PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hernan Cortes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruno Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bruno Gracie is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cortes
vs
Gracie

170 cm
18
146 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hernan Cortes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Edson Gomes and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cortes lands with a nice body punch.
Gracie tries a head kick but it misses.
Gracie scoring well with a low kick there.
Cortes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cortes stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
A slapping leg kick lands for Gracie.
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Cortes.
Cortes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.

Cortes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cortes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cortes is trying to control the action in half guard but Gracie is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.
Cortes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Gracie won't allow Cortes to pass to mount.
Cortes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gracie defending well though.
Cortes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Cortes. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortes tries for a takedown but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cortes dives in and grabs Gracie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes down on Cortes's head and hops out.

Cortes shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Gracie is trying to defend but Cortes finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cortes working Gracie over with strikes.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.
Cortes throwing shots but Gracie is blocking nicely.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.
Gracie is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Cortes lands with a punch from half guard.
Cortes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cortes looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cortes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hernan Cortes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cortes throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Cortes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gracie tries to clinch up but Cortes circles away and keeps his distance.
Decent striking displayed by Cortes there.
Gracie throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cortes misses with a double jab.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Cortes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ground and pound from Cortes seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Gracie is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Cortes asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Cortes working the ground and pound from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cortes.
Cortes has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Gracie gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Cortes won't let Gracie get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Gracie looks gassed!
Cortes raining down shots from the mount!
Gracie wants to try and get back to his feet.

Gracie defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Cortes.
Cortes landing punches.
Gracie trying desperately to get to his feet.
Cortes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gracie is looking to escape.
Cortes won't let Gracie get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gracie is bucking up trying to escape but Cortes cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Cortes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Cortes scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cortes landing strikes, looking to finish!
Cortes breaks from Gracie's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Cortes dominating with strikes here.
Cortes lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Gracie is trying to stand.
Cortes is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Gracie can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Cortes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Cortes connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cortes scoring with strikes but Gracie is staying in there.
Cortes in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Cortes with good strikes from the mount here!
Gracie is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hernan Cortes dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Cortes scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cortes swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Gracie gets caught flat footed, as Cortes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cortes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cortes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cortes wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Gracie has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Cortes off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Gracie doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Gracie lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cortes will feel that in the morning.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Cortes circles away.
Cortes wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Gracie is looking to clinch but Cortes is avoiding it.
Cortes misses the shot to the body.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cortes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cortes just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortes throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Cortes is looking to wear down Gracie with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cortes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gracie sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cortes connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Gracie's hands.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.

Gracie gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Cortes breaks the clinch.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cortes's waist but Cortes gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Cortes shoots in looking for a takedown. Gracie tries to sprawl out of it but Cortes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gracie manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cortes closes the distance and clinches up with Gracie, looking for a takedown. Cortes pushes Gracie against the cage but Gracie circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gracie connects with a high kick.

Gracie gets caught flat footed, as Cortes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cortes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet but Cortes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortes wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Gracie wants to stand and escape but Cortes is having none of it.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Cortes cracks Gracie with a solid left hand.
Cortes is working Gracie over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Cortes from controlling successfully.
Cortes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cortes takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Cortes works Gracie's body with a nice hook.
Gracie tries to clinch but Cortes is having none of it.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Gracie shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Cortes lands a jab to Gracie's midsection.
Cortes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cortes looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie looks to land a body kick but Cortes moved away.
Cortes keeps the fight on the outside.
Cortes misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie is looking to clinch but Cortes is avoiding it.
Gracie tries to clinch but Cortes is having none of it.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie tries to clinch up but Cortes circles away and keeps his distance.
Cortes looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cortes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
Cortes lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Cortes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Cortes darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gracie is not content to let Cortes control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortes wants to pass the guard but Gracie is defending well.
Gracie is staying active underneath Cortes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hernan Cortes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cortes drops an elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
Gracie is looking to escape.
Cortes is pressing down on Gracie's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gracie is holding on for now.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.
Cortes is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Cortes scoring with strikes but Gracie is staying in there.
Gracie in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Gracie is trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hernan Cortes dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

A punch combination from Cortes misses.
Cortes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gracie as he jumps to the side.
Cortes ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cortes has control of Gracie's left arm, preventing Gracie from doing any damage.
Gracie wants to stand but Cortes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cortes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cortes is pulling down on Gracie's head to control his posture.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortes looking for a sweep. Not yet Cortes, not yet.
Gracie wants to stand but Cortes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Cortes keeps the fight on the outside.
Cortes misses with a wild body shot.
Cortes lands an overhand right.
Hernan Cortes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from Cortes.
Cortes lunges at Gracie with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gracie's hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch but Cortes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bruno Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A punch combination from Gracie misses.
Cortes looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gracie wants to clinch up but Cortes keeps it at a distance.

Gracie gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cortes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie wants to stand but Cortes is controlling the position.
Cortes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gracie keeping full guard, as Cortes tries to pass.
Cortes trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Cortes stops Gracie from standing up.
Cortes trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Gracie drives through and clinches with Cortes against the cage.
Gracie keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cortes's efforts to push away.
Gracie wants a takedown.

Cortes breaks from the clinch.

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Cortes.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Cortes takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Gracie has Cortes pressed against the cage, preventing Cortes from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cortes shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Gracie is trying to defend but Cortes finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Gracie looks like he's trying to stand up.
Cortes working the head and body with strikes.
Hernan Cortes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortes keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Gracie is trying to stand back up but Cortes is controlling him
Cortes controlling the action here.
Gracie is trying to stand back up but Cortes is controlling him
Gracie missing with punches from the bottom.
Cortes blocks the strikes from Gracie.
Gracie is looking to escape.
Cortes trying to control the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hernan Cortes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cortes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hernan Cortes!