over former MFC title challenger Derrick Noble, Josh Koscheck, Josh Neer, and Kenny Florian.