PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jose Cortez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Armen Hammer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Cortez
vs
Hammer

179 cm
21
155 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

167 cm
20
152 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jose Cortez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Armen Hammer!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Damien Edna and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hammer throws a lazy right hand but Cortez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Horrible takedown by Cortez or perhaps it was just good defense by Hammer which made him look bad.

Hammer closes the distance and clinches.
Hammer landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Hammer breaks from the clinch.
A big right from Hammer misses.
Cortez shoots in looking for a takedown. Hammer tries to sprawl out of it but Cortez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hammer manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cortez defending well as Hammer loads up on a big left hand.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cortez moves out of range as Hammer strikes.
A left and a right from Hammer both land. Nice combination.
Cortez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hammer.
Hammer misses with a hook.
Cortez on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hammer throws a big shot that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammer misses with a wild combination.
Cortez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hammer tries to avoid it but Cortez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hammer to the ground. Hammer escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Cortez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cortez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Hammer is looking for a sweep. Cortez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hammer tries to kick Cortez off but Cortez keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hammer wants to control but Cortez is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cortez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Cortez wants to take a breather but Hammer is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cortez misses with a low kick.
Armen Hammer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hammer is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cortez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hammer scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Hammer bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cortez's head.
Hammer looks to throw the jab but Cortez is out of range.
A swing and a miss from Hammer.
Cortez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hammer's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Hammer duly obliges.
Cortez moves out of range as Hammer strikes.
Armen Hammer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hammer throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cortez.
Hammer throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hammer throws a lazy right hand but Cortez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hammer might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Hammer tests Cortez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cortez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hammer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cortez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammer scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cortez in his tracks.
Hammer throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Nice sprawl there from Hammer as Cortez shoots in.
Cortez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hammer with a hook.

Hammer fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cortez, pushing him back against the cage.
Hammer with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Hammer breaks the clinch.

Hammer moves into the clinch successfully.

Hammer breaks the clinch.
Hammer waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cortez.

Hammer clinches up against the cage.

Hammer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hammer stuffs the takedown attempt from Cortez. Cortez gets slowly back to his feet.
Cortez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Hammer.
Hammer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cortez on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hammer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cortez slips under a jab from Hammer.

Cortez shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Hammer wants to stand back up but Cortez manages to pass into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cortez decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hammer steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cortez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cortez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hammer displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cortez.
Cortez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hammer.
Hammer cracks a nice hook into Cortez's ribs.
Cortez closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Hammer swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cortez.
A swing and a miss from Hammer.
A big right from Hammer misses.
Cortez takes one on the chin but seems OK.

Hammer closes the distance and pushes Cortez back into the cage.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hammer lands a jab.
Cortez moves forwards but Hammer connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Hammer cracks Cortez with an open hand slap.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cortez gets tackled into the cage by Hammer. Hammer maintains the clinch.
Cortez is working for takedown but Hammer is calmly controlling the position for now.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cortez fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Cortez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cortez gets tackled into the cage by Hammer. Hammer maintains the clinch.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cortez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hammer.
Hammer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cortez was well out of range. Poor timing from Hammer.
Cortez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hammer's waist but Hammer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cortez off to one side.
Horrible takedown by Cortez or perhaps it was just good defense by Hammer which made him look bad.
Cortez slips a jab from Hammer.
Hammer misses with a hook. Cortez ducked under it nicely.
Cortez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cortez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hammer rushes Cortez and presses him up against the cage.

Hammer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cortez gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Cortez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hammer.
Hammer moves in looking to clinch but Cortez pushes him off.
Cortez on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hammer looks to land a right hand but Cortez moved out of range.
Cortez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hammer sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cortez somewhat.
Hammer throws a big shot that misses.

Hammer drives through and clinches with Cortez against the cage.

Hammer breaks the clinch.
Hammer throws an overhand right that lands on Cortez's shoulder, as Cortez tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammer uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cortez has time to react.
Hammer throws the left hand but Cortez avoids the punch easily.
Hammer slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Hammer misses with a straight right.
Hammer scores with a jab. Cortez acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Cortez ducks under a wild hook from Hammer.
A big right from Hammer misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cortez.
A big left from Hammer misses.
Cortez slips under a jab from Hammer.
Jose Cortez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hammer throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cortez on the side of the head.
Nice sprawl there from Hammer as Cortez shoots in.
Nice sprawl there from Hammer as Cortez shoots in.

Hammer has Cortez up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammer utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Hammer breaks the clinch.
Hammer misses with a hook. Cortez ducked under it nicely.
Cortez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hammer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Hammer fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cortez, pushing him back against the cage.

Hammer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cortez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hammer pinned against the cage. Hammer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hammer tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cortez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cortez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hammer sprawls well. Hammer wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cortez gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hammer lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Armen Hammer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hammer closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hammer is struggling to control the position.
Hammer is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hammer scores with a jab.
Hammer scores with the left hand. Cortez knows he should have avoided that one.
Hammer tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cortez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cortez looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Cortez is looking to land body kicks.
Cortez with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Hammer to score with a decent uppercut.
Cortez circles away from the clinch attempt.

Hammer darts in and clinches Cortez up against the cage.

Hammer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cortez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hammer jabs Cortez right on the nose. Cortez blinks but takes it well.
Armen Hammer seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hammer misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hammer ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cortez moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hammer gets a clinch.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cortez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hammer as he jumps to the side.
A big right from Hammer misses.
Hammer scores with a sloppy right hand. Cortez should have avoided that one.
Cortez ducks right into an uppercut from Hammer.
Hammer with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Hammer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cortez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hammer looks to throw the jab but Cortez is out of range.
Cortez ducks under a wild hook from Hammer.
Hammer moves away from the strike by Cortez.
Cortez misses with a takedown attempt - Hammer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cortez tries to clinch up but Hammer circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer throws a hook to the side of Cortez's head but Cortez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hammer throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Hammer forces Cortez back against the cage and clinches.

Hammer breaks from the clinch.
Cortez shoots in but Hammer avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Cortez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A big left from Hammer misses.
Nice takedown defense from Hammer. No joy for Cortez on that attempt.

Hammer drives through and clinches with Cortez against the cage.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cortez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hammer.
Hammer works the jab nicely.

Hammer closes the distance and clinches.
Hammer prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hammer lands a good knee to the midsection. Cortez won't want to take too many of those.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hammer throws a big shot that misses.

Hammer darts in and clinches Cortez up against the cage.

Hammer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hammer jabs Cortez right on the nose. Cortez blinks but takes it well.

Hammer gets a clinch.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hammer moves into range and clinches up with Cortez.

Hammer breaks from the clinch.
Hammer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cortez manages to avoid it.
Hammer keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Good shot there by Hammer.
Hammer misses with a two punch combination.

Hammer instigates a clinch.

Hammer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A swing and a miss from Hammer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammer slaps away a takedown attempt from Cortez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Cortez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hammer pinned against the cage. Hammer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hammer misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cortez.
Cortez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cortez moves out of range as Hammer strikes.
Horrible takedown by Cortez or perhaps it was just good defense by Hammer which made him look bad.

Hammer pushes Cortez up against the cage in a clinch.
Armen Hammer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hammer breaks from the clinch.
Hammer catches Cortez with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Jose Cortez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cortez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

And that's the end of the fight!
Armen Hammer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hammer winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 25:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 25:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Armen Hammer!