PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Andre Soares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacque Sirven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Soares kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Black Sabbath - Iron Man. Jacque Sirven has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Soares
vs
Sirven

174 cm
24
155 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

168 cm
21
145 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Soares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jacque Sirven!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Russell Pearce and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soares tries to clinch there but Sirven circles away.
Sirven throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sirven cracks Soares with a right hand to the side of the head.
Soares looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Soares cracks Sirven with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Sirven circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sirven looks to land a combination but Soares avoids it well.
Sirven slips a jab and a cross from Soares.
Soares doesn't manage to clinch there - Sirven circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sirven.
Sirven misses with a few strikes there.
Soares seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Soares tries to clinch up

and Sirven counters with a nice double leg into side control. Soares won't be happy with that.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Soares can't do much from the bottom here.
Soares is looking to regain half guard here but Sirven keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Sirven's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Sirven passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Soares!
Soares is wriggling around trying to escape.
Soares is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sirven lands a nice shot to the head.
Sirven with a couple of short strikes.
Sirven sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sirven connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Soares is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sirven scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Soares?
Soares slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Soares moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sirven throws an elbow that misses. Soares uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sirven's guard. Nice move by Soares!

Sirven is controlling Soares's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sirven 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 fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Soares thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sirven will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Sirven is trying to control the position but Soares postures up.
Sirven has his hands on Soares's head, controlling the position.
Soares wants to pass the guard but Sirven is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Soares preventing the sweep.
Sirven is trying to keep Soares in close.
Soares wants to control from the top but Sirven keeps moving.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The fighters circle momentarily. Soares darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Sirven lands a jab to the head.
Soares closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sirven counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacque Sirven dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sirven dodges the punch combination from Soares.
No joy there for Soares, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Soares misses with a wild combination.
Soares is looking to clinch but Sirven is avoiding it.
Soares looks to clinch
and Sirven cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Soares avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sirven moves forwards but Soares connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Jacque Sirven seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sirven misses with an uppercut. Soares saw that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sirven. Soares does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sirven throws a quick inside leg kick.
Donk. Sirven catches Soares right on the button with a cross.
Soares dodges the punch combination from Sirven.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sirven keeps the fight on the outside.
Soares doesn't manage to clinch there - Sirven circles away.
Soares tries to clinch but Sirven moves out of range.
Sirven lands a slapping body shot.
Sirven lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Andre Soares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Soares rushes Sirven and presses him up against the cage.
Sirven blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Soares working aggressively here.

Sirven pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Soares getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Soares misses with a series of wild punches.
Soares tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Soares takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Soares misses with a body shot
and Sirven counters with a stiff right hand.
Sirven changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sirven dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Soares closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Sirven's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Soares scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Soares throws a good cross that connects.
Soares keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sirven.

Sirven shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sirven showed some decent athleticism there.
Soares is looking for a sweep. Sirven is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sirven looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Soares with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Soares trying to control from the bottom.
Soares taking some punishment here, with Sirven in his half guard.
Sirven is stalling here. Soares is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Sirven seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Soares has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Sirven manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sirven trying to hold on to Soares's head to control him but Soares postures up.
Sirven is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Soares's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Soares's back!
Soares turns into Sirven and is now in his guard.
Sirven has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sirven thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Soares wants to pass the guard but Sirven is keeping the position.
Soares is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sirven looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Sirven trying to keep a closed guard but Soares is proving a slippery customer.

Sirven looking for a guillotine here but Soares defends easily.

Sirven throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jacque Sirven will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Soares misses with a double jab

and Sirven counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sirven distracts Soares with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sirven scoring with some ground and pound.
Soares trying to control the position here.
Soares is trying to keep Sirven in close.
Sirven wants to control from the top but Soares keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sirven postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sirven content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sirven distracts Soares with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sirven engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Sirven stopping the sweep attempt from Soares.
Sirven is fighting to break Soares's control of his arms but Soares is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sirven preventing the sweep.

That's two 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.
Sirven is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sirven is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sirven wants to control from the top but Soares keeps moving.
Sirven works over Soares with some ground and pound from guard.
Sirven must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Soares is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Soares looking for a guillotine here but Sirven defends easily.
Sirven lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soares not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sirven postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Soares is trying to keep Sirven in close.
Sirven distracts Soares with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sirven lands a couple of elbows.
Sirven has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sirven wants to control from the top but Soares keeps moving.
Sirven connects with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sirven seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Soares looking for subs off his back but Sirven has passed one foot through into half guard.
Soares keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Sirven uses his free foot to push down on Soares's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Soares.
Andre Soares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jacque Sirven is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sirven trying to control but he's not successful this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacque Sirven comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sirven winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 26:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacque Sirven!
During a confident post fight interview, Jacque Sirven thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.