PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tuco Cortez (ranked 5102 p4p, 548 weight class) and Izaiah Kane (ranked 5874 p4p, 587 weight class). 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.

Cortez
vs
Kane

188 cm
22
183 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

180 cm
23
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tuco Cortez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Izaiah Kane!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Cecil Peabody and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kane waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cortez.
Kane moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Cortez is looking to chop away at Kane's legs.
Cortez misses with a body shot
and Kane counters with an outside leg kick.
Kane throws a low kick, looking for Cortez's leg but Cortez calmly moves out of range.
Cortez throws a counter high kick but Kane was just alert enough to avoid it.
Kane jabs Cortez right on the nose. Cortez blinks but takes it well.
Cortez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kane takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Kane swings widly with a right hand
enabling Cortez to counter with a crisp jab.
Kane misses with a wild body shot.
Kane throws a hook but Cortez blocks it.
Kane takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A head kick by Cortez misses
letting Kane counter with a right hand.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Cortez blocks a low kick nicely.
Kane misses with a body kick.
Cortez lands a glancing blow to the side of Kane's head.
Cortez thuds his right hand into Kane's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez throws a head kick that misses.
Kane connects with a looping right hand.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Cortez.
Kane fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cortez has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kane is looking to score with low kicks.
Some wild striking there from Cortez.
Kane avoids the head kick by Cortez.
Cortez thumps Kane with a low kick.
Kane feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Cortezs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Cortez tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Cortez throws a hook but Kane blocks it.
Cortez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A big right from Cortez misses.
Nice uppercut there from Kane.
Tuco Cortez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Kane looking to score a takedown here. Cortez is defending well but Kane drives through and ends up in Cortez's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez is trying to control the position but Kane postures up.
Kane slips nicely into half guard.
Kane prevents Cortez from improving his position.
Kane is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Kane takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Cortez taking some punishment here, with Kane in his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cortez tries to get to full guard but Kane has control of the leg.
Kane trying to control the pace.
Kane working the head and body with strikes.
Kane trying to mount his opponent but Cortez defends it.
Kane takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Kane wants to pass the guard but Cortez is defending well.
Kane not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cortez is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kane wants to take a breather but Cortez is having none of it.
Cortez tries to get to full guard but Kane has control of the leg.
Kane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cortez on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Cortez tries to get out of the position.
Cortez has hold of Kane's hands but Kane slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kane wants to control but Cortez is keeping him busy.
Cortez avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kane.
Cortez trying to control from the bottom.
Cortez taking some punishment here, with Kane in his half guard.
Kane sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cortez defending well though.
Kane is controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Izaiah Kane dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cortez comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Kane takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Izaiah Kane has been cut.
Kane looks to land a left hand but Cortez moved out of range nicely.
Cortez is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Cortez pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Kane throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Cortez tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Kane is in Cortez's guard.
Kane has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cortez trying to keep a closed guard but Kane is proving a slippery customer.
Cortez controlling Kane's posture.
Kane not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Kane has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at DJs Locker. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cortez looking to control.
Kane has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kane scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kane trying to control but Cortez is working from the bottom.
Kane with a nice head shot there.
Kane trying to control but Cortez is working from the bottom.
Cortez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kane postures up in Cortez's guard and throws a big left but Cortez blocks it.
Kane postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Kane distracts Cortez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kane seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kane lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kane's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Kane cracks Cortez with a solid left hand.
Kane loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cortez keeping moving, preventing Kane from controlling successfully.
Cortez can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kane controls the pace.
Cortez trying to control the position.
Cortez is really struggling to control Kane but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kane passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Kane lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Cortez down.
Kane scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Cortez to see if he's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cortez is trying to control Kane's posture but Kane avoids it.
Kane landing a few strikes.
Cortez can't do much from the bottom here.
Kane works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Cortez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kane on the ground.
Kane working the ground and pound from side control.
Kane remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Kane connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Cortez some visible discomfort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kane trying to control the position but Cortez is working away.
Kane taking a breather here.
Kane creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Cortez takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The strikes coming from Kane are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Cortez defending against the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cortez is not content to let Kane control the position.
A lull in the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Izaiah Kane showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Izaiah Kane's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kane works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Kane swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kane lands a jab to the head.
Kane connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Izaiah Kane seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kane is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cortez.
Cortez throws a counter high kick but Kane was just alert enough to avoid it.
Kane throws a lazy uppercut
and Cortez counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cortez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kane fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cortez manages to avoid it.
Kane jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
That kick from Cortez tenderised Kane's leg. Kane is trying to keep his angry face on.
Cortez tries a low kick but Kane avoids it.
Kane scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cortez misses with a head kick.
Kane keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kane moves forwards but Cortez connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A cross from Cortez lands.
Kane checks the leg kick nicely there.
Kane throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cortez.
Cortez goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Kane swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cortez.
Cortez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cortez ducks right into an uppercut from Kane.

Cortez is rocked!
Cortez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Oh Cortez is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Some wild striking there from Kane.
Cortez lands a high kick!
Cortez seems to have got his legs back now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cortez throws a sloppy head kick
and Kane counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cortez throws a looping overhand right but Kane ducks down to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez misses with a kick to the body.

Kane lands a left and a right that send Cortez crashing to the mat, dazed. Kane thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Cortez gets clipped by a big right hand and goes down spinning to the canvas! Kane gets the back mount and begins to drop bombs on his rocked foe! Cortez is too out of it to defend against the strikes and the referee jumps in to save him from the beatdown!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:17 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Izaiah Kane!