PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Cortez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Farmhouse Flander (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cortez comes to the cage accompanied by Wake Me Up. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cortez
vs
Flander

183 cm
28
219 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

182 cm
23
205 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rafael Cortez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Farmhouse Flander!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Elvis Blanc and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flander lands a body shot.
Flander steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Cortez. That one must have hurt.
Cortez takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Flander fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cortez manages to avoid it.
We've been informed that Flander has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Cortez throws a series of punches but Flander avoids them all with ease.
Flander gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cortez counters with a nice uppercut.
A punch combination from Cortez misses.
As Cortez backs off Flander throws a huge counter combo but Cortez manages to avoid it all.
Cortez smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Flander waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cortez.
Flander stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

It looks like Rafael Cortez has been cut.
Cortez needs to keep his hands up - Flander had a free shot at his head there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Flander misses with a right hand
and Cortez counters with a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Flander is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Cortez with a body shot.
No joy there for Cortez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Flander doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Flander rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cortez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cortez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Flander throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Cortez tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Flander is in Cortez's guard.
Flander throws an elbow that misses. Cortez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Flander's guard. Nice move by Cortez!

Cortez slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Cortez looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Flander is avoiding damage well.

Cortez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cortez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Cortez swings around for an armbar but Flander sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Cortez's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Flander scoring with punches to the head and body.
Flander stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cortez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Flander postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Flander throws a big right hand that misses.
Flander throws a strike but Cortez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Cortez preventing the sweep.
Flander controlling Cortez's posture.
Cortez is looking to work some ground and pound but Flander has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flander controlling the position.
Flander working a defensive guard here.
Cortez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Flander's guard.
Cortez wants to take a breather but Flander is having none of it.

Cortez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Flander is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Flander trying to control from the bottom.
Cortez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Cortez stops Flander from getting back to his feet.
Flander is looking to improve his position.

Cortez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Flander doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Cortez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortez slips a nice elbow through Flander's hands, connecting with Flander's forehead.
Cortez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cortez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Flander knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Flander looks like he's trying to stand up.
Cortez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Flander knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Flander keeping hold of Cortez's head, controlling as best he can.
Flander won't allow Cortez to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Cortez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rafael Cortez's cut.
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.

Cortez moves away from the strike by Flander.
Rafael Cortez is winning the standup battle so far.
Flander swinging wildly here.
Flander misses with a body shot.
Cortez blocks a jab.
Cortez appears to be looking for a big counter.
Flander walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Cortez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Flander misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cortez lands with a left to the head.
Flander fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cortez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Flander fails to land.
Cortez will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Flander up against the cage.
Flander doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Flander swings wildly with an uppercut but Cortez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Flander throws a head punch that misses.
Flander has a couple of punches blocked by Cortez.

Cortez works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Flander has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Cortez has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Cortez digs a right hand into Flander's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Flander's gas tank.
Flander tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cortez's elbow.
Cortez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cortez lands with a short shot to the head.
Flander struggles to land a body shot inside as Cortez controls his hands.
Cortez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Flander lands a nice uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Cortez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cortez.
Nice body punch from Cortez - that landed with a thud.
Cortez lands a hook that snaps the head of Flander backwards.
Cortez lands a body punch.
Flander is breathing heavily.
Flander being controlled against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Flander.
Cortez lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Flander swings wildly with an uppercut but Cortez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cortez lands a hook to the side of the head.
Flander struggles to land a body shot inside as Cortez controls his hands.
Cortez lands a shoulder strike.
Cortez stalling.
A head punch on the inside from Flander fails to land.
Cortez lands with a light punch inside.

Flander is rocked!
Cortez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Flander can do to turn this around?
A short uppercut from Cortez.
Flander is still on wobbly legs! Can Cortez finish him?
Cortez throws a big uppercut that drops Flander! More strikes from Cortez and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Flander lies dazed against the cage as Cortez celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rafael Cortez!
Post fight, Rafael Cortez took to the microphone: 'Finally I have found my home. Thank you Team Burns and everyone for giving me my home and making me into a great fighter. I lived in Spain my whole life and this life is different for me, but I'm so gratefull.'.