PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Don Cortez (ranked 1341 p4p, 1514 weight class) and Hector Gray (ranked 72 p4p, 80 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Hector Gray enters the cage!

Cortez
vs
Gray

185 cm
29
275
15 - 10 - 1

194 cm
30
275
13 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Brooklyn Threads
Voodoo Nutrition

Fantasy Threads

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 15 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Don Cortez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hector Gray!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cortez throws a right and a left that Gray avoids nicely.
Cortez throws a right hand that misses
and Gray counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cortez lands a nice hook to Gray's body. Gray takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Gray gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cortez to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Gray being controlled here, momentarily.
Gray pulls Cortez in close to prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray controls Cortez momentarily but Cortez frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cortez throws a big elbow that misses.
Gray preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cortez has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Cortez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gray wants to sweep but no luck.
Gray keeping moving, preventing Cortez from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gray looking for a guillotine here but Cortez defends easily.
Cortez lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez trying to control the position from guard on top but Gray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gray wants to sweep but no luck.
Cortez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cortez throws a hook but Gray avoids it easily.
Cortez with a hook.
Cortez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gray swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray staying out of range there.
Gray let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Cortez misses with a right hand
and Cortez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Don Cortez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cortez lands a jab to the nose.
Gray steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cortez.
Gray with the counter takedown but Cortez avoids it easily.
Gray avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gray is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Cortez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cortez swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gray changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Gray dodges the punch combination from Cortez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gray counters with a takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Gray working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Gray swings around for an armbar but Cortez sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gray's guard.
Gray looking for a sweep. Not yet Gray, not yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cortez trying to control the position from guard on top but Gray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gray has an active guard here but Cortez has managed to pass into half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Don Cortez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cortez misses the shot to the body.
Gray tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Cortez throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gray counters with a nice uppercut.
Gray slips a jab and a cross from Cortez.
Cortez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gray can do to turn this around?
Gray is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cortez.
Cortez looks to land a left hand but Gray moved out of range nicely.
It seemed like Gray was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Cortez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gray.
Cortez throws out a loose jab but Gray uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gray tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Gray blocks a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray moves away from the strike by Cortez.
Gray drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cortez defends it well.
Cortez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cortez tests Gray's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez throws a hook but Gray blocks it.
Cortez throws a poor cross that misses
and Gray counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Don Cortez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cortez misses with a two punch combination.
Cortez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Gray counters with a nice uppercut.
Gray displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cortez throws out the jab.
Cortez throws a series of strikes that have Gray backpedaling.
Cortez misses with a combination
enabling Gray to counter with a crisp jab.
Cortez shoots in looking for a takedown. Gray tries to sprawl out of it but Cortez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gray manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez misses with a body shot.
Cortez misses with a two punch combination.
Gray throws out a counter right but Cortez avoids it with no problem.
Cortez misses with a lunging right hand
and Gray connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cortez scores with a decent looking hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cortez works Gray's body with a nice hook.
Cortez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cortez misses with a double jab.
Cortez throws a jab when Gray was well out of range.
A nice side step and Gray releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Cortez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gray.
Cortez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Gray counters with a nice uppercut.
Cortez misses the jab.
Gray drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cortez defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cortez swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cortez lands a slapping body shot.
Cortez throws a big shot that misses.
Cortez cracks Gray with a right hand to the side of the head.
The fighters circling - Cortez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gray staying out of range there.
Cortez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Gray counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gray uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cortez.
Cortez is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Gray keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gray throws out a counter right but Cortez avoids it with no problem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortez works the jab nicely.
A big right from Cortez misses.
Cortez throws a right hand that misses
and Gray counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nice defenses there by Gray.
And Gray tries to counter it with a takedown but Cortez pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Cortez throws a sloppy body shot
and Gray counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A big left from Cortez misses.
And Gray tries to counter it with a takedown but Cortez pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Cortez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cortez throws the left hand but Gray avoids the punch easily.
Cortez misses with a body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Don Cortez dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Cortez misses with an uppercut.
Cortez misses with a body shot
and Gray counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gray defending well as Cortez loads up on a big left hand.
Cortez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cortez throws a lazy right hand but Gray sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gray with the counter takedown but Cortez avoids it easily.
A left and a right from Cortez both land. Nice combination.
Gray blocks a jab.
Gray feints the counter takedown.
Cortez lands a nice hook to Gray's body. Gray takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray staying out of range there.
No luck for Cortez with that takedown attempt.
Gray is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Cortez is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Gray's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez throws the left hand but Gray avoids the punch easily.
Cortez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cortez dives in and grabs Gray's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gray pushes down on Cortez's head and hops out.
A jab lands there for Cortez.
Cortez throws a right and a left that Gray avoids nicely.
Cortez takes a swing at Gray's ribcage but misses.
Cortez cracks Gray with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Cortez throws an off balance right hand
letting Gray counter with a right hand.
Cortez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cortez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gray is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Cortez missing with a left hand there. Gray was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cortez.
Cortez just misses with a punch to the body.
Gray appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Gray slips a jab and a cross from Cortez.
Gray feints the counter takedown.
A swing and a miss from Cortez.
Cortez shoots in looking for a takedown but Gray manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cortez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Don Cortez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cortez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gray.
Don Cortez is winning the standup battle so far.
Cortez looks to throw the jab but Gray is out of range.
Gray is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Cortez tries to bum rush Gray with a series of wild strikes but Gray uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cortez throws a body punch but Gray moves out of range.
Gray with the counter takedown but Cortez avoids it easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gray bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
And Gray tries to counter it with a takedown but Cortez pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gray is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Gray ducks right into an uppercut from Cortez.
Cortez throws a big shot that misses.
A nice side step and Gray releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
A telegraphed right hand from Cortez misses the target.
Cortez fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cortez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gray.
Gray looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Cortez lands a nice shot that snaps Gray's head back.
Cortez works Gray's body with a nice hook.
Cortez shoots in and drives through. Gray sprawls well.
It seemed like Gray was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A combination from Cortez does no damage.
Cortez fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Gray counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cortez works the jab nicely.
Gray blocks a jab.
Cortez misses with a series of wild punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
No joy there for Cortez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cortez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gray.
Gray changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Cortez shoots in for a takedown but Gray shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
And Gray tries to counter it with a takedown but Cortez pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Hector Gray has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Don Cortez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cortez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gray moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gray drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cortez defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Cortez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cortez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Cortez!
Don Cortez decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.