PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Franciszek Szczepaniak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zack Cortez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franciszek Szczepaniak could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Zack Cortez's chin.

Szczepaniak
vs
Cortez

185 cm
25
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
188 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Max Octane Fight Wear
Voodoo Nutrition

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Franciszek Szczepaniak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Zack Cortez!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Paul Aken and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cortez works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Cortez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Cortez gets tackled into the cage by Szczepaniak. Szczepaniak maintains the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Cortez fails to land.
Cortez creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cortez.
A short left from Cortez.
Szczepaniak blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Szczepaniak tries to work over Cortez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Szczepaniak working aggressively here.
Szczepaniak scores with a shoulder strike.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Szczepaniak effectively controlling the action here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right hand to the body from Szczepaniak.
Cortez tries to break free but Szczepaniak pushes him back against the cage.
Cortez misses with a body punch.
A short body shot lands from Szczepaniak as the two fighters clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez blocking some punches.
A short left from Cortez.
Szczepaniak lands with a right to the head.
Cortez throws an elbow that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cortez.
Szczepaniak is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Cortez creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Cortez blocks an uppercut.
Cortez lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Cortez prevents a body shot from Szczepaniak.
Szczepaniak managing to block the knees to the body from Cortez.
Szczepaniak fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cortez is trying to maintain a safe position but Szczepaniak gets an underhook and turns Cortez into the cage.
A short uppercut from Szczepaniak.
Cortez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Cortez throws an elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szczepaniak lands a hook that snaps the head of Cortez backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A short right from Szczepaniak.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cortez.
Cortez throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Szczepaniak holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Szczepaniak lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A left hand lands to the body for Cortez.

Cortez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Szczepaniak lands a glancing blow to the side of Cortez's head.

Szczepaniak clinches up with Cortez and pushes him back against the cage.
Szczepaniak can't find room to land a body shot as Cortez controls the action.
Szczepaniak blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cortez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Szczepaniak effectively controlling the action here.
A head punch on the inside from Szczepaniak fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szczepaniak struggles to land a body shot inside as Cortez controls his hands.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Szczepaniak.
Szczepaniak throws a head punch that misses.
Szczepaniak misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cortez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cortez blocks an uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Szczepaniak.
A short uppercut from Cortez.
Cortez struggles to land a body shot inside as Szczepaniak controls his hands.
Cortez can't find room to land a body shot as Szczepaniak controls the action.
Szczepaniak blocks an elbow strike.
Szczepaniak lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Cortez lands a left hand that snaps the head of Szczepaniak backwards.
Szczepaniak misses with some punches.
Cortez digs a right hand into Szczepaniak's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Szczepaniak's gas tank.
Szczepaniak pushes Cortez back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Szczepaniak lands an uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Szczepaniak swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szczepaniak blocks a body shot from Cortez.
Cortez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Szczepaniak is defending well for now.
Szczepaniak blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cortez tries a body shot but Szczepaniak blocks it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Szczepaniak.
Szczepaniak misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Szczepaniak misses with a body punch.
Cortez scores with a shoulder strike.
Cortez pushes off an throws an elbow but Szczepaniak leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Szczepaniak misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cortez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Szczepaniak misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cortez swings wildly with an uppercut but Szczepaniak uses good head movement to avoid it.
Szczepaniak blocks an uppercut.
Szczepaniak blocks an elbow strike.
Szczepaniak misses with some punches.
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 Franciszek Szczepaniak will probably get the nod.
That's time! Szczepaniak's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Szczepaniak doesn't manage to clinch there - Cortez circles away.
Zack Cortez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Cortez does it's job there.
Szczepaniak throws a big shot that misses.
Cortez throws a jab but it's blocked by Szczepaniak.
Cortez misses with a left hand
and Szczepaniak counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Cortez tries to keep at a distance but Szczepaniak has taken the fight into the clinch.
Szczepaniak lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cortez backwards.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Cortez misses with an elbow strike.
Szczepaniak lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cortez backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cortez lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Szczepaniak or not.
Cortez swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Cortez manages to break the clinch.
Szczepaniak moves out of range of the strikes.
Szczepaniak appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Cortez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Szczepaniak sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Szczepaniak is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez looks to land a right hand but Szczepaniak moved out of range.
Szczepaniak staying out of range there.
Cortez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Szczepaniak was well out of range. Poor timing from Cortez.
Cortez swings widly with a right hand
and Cortez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cortez misses with an uppercut
and Szczepaniak makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Cortez is looking to clinch.

Szczepaniak gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A short right from Szczepaniak.
Szczepaniak'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.
Szczepaniak can't find room to land a body shot as Cortez controls the action.
Cortez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cortez taking a breather.
Cortez blocks an uppercut.
Szczepaniak misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szczepaniak softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Cortez is rocked!
Szczepaniak throws a head punch that misses.
Cortez is still on wobbly legs! Can Szczepaniak finish him?
Szczepaniak lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Szczepaniak has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
A bit of stalling here from Cortez.
Szczepaniak lands on the inside with an uppercut.
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!
Szczepaniak creates a bit of space for himself and rocks Cortez with a big uppercut! Cortez tries to clinch up but Szczepaniak pushes him back against the cage and lands another monster strike that crumples Cortez to the mat! Cortez covers up and Szczepaniak unloads with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Franciszek Szczepaniak!
Zack Cortez was interviewed post fight and said 'This fight was a fluke.'.