PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Ubaldo Cortez (ranked 4032 p4p, 4239 weight class) and Robert Helpmann (ranked 476 p4p, 496 weight class). Ubaldo Cortez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cortez
vs
Helpmann

186 cm
24
180
7 - 8 - 0

184 cm
23
180
3 - 1 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

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 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ubaldo Cortez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Robert Helpmann!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cortez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Helpmann.
A quick step to the side and Cortez tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cortez tries to clinch but Helpmann is having none of it.
Helpmann swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Helpmann tries to clinch up but Cortez circles away and keeps his distance.
Helpmann fails to land with a series of punches.
Cortez throws the kick towards the body but Helpmann avoids it.
Helpmann misses the shot to the body.
Helpmann thuds his right hand into Cortez's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Cortez misses with a looping left.
Robert Helpmann seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Helpmann throws a body punch but Cortez moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cortez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Helpmann.
Cortez tried to score with a low kick but Helpmann checks it.
A nice side step and Helpmann releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Helpmann throws a jab but it's blocked by Cortez.
Cortez staying out of range there.
Cortez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helpmann misses with a wild body shot.
Helpmann steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Cortez. That one must have hurt.
Cortez looks to throw the jab but Helpmann is out of range.
Cortez tries to close the distance and clinch but Helpmann swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Helpmann ducks under a wild hook from Cortez.
Helpmann clobbers Cortez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Helpmann keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cortez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Helpmann misses with an uppercut.
A quick step to the side and Cortez tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Helpmann takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Helpmann fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
As Helpmann backs away, Cortez returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Helpmann misses with a wild body shot.
Helpmann lands with a shot to the body.
Helpmann throws out a loose jab but Cortez uses good head movement to avoid it.
An attempted straight right counter from Cortez misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helpmann throws a poor cross that misses
and Cortez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Helpmann swings widly with a right hand
and Helpmann takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Helpmann throws out a loose jab but Cortez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cortez looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Cortez misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cortez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Helpmann.
A jab from Cortez misses.
Cortez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Helpmann misses with a hook. Cortez ducked under it nicely.
Cortez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Helpmann.
Cortez pushes Helpmann away with a front kick.
Cortez slips under a jab.
Helpmann throws a hook but Cortez blocks it.
Cortez swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Helpmann misses with a lunging right hand
and Cortez counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez lands a nice shot that snaps Helpmann's head back.
Cortez staying out of range there.
Helpmann throws a lazy uppercut
and Cortez counters with a straight right hand.
Donk. Helpmann catches Cortez right on the button with a cross.
Helpmann lands with a good body shot.
Cortez slips under a jab.
Helpmann misses with a wild body shot.
Helpmann misses with a two punch combination.
Cortez takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Helpmann throws a body punch but Cortez moves out of range.
Helpmann connects with a crisp jab.
Helpmann lands a nice looking body shot.
Helpmann pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Helpmann has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cortez.
Helpmann connects with the punch.
Helpmann ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cortez connects with a single shot there.
Helpmann jabs Cortez to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cortez lands with a thumping leg kick.
Helpmann with a hook.
Cortez misses the shot to the body.
Cortez with a hook.
Helpmann walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Helpmann throws a shot from downtown. Cortez moves away and avoids it.
Helpmann waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cortez.
Cortez slips under a jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Helpmann dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Helpmann throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Helpmann misses with an uppercut
and Cortez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cortez takes one to the chin there.
Helpmann throws a hook to the side of Cortez's head but Cortez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Helpmann fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cortez looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cortez tries to land a body kick
enabling Helpmann to counter with a crisp jab.
Helpmann swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Cortez counters with a nice uppercut.
Helpmann swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cortez moves out of range of the strikes.
Cortez is looking to land body kicks.
Helpmann rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cortez counters with a stiff right hand.
Cortez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Helpmann.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Helpmann works over Cortez's head and body with a nice combination.
Cortez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Helpmann.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helpmann misses the body punch
and Cortez counters with a stiff right hand.
Cortez takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Helpmann pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cortez lands an overhand right.
Helpmann lands with a shot to the body.

Cortez instigates a clinch.
Cortez throws a head punch that misses.
Cortez blocks an uppercut.
Helpmann tries to work over Cortez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Helpmann works on Cortez's body with a couple of short punches.
Helpmann goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Helpmann has a couple of punches blocked by Cortez.
Helpmann has a couple of punches blocked by Cortez.
Cortez blocks an uppercut.
Cortez lands a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Helpmann.
Helpmann misses with a hook to the ribs.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Cortez.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Helpmann working aggressively here.
Cortez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cortez struggles to land a body shot inside as Helpmann controls his hands.
Helpmann lands a shot to the body.
Helpmann swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Helpmann misses with a punch on the inside.
Cortez lands a hook that snaps the head of Helpmann backwards.
Cortez lands with a light punch inside.
Cortez lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Cortez scores with a shoulder strike.
Helpmann can't find room to land a body shot as Cortez controls the action.
Helpmann struggles to land a body shot inside as Cortez controls his hands.
Cortez misses with a punch to the body.
Cortez throws a punch but it's blocked by Helpmann.
Helpmann lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cortez backwards.
Helpmann blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helpmann doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cortez scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Helpmann blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cortez pushes Helpmann back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
A right hand to the body from Helpmann.
A right handed body shot lands from Cortez.
Helpmann is breathing heavily.

Cortez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Cortez rushes Helpmann and presses him up against the ropes.
A head punch on the inside from Helpmann fails to land.
Cortez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nice body punch from Cortez.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Cortez.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
A shot in the inside from Cortez.

Cortez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Cortez moves into the clinch.
Helpmann goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cortez struggles to land a body shot inside as Helpmann controls his hands.
Cortez lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Helpmann lands a left hand.
Cortez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Cortez scores with a hook to the body.
Cortez has Helpmann pressed against the ropes.
A shot in the inside from Cortez.
Cortez is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Helpmann is keeping busy.
Helpmann goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cortez blocks a body shot from Helpmann.
Helpmann tries to work over Cortez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cortez lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Helpmann tries to throw a body punch but Cortez avoids it by throwing Helpmann back against the ropes.
Helpmann tries a body shot but Cortez blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cortez.
Nice body punch from Cortez.
Cortez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cortez has a couple of punches blocked by Helpmann.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ubaldo Cortez dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Cortez comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Cortez looks for the body kick but Helpmann saw that one coming.
Helpmann waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cortez.
Cortez scores with a shot to the body.
Cortez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Helpmann.
Helpmann tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cortez was well out of range. Poor timing from Helpmann.
It looked like Cortez was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Helpmann.
Cortez takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Helpmann misses with a body shot
and Cortez counters with a body kick that stops Helpmann in his tracks momentarily.
Helpmann throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Cortez to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Helpmann throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
An attempted straight right counter from Cortez misses the target.
Cortez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Cortez misses with a hook. Helpmann ducked under it nicely.
Cortez staying out of range there.
Cortez swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Helpmann throws a poor cross that misses
and Cortez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cortez scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Helpmann doesn't seem bothered though.
Helpmann throws a shot to the body.
Cortez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Helpmann lands a body shot.
Cortez slips under a jab from Helpmann.
Cortez swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cortez connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Helpmann cracks Cortez with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Helpmann fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cortez manages to avoid it.
Robert Helpmann seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cortez looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Helpmann throws a lazy uppercut
and Cortez counters with a left to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Helpmann misses with a hook
and Cortez counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Cortez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Helpmann.
Cortez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Helpmann.
Helpmann misses with an uppercut. Cortez saw that one coming.
A quick step to the side and Cortez tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Helpmann misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cortez.
Helpmann thows a left - swing and a miss!
Helpmann misses with a wild body shot.
Helpmann wants to clinch.
Cortez throwing a counter right hand but Helpmann manages to avoid it.
Cortez scores with a nice head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez ducks under a wild hook from Helpmann.
Helpmann swings away with a body shot that misses
and Cortez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cortez slips a straight right by Helpmann.
Cortez uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Helpmann.
Helpmann has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Helpmann there as he acknowledges the shot.
Helpmann swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Helpmann pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Cortez back to the ropes. Helpmann follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Cortez is looking to clinch.
Cortez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cortez throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Cortez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Helpmann.
Helpmann rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cortez counters with a nice body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helpmann tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cortez was well out of range. Poor timing from Helpmann.
Cortez feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Helpmann has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Helpmann jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A counter left hand to the body from Cortez misses its target.
Helpmann throws a lazy right hand but Cortez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cortez slips under a jab.
A lazy body kick from Cortez
and Helpmann cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Helpmann misses with a hook.
A swing and a miss from Cortez.
Helpmann changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Helpmann swings widly with a right hand
and Cortez makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Helpmann takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Helpmann misses the jab.
Helpmann takes one to the side of the head.
Helpmann misses the body punch
and Cortez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

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 Ubaldo Cortez.
I think Cortez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight for Ubaldo Cortez!
Judge George Francis scores the fight for Ubaldo Cortez!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Ubaldo Cortez!

Ubaldo Cortez wins by unanimous decision!
After winning the bout, Ubaldo Cortez thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.