PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Cortes (ranked 5125 p4p, 5115 weight class) and Hao Sawamura (ranked 581 p4p, 580 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cortes
vs
Sawamura

189 cm
20
185
1 - 0 - 0

197 cm
20
190
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 Las Vegas, Thiago Cortes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hao Sawamura!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Anthony Taglia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cortes tries to clinch but Sawamura is having none of it.
Sawamura looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cortes takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Sawamura throws a body shot but no joy.
Sawamura throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cortes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
An attempted straight right counter from Cortes misses the target.
Cortes misses the shot to the body.
Cortes ducks right into an uppercut from Sawamura.
Sawamura scores with a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice uppercut there from Sawamura.
Cortes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Good exchange - Cortes coming out on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sawamura lands with an uppercut that bounces Cortes off the cage and back into range.
The fighters circling - Sawamura throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cortes was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Sawamura throws a right hand that Cortes ducks under and follows up with a left that Cortes also avoids with ease.
Sawamura falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cortes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Hao Sawamura has been cut.
Cortes tries to clinch but Sawamura is having none of it.
Sawamura let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Cortes missing with a left hand there. Sawamura was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sawamura misses the jab.
Cortes appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Cortes on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortes waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sawamura.
Sawamura throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cortes.
Cortes moves out of range of the strikes.
Cortes has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Sawamura finds it's way round the side to connect with Cortes's head.
Cortes works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sawamura lands a jab to Cortes's midsection.
Sawamura fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cortes on the side of the head.
Cortes definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Sawamura throws a jab when Cortes was well out of range.
Cortes is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Cortes misses with a hook. Sawamura ducked under it nicely.
A countering left hand to the body from Sawamura misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sawamura misses with a wild body shot.
Sawamura misses with a shot to the body
and Sawamura takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cortes slips a jab from Sawamura.
Cortes looks to land a left hand but Sawamura moved out of range nicely.
Cortes digs a good body shot into Sawamura's ribs.
Sawamura cracks Cortes with a right hand to the side of the head.
Sawamura lands a nice looking body shot.
Cortes works Sawamura's body with a nice hook.
Sawamura lands a nice hook to Cortes's body. Cortes takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sawamura throws out a loose jab but Cortes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cortes walks into a straight right hand from Sawamura.
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!
Sawamura swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sawamura is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Cortes had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Cortes misses with an uppercut
and Sawamura counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Cortes is rocked!
Cortes throws a poor cross that misses
and Sawamura counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Cortes lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sawamura paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Oh Cortes is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sawamura scores with a jab to the jaw.
Sawamura comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hao Sawamura dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hao Sawamura's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sawamura scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Cortes seems to have got his legs back now.
Sawamura has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sawamura connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Sawamura is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cortes takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cortes gets caught by a big overhand right and goes down! Sawamura gets on top of him and starts throwing some serious punches until the ref intervenes and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hao Sawamura!
Hao Sawamura seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.