PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Don Cortez (ranked 2301 p4p, 3011 weight class) and Ogre Toshin (ranked 281 p4p, 375 weight class). Toshin is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Death Squad. 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
Toshin

185 cm
23
275
6 - 3 - 0

200 cm
27
266
3 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Don Cortez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ogre Toshin!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Ryoma Takatsuka and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A cross from Toshin lands.
Cortez connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Toshin momentarily.
Toshin lands with a thumping leg kick.
Cortez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Toshin was well out of range. Poor timing from Cortez.
Toshin slips a straight right by Cortez.

Toshin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Toshin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Cortez holds on to Toshin's head and controls the position momentarily.
Cortez defending against the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cortez tries to bench press Toshin off him but Toshin keeps the position.
Cortez wants to control but Toshin postures up.
Toshin is looking to take a break and control but Cortez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cortez takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Toshin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cortez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
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!
Who's going to make the next move?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Toshin throwing shots but Cortez is blocking nicely.
Toshin is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Toshin preventing the sweep.
Cortez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Toshin.
Cortez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Toshin manages to get himself to full guard.

Cortez won't allow Toshin to get back to his feet.
Cortez lands a couple of elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cortez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Toshin wants to stand and escape but Cortez is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez content to stall in guard here.
Toshin wants to stand but Cortez is controlling the position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cortez advances to half guard.
Toshin has hold of Cortez's hands but Cortez slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cortez is trying to control the action in half guard but Toshin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cortez has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Toshin trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez looking to control but Toshin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Toshin told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Toshin trying desperately to get to his feet.
Cortez lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Cortez 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.
Cortez wants to control the pace but Toshin is squirming around nicely.
Cortez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Toshin squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cortez controlling the position easily from mount.
Cortez has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Toshin is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Cortez lands a heavy elbow.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Toshin can do anything to dispel that myth.

Toshin bucks Cortez off and manages to get back to his feet!
Cortez throws a body punch but Toshin moves out of range.
Cortez with a nice cross.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Toshin dodges the punch combination from Cortez.
Toshin takes a swing at Cortez's ribcage but misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cortez lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Toshin at a distance.
Toshin connects with a single shot there.
Cortez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Cortez gets a takedown into half guard.
Cortez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Cortez is looking to advance position but Toshin won't allow it.

Toshin kicks Cortez off and gets back to his feet.
Cortez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Toshin needs to keep his hands up - Cortez had a free shot at his head there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Toshin scores with a nice right hand.
Toshin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Toshin misses the target.
Toshin throws a jab when Cortez was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toshin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Toshin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cortez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Toshin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A swing and a miss from Toshin.
Some bone on bone action there as Cortez checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Nice shot by Cortez.
Don Cortez is winning the standup battle so far.
Toshin throws a body shot but no joy.
Cortez connects with a body shot that sends Toshin's belly button to the back.
Good shot there by Cortez.
Toshin swings for the body but Cortez moves out of range.
Cortez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Toshin swivels and escapes.

Cortez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Toshin taking punishment in the form of punches.
Toshin is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Cortez asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Cortez trying to control the position but Toshin is working away.
Toshin tries to escape but Cortez is in control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Toshin will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Cortez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Toshin keeps working.
Toshin pushes Cortez away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Cortez gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Cortez working the ground and pound.

Cortez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Toshin has escaped the position, nice work there.
Toshin pushes Cortez away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Cortez gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's four 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.
Toshin is not content to let Cortez control the position.
Toshin is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Cortez asserts his dominance and retains side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Toshin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cortez.
Cortez fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Toshin looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cortez checks a leg kick nicely.
Cortez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Toshin.
Toshin connects with an inside leg kick.
Toshin throws a lazy right hand but Cortez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Toshin just misses with a punch to the body.
A swing and a miss from Cortez.
Toshin misses with a straight left.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Don Cortez dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Cortez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Toshin manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Cortez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Toshin's head.
Cortez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Toshin is keeping the position for now.
Cortez wants to control from the top but Toshin keeps moving.
Cortez prevents Toshin from getting back to his feet.
Cortez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Toshin can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cortez trying to control the position from guard on top but Toshin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Toshin's head.
Cortez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cortez stops Toshin from standing up.
Cortez cracks Toshin with a solid left hand.
Cortez's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Toshin is looking to stand up but Cortez isn't so interested in that idea.
Cortez wants to pass the guard but Toshin is keeping the position.
Toshin wants to stand up but Cortez is controlling him.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Cortez shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Toshin wants to stand back up but Cortez manages to pass into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cortez 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.
Toshin regains half guard there - taking advantage of Cortez's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Cortez wants to pass to mount but Toshin is defending the position.
Cortez controlling the pace.
Toshin tries to kick Cortez off in order to stand up. Cortez Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cortez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Cortez is staying tight to Toshin's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Ogre Toshin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cortez scores with punches from side control.
Toshin is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Cortez asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Cortez advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toshin is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Cortez looking to finish Toshin with some ground and pound. This is bad for Toshin!
Toshin swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Cortez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Cortez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Toshin is looking to escape.
Cortez lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Toshin hang on?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Toshin is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Don Cortez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cortez controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Cortez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cortez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Cortez!
A very excited looking Don Cortez rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.