PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martez Cortega (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dragos Ilie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martez Cortega has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cortega
vs
Ilie

185 cm
26
219 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

192 cm
26
223 lbs
13 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Black Belt Nutrition #=========||=========#

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Martez Cortega!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dragos Ilie!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Phil Schofield and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ilie looking to score a takedown here. Cortega is defending well but Ilie drives through and ends up in Cortega's guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Cortega uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Ilie misses with a hook
and Cortega counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Dragos Ilie has been cut.
Ilie misses with a combination

and Cortega counters with a shoot takedown. Ilie fights it but they end up in guard.

Ilie is rocked!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ilie is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ilie prevents Cortega from standing back up.
Ilie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ilie takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Cortega has one foot on Ilie's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Cortega rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Ilie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cortega closes the distance and clinches up with Ilie, looking for a takedown. Cortega pushes Ilie against the cage but Ilie circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ilie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cortega circles away.
Cortega displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ilie.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cortega lands a big uppercut and Ilie crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Ilie looks OK. Cortega waves Ilie back to his feet!
Ilie is still on wobbly legs! Can Cortega finish him?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ilie fails with a takedown attempt.
Martez Cortega has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dragos Ilie.
Cortega tries for a takedown but Ilie circles away easily
and Cortega takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ilie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cortega sprawls well. Cortega wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ilie gets slowly back to his feet.
Ilie seems to have recovered his senses.
Cortega thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cortega fails with the takedown
and Ilie counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ilie fails with a takedown attempt.
Cortega misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ilie.

Cortega gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ilie to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Ilie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cortega is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ilie trying to control the position from guard on top but Cortega is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ilie makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Cortega wants to stand but Ilie is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortega has momentary wrist control but Ilie slips an elbow through the middle.
Ilie stops Cortega from standing up.
Ilie controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ilie is in close to Cortega's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ilie stops Cortega from standing up.

Cortega has his feet on Ilie's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Cortega fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ilie sprawls well initially but Cortega persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ilie gets full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cortega trying to control the position from guard on top but Ilie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ilie trying to keep a closed guard but Cortega is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortega throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ilie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cortega throws a strike but Ilie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Ilie postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Ilie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ilie trying to control the position from guard on top but Cortega is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ilie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ilie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cortega is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ilie wants to pass the guard but Cortega is keeping the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ilie stops Cortega from standing up.
Ilie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martez Cortega dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dragos Ilie's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Cortega fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cortega shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ilie sprawls well. Ilie wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cortega gets slowly back to his feet.
Cortega shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ilie as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martez Cortega. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ilie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cortega circles away quickly and effectively.
Ilie lands with a hook. Cortega tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Ilie connects with a right hand. Cortega shakes it off.
A cross from Ilie lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cortega sprawls well. Cortega wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ilie gets slowly back to his feet.

Ilie throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cortega was covering up waiting for the punch and Ilie finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Cortega is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cortega working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ilie.
Cortega wants to stand and escape but Ilie is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ilie scoring with some ground and pound.
Cortega keeping moving, preventing Ilie from controlling successfully.
Ilie tries to free his leg and advance position but Cortega is retaining full guard.

Cortega has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Ilie off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cortega is defended easily by Ilie.

Ilie shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortega wants to get back to his feet.
Ilie slips a nice elbow through Cortega's hands, connecting with Cortega's forehead.
Ilie is looking to advance position but Cortega won't allow it.
Cortega pushes Ilie off looking to stand but Ilie dives back in and keeps control.
Ilie is pressing down on Cortega's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cortega is holding on for now.
Cortega is trying to stand back up but Ilie is controlling him
Ilie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Dragos Ilie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cortega wants to stand back up but Ilie manages to pass into side control.
Ilie misses with the ground and pound.
Cortega is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Ilie is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ilie landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
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!
Ilie working the ground and pound.
Ilie trying to control the position but Cortega is working away.
Ilie throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Ilie working the ground and pound from side control.
Ilie lands an elbow.
Ilie connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Cortega some visible discomfort.

Cortega is rocked!
Cortega taking punishment in the form of punches.
Oh Cortega is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Cortega tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Oooooh, big shot lands for Ilie! Cortega is hurt baaadly! Ilie is firing away with more strikes - Cortega is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dragos Ilie!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Dragos Ilie made sure he mentioned Black Belt Nutrition #=========||=========# , along with how happy he was to win his fight.