PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Bleak (ranked 561 p4p, 1673 weight class) and Don Cortez (ranked 12 p4p, 49 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Bleak
vs
Cortez

209 cm
23
300
6 - 1 - 0

185 cm
24
275
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Fast

New Standard
Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bruno Bleak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Don Cortez!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Frank Dennis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bleak takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A big right from Cortez misses.
Don Cortez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cortez lands a body shot.
Cortez throws a lazy uppercut
and Bleak counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cortez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bleak was well out of range. Poor timing from Cortez.
Bleak throwing a counter right hand but Cortez manages to avoid it.
Bleak takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cortez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cortez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A big left from Cortez misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez throws a right and a left that Bleak avoids nicely.
Cortez jabs Bleak to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cortez fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Cortez jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cortez looks to throw the jab but Bleak is out of range.
Cortez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bleak throwing a counter right hand but Cortez manages to avoid it.
Bleak takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez throws a right hand that Bleak ducks under and follows up with a left that Bleak also avoids with ease.
Bleak swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cortez lands a right hook to the body.
Cortez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bleak is looking to counter punch.
Cortez misses with a straight right.
Some wild striking there from Cortez.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cortez scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez lands a right hook to the body.
Cortez throws a combination that misses

and Bleak counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cortez tries to get to full guard but Bleak has control of the leg.
Bleak will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bleak not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cortez moves into full guard.
Bleak looking to pass the guard.
Cortez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bleak with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bleak stops Cortez from standing up.
Bleak passes Cortez's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Bleak looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Cortez trying to control but Bleak postures up.
Cortez is trying to get back to full guard.
Bleak wants to pass the guard but Cortez is defending well.
Cortez is trying to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Don Cortez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A looping hook to the body misses from Cortez. Bleak does a little dance to reset his feet.
A counter left hand to the body from Bleak misses its target.
Cortez throws a series of punches but Bleak moves out of range.
Bleak swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Bleak 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.
Cortez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bleak is looking to counter punch.
Bleak moves out of range as Cortez strikes.
It looked like Bleak was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Cortez.
Bleak staying out of range there.
A quick step to the side and Bleak tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cortez lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Cortez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
It looked like Bleak wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cortez throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Bleak counter with a right hand.

It looks like Don Cortez has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cortez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cortez misses with a straight right.
Bleak was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cortez misses with a right hand
and Bleak counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cortez with a hook.
Cortez throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Bleak counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Cortez is breathing heavily.
Cortez throws a poor cross that misses
and Bleak connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A slow jab from Cortez misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bleak slips a jab and a cross from Cortez.
It looked like Bleak wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cortez scores with a nice head shot.
Cortez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A big left from Cortez misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cortez sizes up Bleak with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez throws a lazy right hand but Bleak sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Bleak swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cortez throws an off balance right hand
letting Bleak counter with a right hand.
Cortez throws a nice looking combination but Bleak bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
It looked like Bleak wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cortez misses with a hook.
Cortez throws an off balance right hand
and Bleak counters with a straight right hand.
A right-left combo lands from Cortez.
Cortez falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bleak counters with a crisp right hand that drops Cortez! Bleak lets Cortez back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Cortez is rocked!

That has opened up Don Cortez's cut even more.
Don Cortez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cortez works over Bleak's head and body with a nice combination.
Nice body punch from Cortez.
Cortez tries to bum rush Bleak with a series of wild strikes but Bleak uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
An attempted straight right counter from Bleak misses the target.
Cortez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Bleak counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Cortez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bleak.
It looked like Bleak wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cortez throws a left and a right that both miss

and Bleak counters with a nice right hand that sends Cortez toppling to the canvas! Cortez scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Bleak finish him?!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bruno Bleak will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Don Cortez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bleak takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Cortez works the jab nicely.
Some wild striking there from Cortez.
Bleak was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cortez misses with a hook

and Bleak counters with a nice right hand that sends Cortez toppling to the canvas! Cortez scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Bleak finish him?!
Cortez stuns Bleak with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cortez shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Bleak eats them both and turns towards Cortez to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez throws a body shot but no joy.
A jab from Cortez misses.
Nice shot by Cortez.
Cortez lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A swing and a miss from Cortez.
An attempted straight right counter from Bleak misses the target.
Don Cortez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cortez throws a series of punches but Bleak avoids them all with ease.
Cortez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
An attempted straight right counter from Bleak misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez throws a poor cross that misses

and Bleak counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Bleak seems to be looking for submissions.
Bleak wants to pass to mount but Cortez is defending the position.

Bleak seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bleak has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Cortez defend it? Bleak steps over the head and cranks it - Cortez is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Bleak!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Bruno Bleak!
An out of breath Bruno Bleak thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.