PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gustavo Marques (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Caesar Cortez (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.

Marques
vs
Cortez

190 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
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, Gustavo Marques!
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, Caesar Cortez!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Emerson Jorge and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marques shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cortez pinned against the cage. Cortez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Marques looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Marques tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cortez sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Marques somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gustavo Marques. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cortez moves into the clinch.

Cortez jumps guard and drags Marques to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Cortez controlling the position.
Let's hope that Cortez has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Cortez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez looking for a sweep. Not yet Cortez, not yet.
Marques is fighting to break Cortez's control of his arms but Cortez is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Marques trying to control but Cortez is working from the bottom.
Cortez has a closed guard, preventing Marques from standing up.
Marques is looking to advance position but Cortez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
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.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Marques keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cortez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cortez with the ground and pound from mount.
Cortez content just to control the position here.
Marques is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cortez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez with a couple of short strikes.
Marques tries to lock up and control but Cortez gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cortez controlling his opponent.
Cortez tries to control but Marques wriggling away.
Cortez raining down shots from the mount!
Cortez lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marques tries to reverse the position but Cortez maintains control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cortez breaks from Marques's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Marques is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cortez controlling from mount.
Cortez unloading with bombs!
Cortez tries to control but Marques wriggling away.
Marques tries to reverse the position but Cortez maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caesar Cortez dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cortez moves out of range of the strikes.
Nice takedown defense from Cortez. No joy for Marques on that attempt.
Marques tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cortez counters with a three punch combo that has Marques backing up. Marques nods at Cortez to acknowledge the strikes.
Marques shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Cortez counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cortez.
Marques fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gustavo Marques. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cortez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Cortez connects with a couple of short punches.
Cortez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Marques's head.
Marques is looking to stand back up but Cortez counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Marques.
Marques pushes Cortez off looking to stand but Cortez dives back in and keeps control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Cortez content to control rather than advance.

Cortez stands up out of the half guard.

Cortez has taken the fight to the clinch.

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

Cortez forces Marques back against the cage and clinches.

Cortez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Marques has his takedown stuffed

and Cortez counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cortez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marques struggles to land a body shot inside as Cortez controls his hands.
Cortez scores with a hook to the body.

Cortez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cortez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cortez misses with a kick to the body.
Marques shoots and misses

and Cortez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Cortez is working Marques over against the cage.
Cortez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Marques pulls his leg out and moves away.
Gustavo Marques seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Cortez has Marques up against the cage in a clinch.

Cortez is trying to trip Marques. He has hold of a leg but Marques is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Cortez persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez trying to control the position from guard on top but Marques is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Marques is looking for a triangle but Cortez pushes his legs off easily.
Cortez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Cortez gets to his feet - Marques follows without any prompting.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Marques misses with a combination

and Cortez counters by clinching up.
Marques fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Cortez has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Marques uses from the top position.
Marques would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Marques is looking to work some ground and pound but Cortez has wrist control.
Cortez wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Marques scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cortez wants to stand up but Marques is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caesar Cortez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Marques's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Marques gets a clinch.

Cortez lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Cortez performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Marques moves into full guard.

Cortez has gone for a leg lock! Marques slips out almost immediately though and dives into Cortez's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cortez looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Marques puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez trying to control from the bottom.
Marques is pressing down on Cortez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cortez is holding on for now.
Marques scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Marques looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Cortez trying to control but Marques postures up.
Marques wants to get back to his feet.

Marques is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Cortez won't allow Marques to pass to mount.
Marques seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cortez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Cortez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Marques trying to control but Cortez is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez managing to control the position.
Marques trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Marques is looking to advance position but Cortez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Cortez landing strikes from the mount and Marques is in trouble!
Cortez content just to control the position here.
Marques slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Marques throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cortez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Cortez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Marques does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gustavo Marques has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Caesar Cortez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cortez wants to pass to mount but Marques is defending the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Caesar Cortez.
Well Cortez has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Caesar Cortez!