PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Iberico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Djulio Cortez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Iberico's entrance music is Pa' Bravo YO. A fine choice. Cortez has chosen Knock him out as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Iberico
vs
Cortez

168 cm
24
170 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

180 cm
22
181 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Win Nutritional
Win Nutritional

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ivan Iberico!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Djulio Cortez!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Iberico shoots for a double leg takedown but Cortez sprawls well. He's pushed Iberico's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Cortez swinging wilding here.
Cortez tries to clinch up.
Cortez lands a nice shot that snaps Iberico's head back.

It looks like Ivan Iberico has been cut.
Cortez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Iberico takes one to the side of the head.
Cortez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Iberico moves away.
Cortez throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Iberico on the side of the head.
Cortez misses with a double jab.
Cortez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Iberico darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Iberico landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez wants to get back to full guard.
Cortez wants to get back to his feet.
Cortez moves into full guard.

Iberico decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cortez, up you get!
Cortez throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Iberico uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cortez.
Iberico avoids the head kick by Cortez.
Cortez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Iberico defending well as Cortez loads up on a big left hand.
Cortez connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Iberico's hands.
A punch lands to the side of Iberico 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Cortez attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Djulio Cortez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Iberico moves away from the strike by Cortez.
Iberico slips under a jab.
A slow jab from Cortez misses its intended target.
Iberico checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Cortez swings for the body but Iberico moves out of range.
Iberico uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cortez.

Cortez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Iberico is trying to defend but Cortez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Cortez looks gassed!
Iberico is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Iberico is pressing down on Cortez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Cortez postures up in Iberico's guard and throws a big left but Iberico blocks it.
Cortez wants to pass the guard but Iberico is keeping the position.
Iberico might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Iberico looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cortez is one step ahead there.
Cortez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Iberico swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cortez is looking to advance position but Iberico has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Cortez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Iberico.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
A nice elbow there by Iberico.
Cortez is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Iberico can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cortez is looking to escape.
Iberico throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Djulio Cortez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ivan Iberico's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cortez lands a lovely overhand right.
A punch lands to the side of Iberico 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Cortez closes the distance and clinches.
Cortez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Cortez creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Iberico manages to break the clinch.
Left hook, right uppercut from Cortez.
Iberico uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cortez.
Cortez misses with a takedown attempt

and Iberico counters with a shoot takedown. Cortez fights it but they end up in guard.
Iberico wants to stand and escape but instead Cortez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cortez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cortez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cortez gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Cortez has his takedown stuffed

and Iberico counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cortez is trying to stand.
Cortez wants to improve his position but Iberico is controlling well.
Cortez works his way to full guard. Good work.
Cortez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Iberico's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez advances position into side control!
Iberico avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cortez.
Cortez misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Cortez scoring with punches from side control.

Cortez tries for a kimura but Iberico is defending well.
Iberico sneaks back into half guard.
Iberico could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Iberico moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Cortez advances to half guard.
Iberico wants to control the action here but instead Cortez manages to pass to full mount!
Cortez lands a big elbow.
Cortez lands a big shot there that rocks Iberico but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Iberico gets back to half guard.
Cortez throwing shots but Iberico is blocking nicely.
Cortez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Cortez is thwarting Iberico's attempts to control the position.
Iberico wants to improve his position but Cortez is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortez is trying to control the action in half guard but Iberico is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Iberico is trying to get back to full guard.
Iberico is trying to stand up here but Cortez is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cortez is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cortez lands a really nice looking cross but Iberico seems unphased.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cortez lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Djulio Cortez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ivan Iberico's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Cortez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Djulio Cortez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Iberico tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cortez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cortez scores with a head kick.
Cortez thumps Iberico with a low kick.
Cortez is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Cortez lunges at Iberico with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Iberico's hand.
A cross from Cortez lands.
Cortez doesn't manage to clinch there - Iberico circles away.
Cortez jabs at Iberico's body.
Iberico checks the leg kick.
Jab, jab by Cortez - just one landing.
Iberico uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cortez.
Cortez swats away the attempt to clinch by Iberico.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Iberico ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Iberico tries to clinch but Cortez is having none of it.
Cortez lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Iberico darts in trying to clinch
and Cortez counters with a right hand to the body.
Cortez smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Iberico ducks right into an uppercut from Cortez.
Cortez misses with a straight left.
Iberico takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Cortez lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez lands a glancing blow to the side of Iberico's head.
Cortez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Iberico sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cortez throws a hook but Iberico blocks it.
Cortez throws a series of punches but Iberico moves out of range.

Cortez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cortez lands in his opponent's guard.

Cortez stands up and waves to Iberico to follow him.
Iberico slips a jab and a cross from Cortez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Iberico tries to keep at a distance but Cortez has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cortez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Cortez manages to break the clinch.

Cortez shoots in and bounces Iberico off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Iberico is trying to control the position but Cortez postures up.
Cortez stopping the sweep attempt from Iberico.
Iberico keeping moving, preventing Cortez from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortez works over Iberico with some ground and pound from guard.
Cortez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Cortez works over Iberico with some ground and pound from guard.
Cortez works over Iberico with some ground and pound from guard.
Cortez is looking to work some ground and pound but Iberico has wrist control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Iberico gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cortez.
Cortez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cortez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Iberico gets the takedown into side control.
Ivan Iberico has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Djulio Cortez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Iberico is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cortez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

And that's the end of the fight!
Djulio Cortez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cortez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Djulio Cortez!