PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Godefroy Courtial (ranked 2575 p4p, 2730 weight class) and Leo Vuce (ranked 268 p4p, 285 weight class). Vuce has chosen MC Yankoo as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Courtial
vs
Vuce

169 cm
27
150
17 - 8 - 1

180 cm
34
145
21 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

NARCOS

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 17 - 8 - 1, fighting out of London, Godefroy Courtial!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leo Vuce!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vuce has a takedown stuffed.
Vuce shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Courtial defends it nicely.
Courtial misses with the combination.
Vuce unleashes a big counter combination but Courtial bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Vuce keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Despite the aggression on Vuce's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Vuce avoids the body shot from Courtial.
Vuce unleashes a big counter combination but Courtial bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Courtial scores with a jab. Vuce acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Courtial uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Vuce has time to react.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vuce fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Courtial appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Godefroy Courtial has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leo Vuce.
Vuce shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Courtial pinned against the cage. Courtial gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Courtial appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Godefroy Courtial seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vuce closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Courtial quickly recovers to half guard.
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.
Courtial controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Vuce thows a huge punch but Courtial dodges it nicely.
Vuce throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Vuce missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Vuce takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Courtial is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Vuce scores with a couple of nice shots.
Courtial controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Vuce thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Courtial's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Courtial trying to control here.
Courtial keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Courtial wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vuce missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Vuce lands with a punch from half guard.

It looks like Godefroy Courtial has been cut.
Courtial preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Vuce prevents Courtial from improving his position.
Vuce throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Vuce throwing shots but Courtial is blocking nicely.

Vuce is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Courtial defends it well.
Vuce looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Courtial with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Courtial keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Courtial has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Vuce is working away from the top position though.
Courtial is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Vuce throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vuce looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Courtial is trying is best to control the position here.
Vuce throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Vuce is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Courtial has managed to free his arm - good work.
Vuce not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vuce working over Courtial with some ground and pound. Courtial looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Vuce throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Vuce sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Courtial defending well though.
Vuce wants to stand but Courtial has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Vuce has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Vuce is looking for a kimura but Courtial is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Vuce to get the leverage.
Courtial has his hands clasped together around Vuce's back. He's all about the action.
Courtial trying to control but Vuce postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Courtial is trying is best to control the position here.
Vuce is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Vuce lands with a punch from half guard.
Courtial is positioning himself well to prevent Vuce advancing to mount.
Vuce throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Courtial is pressing down on Vuce's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Vuce throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Vuce postures up in Courtial's guard and throws a big left but Courtial blocks it.
Courtial avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Courtial pulls Vuce in close to prevent any damage.
Vuce wants to pass the guard but Courtial is keeping the position.
Courtial has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Vuce dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Godefroy Courtial's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Courtial swings for the body but Vuce moves out of range.
Courtial throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Vuce has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Courtial.
Courtial jabs at Vuce's body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Courtial.
Vuce tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A big right from Courtial misses.
As Courtial backs off Vuce throws a huge counter combo but Courtial manages to avoid it all.
Vuce fails to land the takedown.
Courtial was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Vuce has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Vuce shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Courtial as he jumps to the side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Courtial lands a slapping body shot.
A low kick lands for Courtial.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Courtial moves into the clinch successfully.
Courtial lands an uppercut.
Vuce fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Godefroy Courtial has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leo Vuce.
Vuce is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Courtial to keep the fight standing.
Vuce jumps guard but Courtial stands there with Vuce around his waist. Vuce gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Vuce tries to pull guard but Courtial won't allow it.
Vuce is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Courtial to keep the fight standing.
Vuce blocking some punches.
Vuce tries to pull guard but Courtial holds him up against the cage and eventually Vuce drops back down to his feet.

Courtial escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vuce takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Vuce closes the distance and clinches up with Courtial, looking for a takedown. Vuce pushes Courtial against the cage but Courtial circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Courtial scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Courtial lands with an overhand left.
A swing and a miss from Courtial.
Vuce defending well as Courtial loads up on a big left hand.
Vuce is looking for the big counter here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Courtial throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Vuce on the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vuce gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Courtial moves into range and connects with a jab.
A clash of legs there as Courtial blocks the low kick.
Courtial lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vuce circles away quickly and effectively.
Vuce misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Courtial misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Vuce.
Vuce wants to counter with a clinch but Courtial pushes him away.
Courtial just misses with a punch to the body.
Courtial scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Courtial getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Courtial is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vuce can do to turn this around?
Courtial throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Courtial misses with a hook. Vuce ducked under it nicely.
Leo Vuce is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vuce shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Courtial pinned against the cage. Courtial gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Vuce shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Courtial sprawls well. Courtial wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Vuce gets slowly back to his feet.
Godefroy Courtial is winning the standup battle so far.
Courtial throws an overhand right that lands on Vuce's shoulder, as Vuce tries to avoid the shot.
Vuce throws a counter combo.
Courtial tries to clinch up but Vuce circles away and keeps his distance.
As Courtial backs off Vuce throws a huge counter combo but Courtial manages to avoid it all.
Vuce slips under a jab from Courtial.
Courtial looks to score with a jab to the body but Vuce is just out of range.
Courtial scores with a hook.
Godefroy Courtial is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Courtial throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Courtial lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Courtial tests Vuce's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Vuce closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Courtial's guard.
Courtial is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Courtial in particular looking to stall.
Courtial blocks the strikes from Vuce.
Courtial moves nicely into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Godefroy Courtial dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Godefroy Courtial's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Courtial rushes Vuce and presses him up against the cage.
Courtial lands a body punch in the clinch.
Courtial lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Courtial tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Vuce is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Courtial to keep the fight standing.
Vuce is trying to pull guard but Courtial has him pressed against the cage.
Courtial misses with a hook from the clinch.
Courtial lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Vuce.
Courtial struggles to land a body shot inside as Vuce controls his hands.
Courtial working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Vuce jumps guard but Courtial stands there with Vuce around his waist. Vuce gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Godefroy Courtial has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leo Vuce.
Vuce is trying to pull guard but Courtial turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Courtial softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Vuce is rocked!
Courtial lands with a left to the head.
Vuce is still on wobbly legs! Can Courtial finish him?
A body shot lands from Courtial.
Vuce takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Courtial lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Courtial lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Vuce to his knees! Courtial keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Godefroy Courtial!