PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jeffson Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Bourque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie's entrance music is Cliff Richard - Summer Holiday. A fine choice. Jeffson Gracie has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Bourque

160 cm
32
155 lbs
19 - 14 - 1

192 cm
35
156 lbs
34 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Steel Penn's Laundry 93%
CEC Nutrition Q160 & Loans

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jeffson Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paul Bourque!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Luis Engracia and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Bourque breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bourque is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bourque swivels and escapes.
Jeffson Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bourque misses with a wild combination.
Gracie lands a jab to the head.
Bourque is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie.
Gracie swings for the body but Bourque moves out of range.
A jab from Bourque finds it's way through Gracie's defenses.
Bourque thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gracie looks for a takedown but Bourque sprawls well.
Bourque misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bourque jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Gracie shoots in but Bourque avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeffson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gracie pushes Bourque up against the cage in a clinch.

Bourque breaks from the clinch.
Paul Bourque is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bourque dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie works the jab nicely.
Bourque throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Bourque throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bourque to the mat! Bourque manages to get full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Bourque has wrist control.
Bourque looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Gracie trying to control but Bourque is working from the bottom.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie won't allow Bourque to sweep him here.
Gracie being controlled here momentarily.
Gracie engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jeffson Gracie.
Bourque lands a head shot.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gracie.
Bourque keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bourque throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Gracie closes the distance and clinches.
A right hand to the body from Gracie.

Gracie manages to break the clinch.
Bourque misses with an uppercut.
Gracie throws the kick towards the body but Bourque avoids it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie shoots and misses
and Bourque counters with a stiff right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Paul Bourque will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bourque defends it nicely.
Gracie bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Bourque's head backwards.
Gracie shoots in but Bourque avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bourque fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bourque swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Bourque moves out of range.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeffson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A left and a right from Bourque both land. Nice combination.
A right-left combo lands from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bourque's guard.
Bourque looking to control.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Bourque is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bourque looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bourque pulls Gracie in to control the position.
Gracie advances position into side control!
Gracie tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Gracie creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Bourque sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bourque is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Bourque gets back to half guard.
Bourque tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Gracie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bourque does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Bourque is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gracie is looking to advance position but Bourque won't allow it.
Gracie throws a strike but Bourque avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Bourque gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Bourque off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Gracie tries to bum rush Bourque with a series of wild strikes but Bourque uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Bourque tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bourque manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Gracie fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bourque to the ground. Gracie is now in Bourque's guard.
Jeffson Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie trying to move into half guard but instead Bourque has managed to sweep!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bourque wants to stand and escape but instead Gracie has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bourque managing to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeffson Gracie dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Bourque lands a body shot.
Bourque bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bourque connects with a right hand. Gracie shakes it off.
Bourque avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bourque misses with a lunging right hand
and Gracie counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bourque thinking.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Bourque slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeffson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bourque jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Gracie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bourque throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Bourque throws a combination that misses
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Bourque which made him look bad.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bourque as he jumps to the side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bourque avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bourque scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Bourque fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie scores with a takedown into Bourque's guard.
Bourque wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Bourque is keeping the position.
Gracie forces his way into half guard.
Bourque controlling the position well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bourque knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie is looking to stall here but Bourque recovers full guard.
Bourque is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Bourque is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jeffson Gracie.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jeffson Gracie!
Our winner, Jeffson Gracie, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.