TONIGHT, all eyes will be on Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith in their eagerly-anticipated rematch at Manchester’s AO Arena.
But plenty of punters and viewers will be transfixed by ring announcer Kody ‘Big Mo’ Mommaerts.
Instagram @official.bigmoBefore Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith go head-to-head, Kody ‘Big Mo’ Mommaerts will be hosting the event at Manchester’s AO Arena[/caption]
PA‘Big Mo’ is a ring announcer on Sky Sports[/caption]
The 27-year-old from Colorado, with a gravelly tone of voice, will be fronting proceedings as host.
It is his job to whip up the crowd into a frenzy and add to the spectacle of the event, which is something Kody is a natural at.
He grew up in Colorado, where he went to university, studied business and starred in their college football team.
Boasting a natural flair for public speaking, the imposing figure (he stands at 6ft6in) was aided by his lawyer father who taught him how to address an audience.
However, his life changed when a friend suggested he tried sports commentary and scored a job with a promotions company.
Mommaerts told SunSport: “At the time I was burned out playing football and basketball, but was a big fan of combat sports like boxing and the UFC.
“I started picking up the phone, and I’m never afraid to be told ‘no’, and this regional promotion in Denver that worked on MMA said they were looking for someone.
“So I turned up in a suit and they ended up putting me on a microphone that night to do the undercard.
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“I became a commentator for them, and I remember seeing the ring announcer and I thought I could do that.
“I badgered the promotion company until they eventually they let me do it, and the rest is history.”
In what is traditionally an old man’s game, Kody stands out for his youthful appearance.
It is that USP he hopes will bridge the gap between combat sports and enticing a younger viewership.
He revealed: “I saw a gap in the market. I saw this front-facing job being done by three or four people at the most part, a little bit older in demographic, and I saw this gap in the market.
“I started branding myself. I used to wear sunglasses in the ring for a visual aesthetic.
“I wanted to stand out and be a little bit different. I recognised I was 30, 40 years younger than other people doing it.”
Thanks to the medium of social media, Kody went viral and was invited to participate in MMA, bare-knuckle boxing events and more.
Then, in 2021 he worked the Eddie Hall vs Thor Bjornsson contest dubbed ‘The Heaviest Boxing Match in History’ in Dubai.
It gave him the platform to impress Sky bosses, who were keen to sign Kody up.
He said: “They reached out and wanted me to do a test run, which ended up being Chris Billam-Smith’s first show in Bournemouth.
“Now, I’m 27-year-old, I’m on Sky Sports and I get to entertain 20,000 people. It’s a wild ride! My job is ridiculous, but for some reason it works.”
GettyMommaerts (No77) played American football at university and was a keen athlete[/caption]
In the past few years, Mommaerts has lent his voice to a variety of events
Kody knows that his age differentiates him from the likes of Michael and Bruce Buffer, Jimmy Lemmon Jr and David Diamante.
For that reason, his goal is to bring younger eyes to combat sports.
“The goal for me in all of this is to grow combat sports,” he said.
“When you look at combat sports, as a whole, I believe they are the greatest sports in the world.
“But I don’t know how good a job they do in capturing a young audience.
“I want to help be a bridge to that, I want to be an ambassador for combat sports because maybe I can help attract new audiences.
“I am right in the middle of a demographic that’s really hard to get – the 18-35 demographic.”
Preparation is key for Mommaerts before a big fightPA
Mommaerts likes to attend weigh-ins and get to know the fighters
Mommaerts announced the Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall fight in 2022
Preparation is key for Kody before a big fight. He uses cards as reminders, while he doesn’t smoke and drinks plenty of water.
“Preparation for me is important,” he divulged.
“I know how ridiculous it is, but I know I have to bring a level of excitement to help make an audience comfortable enough to resonate with me and reciprocate that type of energy.
“So in terms of preparation, cards are important. I don’t like to read off them, but they are important from a note perspective.
“Hydrating my voice, drinking lots of water, I don’t smoke. That’s not good for your voice so I don’t do that.”
Kody’s voice, that’s filled with bass, is unique to him. That’s a fact that’s even been confirmed by medical specialists.
“I went to an ear, nose and throat specialist and I had them take a look at my vocal chords,” he explained.
“They actually did what they do for singers, they took a camera, put it down my throat, and had me ring announce while the camera examined my vocal chords.
“What they found was that most people’s vocal chords open and close flush.
“But mine actually overlap, which is why I get a bit of a growl to my voice when announcing.
“I guess I’m a mutant put on this earth to ring announce!”
Over the years, Kody has built up a great rapport with the boxers he has introduced.
The secret to his success is communication and asking the fighters what they would like him to say.
“I have a great relationship with all the boxers I have worked with,” he said.
“I understand I am not the show. I am a part of it and I occupy a role. And I think everyone in the industry understands boxing is expensive.
“Any part of it, if you want to buy a ticket, if you want to watch a pay-per-view, or a cable package it costs a lot of money.
‘For that reason, it’s a lucrative sport. And I think the boxers understand that a component of that is the live entertainment aspect of it. I think the boxers understand what I do.
“Furthermore, the other reason we get along is because I talk to them. I have an ability to relate to them because I have been an athlete.
“I am also young and closer in age to these people than a 70 or 80-year-old man. So I can engage with them on a level that they can relate to.
“I ask them how they want to be introduced. Like how they want their name said, where they want their nickname placed.
“I go around throughout the week, whether it be the press conferences, the open workouts, the weigh-ins, and it gives me the time to talk to them and ask them what they want to hear.
“I think it shows the boxers that I care about my job, and that I want to give a good introduction.
“I think the boxers appreciate it, because I take a lot of pride in pronouncing their names correctly and maybe talking about their cultural name, which they appreciate.”
‘Big Mo’ will be bringing his unique style to the Eubank jr v Smith rematch