PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ruslan Malkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Cortez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Cortez's choice of entrance music: Wake Me Up. Rafael Cortez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Malkin
vs
Cortez

190 cm
21
220 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
33
219 lbs
14 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ruslan Malkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rafael Cortez!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cortez throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

It looks like Ruslan Malkin has been cut.
Malkin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Malkin tries to clinch but Cortez is having none of it.
Malkin tries to close the distance and clinch but Cortez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cortez connects with a leg kick. Malkin looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cortez works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Cortez lands a body punch.
Cortez looking to stall.
Cortez avoids a wild elbow strike from Malkin.
Malkin tries a knee to the head but Cortez blocks it.
Cortez avoids the elbow strike from Malkin, against the cage.
Cortez scores with a shot to the side of Malkin's head.
Cortez working aggressively here.
Our sources have told us that Malkin has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Cortez scores with a shoulder strike.
A nice left hand lands by Cortez.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cortez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Malkin.
Malkin trying to stall but Cortez improves his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cortez is looking to take this one to the mat.
A shot in the inside from Cortez.
Malkin has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cortez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ruslan Malkin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cortez throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Malkins head.
Malkin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cortez.
Cortez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Malkin stalls.
Cortez avoiding damage as Malkin throws knees to the body.
Malkin misses with an elbow over the top.
Cortez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Malkin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Cortez gets through Malkin's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Malkin tries to land knees in the clinch but Cortez avoids the damage to the body.
Malkin has Cortez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Cortez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Cortez leaning his opponent against the cage.
Malkin throws an elbow but it misses.

Cortez manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malkin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cortez is fending him off so far but Malkin persists. Nope, Cortez circles away and we're back to standing.
Cortez lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fight stays on the outside here - Malkin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Malkin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Malkin closes the distance looking to clinch
and Malkin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Malkin has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cortez.

Malkin clinches up with Cortez and pushes him back against the cage.
Cortez is working for takedown but Malkin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Malkin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Malkin is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Cortez lands a right hand that snaps the head of Malkin backwards.

Cortez works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Cortez pushes down on Malkin's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Cortez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Malkin defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cortez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Ruslan Malkin's cut is getting worse.
Cortez not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cortez has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Cortez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cortez goes for an armbar but Malkin turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Malkin.
Cortez keeping full guard, as Malkin tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cortez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Malkin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Malkin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cortez holds on and takes a little breather.
Malkin throwing strikes but missing.
Malkin throws a big elbow that misses.
Malkin throws a strike but Cortez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Cortez advances to half guard.
Cortez passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Malkin!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Malkin has given up his back here. Will Cortez look for the submission or keep pounding away?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Cortez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ruslan Malkin's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cortez jabs Malkin right on the nose. Malkin blinks but takes it well.
Cortez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Malkin tries to close the distance and clinch but Cortez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Malkin doesn't manage to clinch there - Cortez circles away.

Malkin gets a clinch.
Cortez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cortez looking to stall.
Malkin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cortez's elbow.

Cortez has clasped his hands together around Malkin's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Cortez in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Cortez is looking to take a break and control but Malkin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Cortez goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Malkin rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Cortez's guard! Nice work there by Malkin!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cortez is controlling Malkin's posture.
Malkin throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malkin looking to sit in guard and control but Cortez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Cortez stands and throws Malkin's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Cortez lands some shots froms side control.

Ruslan Malkin's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Ruslan Malkin's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Rafael Cortez!
Post fight, Rafael Cortez took to the microphone: 'Finally I have found my home. Thank you Team Burns and everyone for giving me my home and making me into a great fighter. I lived in Spain my whole life and this life is different for me, but I'm so gratefull.'.