PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joell Ortiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Cuevas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ortiz comes to the cage accompanied by Thunderstruck. Cuevas is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Leave Us Alone/ Dead By Gun. 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.

Ortiz
vs
Cuevas

182 cm
26
240 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

195 cm
25
257 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joell Ortiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tony Cuevas!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Reed Andrews and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cuevas looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cuevas is looking to take a break and control but Ortiz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cuevas seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cuevas missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cuevas thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ortiz's head.
Cuevas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cuevas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ortiz gets full guard.
Ortiz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cuevas is one step ahead there.
Cuevas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ortiz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ortiz lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like Tony Cuevas has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuevas shoots for a takedown but Ortiz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Joell Ortiz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A nice combination there by Ortiz.
Cuevas thows a body shot but no joy.

Cuevas drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cuevas thows a big elbow that misses.
Ortiz is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Cuevas postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cuevas preventing the sweep.
Cuevas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ortiz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ortiz wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Ortiz. No joy for Cuevas on that attempt.
Cuevas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ortiz jabs at Cuevas's body.

Ortiz scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cuevas is not content to let Ortiz control the position.
Ortiz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cuevas's head.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cuevas can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ortiz is looking to take a break and control but Cuevas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuevas trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Ortiz manages to pass to mount!
Ortiz misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Ortiz thowing shots but they're missing.
Ortiz raining down shots from the mount!
Ortiz punishing his opponent with strikes.
Cuevas is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cuevas is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Ortiz fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz throwing strikes but Cuevas recovers to half guard. A much better position.
Ortiz wants to control but Cuevas is keeping him busy.
Ortiz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cuevas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cuevas slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ortiz works a leg free and moves into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ortiz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cuevas defending well though.
Ortiz drops an elbow to the side of Cuevas's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joell Ortiz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tony Cuevas's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cuevas with a poor takedown
enabling Ortiz to counter with a crisp jab.

Ortiz throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cuevas was covering up waiting for the punch and Ortiz finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Cuevas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ortiz is one step ahead there.
Ortiz throwing strikes from guard but Cuevas blocks nicely.
Cuevas is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ortiz postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Cuevas is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ortiz, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuevas looking to sit in guard and control but Ortiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ortiz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cuevas wants to sweep here but Ortiz controlling him for the moment.
Ortiz postures up.
Cuevas is adopting a defensive guard.
Cuevas keeping full guard, as Ortiz tries to pass.

That's two 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.
Cuevas is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ortiz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ortiz pushes down on Cuevas's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Nice strikes from Ortiz there.
Ortiz looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ortiz thows a huge punch but Cuevas dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cuevas trying to control from the bottom.
Joell Ortiz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ortiz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cuevas is just riding it out for now. Ortiz eventually gives up the hold.
Ortiz is looking to stall here but Cuevas recovers full guard.
Ortiz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cuevas working a defensive guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cuevas doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ortiz counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Ortiz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tony Cuevas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Cuevas shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cuevas trying to control the position from guard on top but Ortiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cuevas is breathing heavily.
Cuevas lands a couple of decent looking shots.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ortiz is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joell Ortiz dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tony Cuevas's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Cuevas moves out of range as Ortiz throws a body kick.
Ortiz misses with a wild combination.
Ortiz misses with a hook to the body

and Cuevas counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ortiz!
Cuevas prevents Ortiz from getting the reversal.
Cuevas throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Ortiz because Cuevas loaded up on that one.
Cuevas landing strikes from the mount and Ortiz is in trouble!
Ortiz wants to hold on but Cuevas pushes him away.
Poor strikes thrown by Cuevas there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Ortiz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cuevas scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cuevas looking to ground and pound but Ortiz is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuevas with shots to the head and body - Ortiz looks very uncomfortable down there.
Cuevas tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
BOOM! Cuevas connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Ortiz is squirming around, avoiding Cuevas's attempts to control the action.
Cuevas throws some wild stikes that Ortiz manages to avoid easily.
Ortiz is looking to improve his position but Cuevas isn't that keen on the idea.
Ortiz is working hard here to advance position.
Cuevas wants to control the pace but Ortiz is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cuevas misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Ortiz tries to reverse the position but Cuevas maintains control.
Cuevas lands a big elbow.
Cuevas fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Cuevas with good strikes from the mount here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
BOOM! Cuevas connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Cuevas throwing strikes but Ortiz uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Cuevas not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ortiz is trying to maintain the position but Cuevas is very close to passing his half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cuevas trying to control from half guard but Ortiz is working away.
Ortiz tries to get to full guard but Cuevas has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuevas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nice strikes from Cuevas there.
Cuevas seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ortiz does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Cuevas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cuevas takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Ortiz throws a lazy right hand but Cuevas sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cuevas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cuevas is doing well to control the position and prevent Ortiz from advancing to side control.
Cuevas wants to improve his position but Ortiz is controlling well.
Tony Cuevas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ortiz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cuevas blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ortiz.
Ortiz trying to mount his opponent but Cuevas defends it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ortiz is trying to control. Cuevas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Cuevas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ortiz 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joell Ortiz!