PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Joaozinho Gurgel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jiu Claw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Claw has chosen Change of Luck as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Gurgel
vs
Claw

193 cm
32
244 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

190 cm
33
278 lbs
25 - 8 - 1

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joaozinho Gurgel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Jiu Claw!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yuuki Gou and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gurgel gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Gurgel with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A punch combination from Claw misses.
Claw is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gurgel.
Gurgel connects with a leg kick. Claw looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Claw throws out a powerful jab.

It looks like Joaozinho Gurgel has been cut.
Claw throws a leg kick but Gurgel sees it coming and moves out of range.
Gurgel checks a low kick from Claw.
Jiu Claw seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Claw turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gurgel feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Claw's calf.
Gurgel connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Claw cracks Gurgel with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Gurgel uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Claw.
Gurgel misses with a leg kick
letting Claw counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gurgel throws a shot from downtown. Claw moves away and avoids it.
Claw misses with a hook. Gurgel ducked under it nicely.
Claw tries to clinch but Gurgel is having none of it.

Claw gets a clinch.
Gurgel lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Claw.
Gurgel lands with a light punch inside.
Gurgel blocking some punches.
Claw has Gurgel pressed against the ropes, preventing Gurgel from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Claw throws a head punch that misses.
Gurgel blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gurgel is looking to break free of the clinch but Claw has double underhooks.
Claw is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Gurgel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice straight punches there by Gurgel. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gurgel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gurgel takes a jab right on the kisser.
Claw looks to land a left hand but Gurgel moved out of range nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gurgel takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Gurgel shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A leg kick checked by Claw.
Claw fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gurgel on the side of the head.
Claw checks a low kick from Gurgel.
Claw missing with a left hand there. Gurgel was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Claw is looking to clinch but Gurgel is avoiding it.
Claw throws a quick inside leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gurgel misses with a hook
enabling Claw to counter with a crisp jab.
Claw fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gurgel looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Good leg kick by Gurgel there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jiu Claw dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joaozinho Gurgel's cut.
That's time! Gurgel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gurgel lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Claw misses with a hook to the body
and Gurgel counters with a body kick that stops Claw in his tracks momentarily.
Gurgel swings for the body but Claw moves out of range.
Claw swings widly with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Gurgel on the wrong end of a nice hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gurgel scores with a kick to the body.
A slow jab from Claw misses its intended target.
Claw uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Claw wants to clinch up but Gurgel keeps it at a distance.
Gurgel lands a jab to the nose.

It looks like Jiu Claw has been cut.
Gurgel slips a straight right by Claw.
Claw takes a jab right on the kisser.
A slow jab from Claw misses its intended target.
Gurgel pivots, looking for a leg kick but Claw is out of range and Gurgel settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Claw moves away from the strike by Gurgel.
Gurgel staying out of range there.
Claw throws a leg kick but Gurgel checks it.
Gurgel doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Gurgel.
Claw tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Gurgel manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Claw darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gurgel throws a nice inside leg kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Gurgel.
Claw is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Claw misses with a right hand
and Gurgel counters with a leg kick.
Gurgel works the jab nicely.
Claw's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Claw misses with a lunging right hand
and Gurgel makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
No joy there for Claw, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gurgel fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Claw.
Gurgel turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Gurgel. Claw shrugs it off though.
Gurgel connects with a single shot there.
Gurgel uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Claw.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gurgel.
Gurgel connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Gurgel.

Gurgel looks low and kicks high, catching Claw right on the side of the head, sending him crashing to the canvas! Will he be able to beat the count? 3,4,5 - he's already back to his feet and ready to go! Let's see if he's still with it!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gurgel thows a body kick. Claw tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Joaozinho Gurgel is winning the standup battle so far.
Gurgel lands a glancing blow to the side of Claw's head.

That has opened up Jiu Claw's cut even more.
Claw has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Gurgel.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaozinho Gurgel will take that round after scoring the only knockdown of the round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gurgel looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Claw tries to clinch but Gurgel is having none of it.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Gurgel. Claw shrugs it off though.
Claw looks to land a left hand but Gurgel moved out of range nicely.
Gurgel steps in and throws a big head kick that drops Claw to the mat! Claw looks in trouble, can he beat the count? Gurgel is bouncing in a neutral corner joining in with the referee '4,5,6' they both chant. 7,8,9... he's not going to make it! 10! He's out! Gurgel jumps onto the ropes and takes in the acclaim from the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Joaozinho Gurgel!
An out of breath Joaozinho Gurgel thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.