PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Don Cortez (ranked 628 p4p, 1706 weight class) and Dredd Tatum (ranked 36 p4p, 98 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cortez
vs
Tatum

185 cm
31
275
19 - 12 - 1

210 cm
30
300
15 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Brooklyn Threads
Shadow Realm Apparel

Conviction

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 19 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Don Cortez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dredd Tatum!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tatum keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

It looks like Don Cortez has been cut.
Tatum clobbers Cortez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Cortez loads up on a big right hand but Tatum slips the punch.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Tatum.

Tatum moves into the clinch.
Tatum using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Tatum lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Tatum wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Tatum using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cortez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Tatum is struggling to control the position.
Tatum lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cortez backwards.
Tatum throws a head punch that misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tatum has a couple of punches blocked by Cortez.
Tatum trying to land knees to the body.
Cortez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Tatum walks away with a smile on his face. Cortez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Tatum lands with a straight right. Cortez didn't see that one coming.
Dredd Tatum is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tatum doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Cortez misses with a wild body shot.
Cortez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tatum.
Cortez walks into a jab.

Tatum drops Cortez with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Cortez looks back up at him and smiles so Tatum waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Cortez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tatum moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
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.
Tatum lunges at Cortez with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Cortez's hand.

Tatum cracks Cortez with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Tatum has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Cortez to stand back up!

Cortez is rocked!
Tatum misses with a jab, cross combination.
It looked like Cortez was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Tatum slips a straight right by Cortez.
Tatum throws a hook to the side of Cortez's head but Cortez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Tatum gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Cortez manages to pull guard.
Cortez has his hands on Tatum's head, controlling the position.
Tatum must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatum wants to pass the guard but Cortez is keeping the position.
Cortez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cortez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tatum postures up.
Tatum won't allow Cortez to sweep him here.
Cortez has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Tatum not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short right from Tatum on the inside.
Tatum trying to land knees to the body.
Tatum misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cortez.
Tatum misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cortez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tatum throws a punch but it's blocked by Cortez.
Tatum lands a knee to the head.
Tatum is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cortez is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tatum lands a good knee to the midsection. Cortez won't want to take too many of those.
Cortez is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Tatum to keep the fight standing.
Tatum tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cortez's elbow.
Cortez blocks an uppercut.
Tatum struggles to land a body shot inside as Cortez controls his hands.

Tatum breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A big right from Tatum misses.
Cortez feinted with a counter takedown.
Tatum moves in looking to clinch but Cortez pushes him off.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tatum changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tatum connects with a single shot there.
Cortez misses with a hook.
Nice defenses there by Cortez.
Cortez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tatum.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tatum throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dredd Tatum dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Don Cortez's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tatum on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Cortez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tatum.
Cortez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Tatum cracks Cortez with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Tatum has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Cortez to stand back up!
Oh Cortez is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Tatum ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cortez moves away.
Cortez seems to have got his legs back now.
Tatum avoids a punch combination nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cortez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Tatum feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Cortez sprawling to the canvas! Cortez rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Tatum finish him?!

Don Cortez's cut is getting worse.
Tatum has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Tatum throws a body shot but no joy.
Cortez shoots in for a takedown but Tatum shows good takedown defense.
Tatum pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tatum avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cortez moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Tatum connects with a body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Tatums jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
A slow jab from Tatum misses its intended target.
Cortez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tatum.
Don Cortez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Cortez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Tatum's half guard.
Tatum gets full guard.
Tatum is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Tatum working a defensive guard but Cortez passes into half guard.
Cortez passes to side control.
Cortez taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cortez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tatum, who protects the arm well.
Cortez trying to control the action but Tatum is working from the bottom.
Cortez works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez working the ground and pound.

Cortez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tatum has escaped the position, nice work there.
Tatum is being controlled here.
Cortez trying to control the action but Tatum is working from the bottom.
Tatum is looking to reverse the position.

Cortez has hold of Tatum's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Tatum seems comfortable defending it but Cortez has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Tatum is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Tatum is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Cortez couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). 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.