PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Da Gaucho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Valuev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Da Gaucho
vs
Valuev

168 cm
24
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Da Gaucho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Igor Valuev!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Thiago Cunha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valuev shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Valuev gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Da Gaucho counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Da Gaucho wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valuev keeps working.
Valuev wants to get back to his feet.

Da Gaucho wants to work for an arm triangle but Valuev is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Valuev blocking the ground and pound attempt from Da Gaucho.

Da Gaucho is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Da Gaucho throwing shots but Valuev is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valuev is positioning himself well to prevent Da Gaucho advancing to mount.
Valuev pushes Da Gaucho off looking to stand but Da Gaucho dives back in and keeps control.

Da Gaucho wants to work for an arm triangle but Valuev is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Valuev is looking to escape.

Da Gaucho seems to be looking for submissions.

Da Gaucho is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Gaucho is keen to just control but Valuev is a slippery customer.
Valuev slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Da Gaucho throwing strikes from guard but Valuev blocks nicely.
Da Gaucho controlling from the top position.
Da Gaucho postures up in Valuev's guard and throws a big left but Valuev blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Gaucho wants to pass the guard but Valuev is keeping the position.
Valuev manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Valuev trying to control but Da Gaucho is having none of it.
Da Gaucho tries to hold on but Valuev postures up.
Da Gaucho is desperately trying to improve his position but Valuev has a good base and remains in mount.
Da Gaucho tries to lock up and control but Valuev gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Da Gaucho taking shots to the head.
Valuev can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Da Gaucho is looking to escape.
Da Gaucho wants to control but Valuev is having none of it.
Da Gaucho really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Valuev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Da Gaucho is trying desperately to improve position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Da Gaucho dominated that 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.

Valuev shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Da Gaucho is looking for a sweep. Valuev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bruno Da Gaucho overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Valuev trying to pass the guard but Da Gaucho defending well.
Valuev thows a huge punch but Da Gaucho dodges it nicely.
Valuev working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Da Gaucho is trying to stand up here but Valuev is controlling him well.
Da Gaucho wants to get back to full guard.
Da Gaucho moves into full guard.
Da Gaucho is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Gaucho sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Valuev defending well though.
Da Gaucho sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Valuev defending well though.
Valuev trying to control but Da Gaucho postures up.
Valuev looks like he's trying to stand up.
Da Gaucho wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valuev keeps working.
Valuev looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Gaucho sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Valuev defending well though.
Valuev tries to kick Da Gaucho off but Da Gaucho keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Valuev trying to control but Da Gaucho postures up.
Valuev is trying to stand back up but Da Gaucho is controlling him
Da Gaucho looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Valuev is trying to stand.
Valuev is breathing heavily.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valuev tries to get to full guard but Da Gaucho has control of the leg.
Da Gaucho throwing shots but Valuev is blocking nicely.
Valuev taking some punishment here, with Da Gaucho in his half guard.
Valuev wants to get back to his feet.
Da Gaucho throwing shots but Valuev is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valuev pushes Da Gaucho off looking to stand but Da Gaucho dives back in and keeps control.
Valuev blocking the ground and pound attempt from Da Gaucho.
Da Gaucho has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Da Gaucho won't let Valuev get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

Da Gaucho moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Valuev has worked his arm free - good work by Valuev!
Valuev gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Valuev kicks Da Gaucho off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Igor Valuev will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Valuev doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Da Gaucho counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Valuev wants to get back to his feet.
Valuev is trying to escape back to his feet but Da Gaucho uses the scramble to pass into side control.

Da Gaucho tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Da Gaucho has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Valuev is trying to get back to half guard.

Da Gaucho goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Valuev rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Da Gaucho's guard! Nice work there by Valuev!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Gaucho is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Valuev is controlling him.
Valuev must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Da Gaucho throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valuev not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Valuev trying to control but Da Gaucho is working from the bottom.
Da Gaucho is trying to control the position but Valuev postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Gaucho avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Valuev wants to control from the top but Da Gaucho keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Igor Valuev wasn't active enough on the ground.
Valuev looks for a takedown but Da Gaucho sprawls well.
Valuev shoots for a double leg takedown but Da Gaucho sprawls well. He's pushed Valuev's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Bruno Da Gaucho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Valuev.
Valuev dives in for a single leg takedown but Da Gaucho sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Valuev has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Da Gaucho is trying to keep an underhook but Valuev manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Da Gaucho has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Valuev is working away from the top position though.
Da Gaucho is looking to improve his position.
Da Gaucho looks like he's trying to stand up.
Da Gaucho moves into full guard.
Valuev forces his way into half guard.
Valuev is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valuev putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Valuev with the ground and pound from mount.
Da Gaucho can't escape the position.
Valuev wants to control the pace but Da Gaucho is squirming around nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Valuev lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Da Gaucho is bucking up trying to escape but Valuev cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Da Gaucho regains half guard.
Valuev sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Da Gaucho defending well though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Igor Valuev.
I think Valuev has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Bruno Da Gaucho!
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight for Bruno Da Gaucho!
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight for Bruno Da Gaucho!

Bruno Da Gaucho wins by unanimous decision!