PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcos Duarte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danza Kuduro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Duarte comes to the cage accompanied by Go 2 Sleep by Ludacris. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Duarte
vs
Kuduro

181 cm
38
194 lbs
31 - 19 - 1

180 cm
40
189 lbs
35 - 13 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

GREEN!160

Voodoo Nutrition
GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 19 - 1, fighting out of New York, Marcos Duarte!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 35 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Danza Kuduro!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuduro throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Duarte smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Kuduro has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Kuduro lands with a good body shot.
Duarte checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Duarte swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
An inside leg kick lands from Kuduro.

Duarte bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Kuduro dodges the ground and pound from Duarte.
Kuduro is pushing Duarte's head away, looking to escape. Duarte manages to hold on to the position though.
Kuduro dodges the ground and pound from Duarte.
Duarte misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Duarte throws a strike aimed at the side of Kuduro's head but Kuduro avoids it well.
Duarte in side control, throwing shots but Kuduro defends.
Duarte throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Kuduro stops Duarte from passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Duarte are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
An elbow from Duarte crashes against the mat.
Duarte working the ground and pound.

Duarte goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Kuduro has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Duarte but great work by Kuduro.
Duarte is looking for a sweep.
Kuduro tries to stand but Duarte is controlling his head.
Duarte is looking to reverse the position.
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Kuduro wants to stand but Duarte is controlling his arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duarte is trying to work for a sweep but Kuduro has mounted him!
Duarte is wriggling around trying to escape.
Duarte is working hard here to advance position.
Kuduro tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
Kuduro looking to control but Duarte is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kuduro is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Duarte is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuduro is looking to stand but Duarte has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
Kuduro content just to control the position here.
Kuduro avoids the attempt from Duarte to control.
Duarte is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kuduro avoids the attempt from Duarte to control.
Duarte is desperately trying to improve his position but Kuduro has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four 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.
Duarte regains half guard.
Duarte is trying to get back to full guard.
Duarte is looking to control Kuduro's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Duarte avoid being mounted?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Duarte is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kuduro's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kuduro's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Marcos Duarte will probably get the nod.
That's time! Duarte's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kuduro thuds his right hand into Duarte's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Duarte missing with a left hand there. Kuduro was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Duarte throws a head kick that misses.
Kuduro doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Kuduro throws a low kick but it's checked well by Duarte.
Kuduro throws a shot from downtown. Duarte moves away and avoids it.
Kuduro loads up on a big right hand but Duarte slips the punch.
Duarte is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kuduro throws a series of punches but Duarte avoids them all with ease.
Kuduro throws a solid leg kick but Duarte takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kuduro.
Duarte throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Duarte changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kuduro looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Duarte throws a strike aimed at the side of Kuduro's head but Kuduro avoids it well.
Duarte with the ground and pound but Kuduro regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Kuduro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Duarte.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Duarte lands a nice short elbow.
Kuduro is trying to stand back up but Duarte is controlling him
Duarte performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Duarte is nestled in close to Kuduro, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Kuduro is defending against the submission attempts here by Duarte.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Duarte thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kuduro's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duarte thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kuduro's head.
Duarte misses with a head shot. Kuduro uses the momentum to regain guard.
Duarte trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Duarte trying to control but Kuduro is working from the bottom.
Kuduro utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kuduro utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kuduro utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Duarte wants to control from the top but Kuduro keeps moving.
Kuduro utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duarte postures up in Kuduro's guard and throws a big left but Kuduro blocks it.
Duarte wants to control from the top but Kuduro keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kuduro connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Duarte momentarily.
Kuduro tries to clinch but Duarte moves out of range.
Duarte moves out of range of the body kick from Kuduro.
Danza Kuduro is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kuduro misses with a body shot.
It looked like Duarte was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Duarte takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Duarte lands a really nice looking cross but Kuduro seems unphased.
Kuduro connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kuduro looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Duarte decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Kuduro keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duarte sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kuduro defending well though.
Kuduro is trying to stand.

Duarte is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
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!

Duarte wants to work for an arm triangle but Kuduro is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Duarte thows a huge punch but Kuduro dodges it nicely.
Kuduro is refusing to be controlled, as Duarte sits in half guard.
Duarte working over Kuduro with some ground and pound. Kuduro looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Duarte throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Marcos Duarte will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Duarte shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kuduro sprawls well. Kuduro wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Duarte gets slowly back to his feet.
Kuduro looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Duarte throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A big left from Kuduro misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Duarte.
Kuduro throws a front kick that sends Duarte stumbling back into the cage.
Kuduro is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Duarte.
Kuduro misses with a body shot.
Duarte swings for the body but Kuduro moves out of range.
Kuduro throws a low kick, looking for Duarte's leg but Duarte calmly moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kuduro throws a shot from downtown. Duarte moves away and avoids it.
A little feinted left hand from Duarte on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Duarte throws a right hand that Kuduro ducks under and follows up with a left that Kuduro also avoids with ease.
Duarte connects with the punch.
Kuduro lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Duarte ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kuduro moves away.

Kuduro clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kuduro breaks from the clinch.
Kuduro lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kuduro ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Kuduro misses with a kick to the body.
Duarte half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kuduro connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Duarte misses with a low kick as Kuduro jumps back.
Nice shot lands for Kuduro.
Duarte throws the left hand but Kuduro avoids the punch easily.
Kuduro swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Duarte connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Marcos Duarte seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kuduro paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Some bone on bone action there as Duarte checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Nice sprawl there from Kuduro as Duarte shoots in.
Kuduro throws a chopping leg kick but Duarte manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Kuduro misses with a hook.

Duarte shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Danza Kuduro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Duarte is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Duarte throwing shots but Kuduro is blocking nicely.
Duarte 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.
Kuduro blocking the ground and pound attempt from Duarte.
Duarte lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kuduro keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Duarte works his way into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duarte lands some shots froms side control.
Duarte in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Duarte is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kuduro has escaped the position, nice work there.

Duarte wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kuduro, who protects the arm well.
Kuduro tries to escape but Duarte is in control.
Sloppy strikes there by Duarte.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duarte looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Kuduro is avoiding damage well.
Duarte working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Duarte working the strikes but Kuduro uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Duarte throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Duarte is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kuduro doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Duarte.
Kuduro tries to kick Duarte off but Duarte keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Duarte connects with a nice short shot to Kuduro's temple.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Marcos Duarte.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Duarte, 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

The fight is ruled a draw!