Salvo Giudice will make his professional MMA debut tonight after competing 20 times on the amateur scene since February 2023. Going 11-9, Giudice has shown durability and an ability to grind out his results. Nicknamed “The Karate Kid,” Giudice is a striking specialist.
Atilla Kobas has competed just three times since making his professional MMA debut in 2019. Both of his wins have come via a stoppage, including a 70-second TKO he earned in November. Now, tonight marks Kobas’s first fight on a major MMA stage.
Who will come out on top, and will either of these two impress Cedric Doumbe enough to earn a PFL contract?
Round 1
The two take to the center. Jab and a low kick from Giudice. Kobas pressures forward. Kobas gets Giudice down and tries to get to side control. Giudice gets back to his feet, while Kobas presses him to the fence. Giudice scores a takedown and gets to top position. Kobas gets his guard up and looks for a triangle, but Giudice uses striking to bring the fight toward the fence. Giudice holds to a kimura grip, but Kobas holds his own against the fence. Kobas looks to reverse the position, but Giudice scrambles and stays on top within Kobas’s guard.
Right hand by Giudice. Giudice trying to take a hold of Kobas’s back. Giudice using a leg to keep a hold of Kobas, and Kobas is trying to use that against him. A scramble and Giudice is looking to threaten the neck again. Kobas tries to pull guard and gets mounted. Kobas looks to go out the back door, and Giudice looks for the choke before transitioning to an armbar attempt. Kobas steps over and tries to get into mount himself, but he goes too high and Giudice is able to throw up a guard. Kobas steps away as the round ends.
Round 2
Right hand from Kobas. Right hand from Giudice. Kobas chasing, but Giudice avoids. Giudice swings and misses. Giudice grabs the body lock and gets another takedown. Giudice grabs a hold of the arm before going for the neck. Kobas rolls out of it. Giudice still has a hold and tries to get to the back – but he gets too high. Kobas is back on the feet as the two go into a clinch battle against the fence. Giudice gets to the back again, landing a knee to the thigh before another takedown. Giudice lands a strong right hand. A couple of more right hands from Giudice.
Giudice has a wrap on Kobas’s arms. A scramble, and Giudice has a hold of the neck again, looking for a D’Arce choke. Giudice lets go but remains on top in Kobas’s guard. Giudice gets back to the back again and lands a few left hands. Giudice flattens Kobas out. Giudice with a body triangle. Giudice unleashes ground-and-pound. Kobas turns back onto his back, but he’s bleeding. Some right hands from Giudice.
Round 3
Kobas with a kick to the body. Giudice wraps Kobas up in a body lock against the fence again and looks to bring this fight back to the ground. And he does so with a trip 45 seconds into the round. Giudice looks to work in half guard. Giudice with a hold of the wrist again. Strong right hands from Giudice. Giudice keeps landing, and Kobas doesn’t seem to have an answer. Kobas trying to get away. Giudice lands a left hand. Giudice gets to the back again.
Kobas returns to his back but is stuck in the hold of Giudice. Kobas looks drained as he tries to defend on his knees. Giudice works on his side, landing a couple of left hands. Referee looking for more output. Giudice gets on top again with just over a minute to go. Another right hand from Giudice. Giudice holds the side control position as he looks to work with the right hand in the closing 20 seconds of the fight.
OFFICIAL RESULT
Salvo Giudice def. Atilla Kobas via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)