PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Phil Wascon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lorenzo Ortega (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Wascon
vs
Ortega

175 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Phil Wascon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lorenzo Ortega!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Ortega misses.
Wascon showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ortega.
Ortega throws a head kick that misses.
Ortega tries to close the distance and clinch but Wascon swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ortega tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ortega moves in looking to clinch but Wascon pushes him off.
Ortega fails to land with a series of punches.
Ortega misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ortega throws a right and a left that both miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortega throws a right and a left that Wascon avoids nicely.
Ortega swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ortega misses with a straight left.
Ortega fails to land with a series of punches.
Ortega looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wascon scores with a takedown into Ortega's guard.
Wascon stands up over Ortega, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ortega is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wascon is controlling him.
Wascon has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Wascon keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ortega's head.
Wascon scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ortega is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Wascon thows a big elbow that misses.
Wascon lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ortega is looking to stand up but Wascon isn't so interested in that idea.
Wascon lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Ortega pushes Wascon off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortega swinging wilding here.

Wascon darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ortega wants to get back to his feet.
Ortega has hold of Wascon's hands but Wascon slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ortega is trying to maintain the position but Wascon is very close to passing his half guard.
Ortega is trying to stand back up but Wascon is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wascon working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ortega misses with some strikes from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ortega looks like he's trying to stand up.

Ortega pushes Wascon off and gets back to his feet.
Wascon displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ortega throws out the jab.
Ortega tries to clinch up but Wascon circles away and keeps his distance.
No joy there for Ortega, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Wascon darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ortega tries to kick Wascon off but Wascon keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Wascon working over Ortega with some ground and pound. Ortega looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Ortega pushes Wascon off looking to stand but Wascon dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wascon lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Wascon lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Wascon lands strikes from half guard.
Wascon stops Ortega from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ortega manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Wascon scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ortega working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Wascon.
Wascon loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Wascon stops Ortega from standing up.
Wascon is working Ortega over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phil Wascon dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ortega tries to land a front kick but Wascon steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Ortega misses with a few strikes there.
Ortega throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A punch combination from Ortega misses.
Ortega throws a right hand that Wascon ducks under and follows up with a left that Wascon also avoids with ease.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Wascon here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

Wascon shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Wascon was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Wascon pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Ortega is in all sorts of trouble here.
Wascon is landing with some decent strikes but Ortega is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Ortega working to try and regain half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wascon punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortega tries to hold on but Wascon pushes him away.
Wascon in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Ortega blocking the ground and pound.
Ortega gets back to half guard.
Ortega is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Wascon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Wascon's back!
Ortega throwing damaging strikes from the back! Wascon could be in trouble here!
Wascon rolls, trying to escape but Ortega keeps control of the position.
Wascon is working hard here to advance position.
Ortega lands punches and elbows.
Ortega controlling well, preventing Wascon from escaping the position.

Ortega working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Ortega doesn't have the hooks in and Wascon manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wascon scoring with some ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ortega scores with a punch to the head.
Ortega misses with a double jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Ortega misses the target.
Ortega works over Wascon's head and body with a nice combination.
Wascon swats away the attempt to clinch by Ortega.
Wascon avoids a punch combination nicely.

Wascon closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Wascon lands in his opponent's guard.
Ortega is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wascon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ortega is keeping the position for now.
Ortega trying to keep a closed guard but Wascon is proving a slippery customer.
Wascon in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ortega is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ortega blocks the strikes from Wascon.
It looks like Ortega is going to stand back up.
Wascon is staying active underneath Ortega, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Wascon throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Wascon misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Wascon knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ortega on the ground.
Wascon throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Ortega manages to pass to side control.
Ortega wants to control but Wascon is keeping him busy.

Ortega decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Ortega tries a head kick but it misses.
Ortega throws a jab when Wascon was well out of range.
Wascon avoids the head kick by Ortega.
Ortega shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Wascon shoots in and bounces Ortega off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phil Wascon dominated that second 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Wascon closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Ortega is pushing Wascon's head away, looking to escape. Wascon manages to hold on to the position though.
Ortega sneaks back into half guard.
Ortega is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Wascon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Wascon's back!
Wascon tries to escape but Ortega has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wascon takes a big shot to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortega is landing with strikes from the back.
Ortega struggling to keep hold of the position.
Ortega lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
A lull in the action here.
Wascon rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Ortega wants to stand up but Wascon has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Wascon tries to get to full guard but Ortega has control of the leg.
Ortega working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ortega lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Lorenzo Ortega has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Wascon closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Wascon lands in his opponent's guard.
Ortega avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wascon with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wascon makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Wascon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ortega manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ortega is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Wascon can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Ortega is landing with some decent strikes but Wascon is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Wascon is looking to get to half guard.
Ortega working the ground and pound effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortega landing strikes, looking to finish!
Wascon is trying to escape the mount.
Ortega putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Wascon is looking to improve his position but Ortega isn't that keen on the idea.
Wascon flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Ortega lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Ortega lands a big shot there that rocks Wascon but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Wascon is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Ortega has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ortega can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Wascon is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Wascon really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Ortega lands a nice shot to the head.
Wascon is looking to improve his position but Ortega isn't that keen on the idea.
Ortega punishing his opponent with strikes.
Ortega lands with some strikes.
Ortega prevents Wascon from getting the reversal.
Ortega postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Wascon looks a forlorn figure.
Ortega fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

And that's the end of the fight!
Lorenzo Ortega comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Wascon 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phil Wascon!