PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Matt Vera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pierre Luke Bonaparte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Vera
vs
Luke Bonaparte

180 cm
25
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matt Vera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pierre Luke Bonaparte!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Dillan Fox and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vera shoots in but no luck this time.
Vera fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Vera tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Bonaparte rushes Vera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Vera jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bonaparte walks away with a smile on his face. Vera gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Vera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bonaparte circles away from the clinch attempt

and Bonaparte counters with a nice double leg into side control. Vera won't be happy with that.
Bonaparte is looking to take a break and control but Vera is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vera really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Vera tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bonaparte is chipping away with strikes.
Vera is trying to improve his position.
Vera is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Bonaparte has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera is not content to let Bonaparte control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A head kick by Vera misses
and Bonaparte counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Vera is breathing heavily.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Bonaparte.
Bonaparte will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Bonaparte has closed the distance and engaged Vera in a clinch.

Bonaparte breaks from the clinch.
Vera takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Bonaparte shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Bonaparte was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Vera working to try and regain half guard.
Bonaparte takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Vera is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bonaparte breaks from Vera's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Bonaparte is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Vera can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Vera is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bonaparte fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Bonaparte controlling his opponent.
Vera is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bonaparte landing strikes, looking to finish!
Bonaparte looking to control but Vera is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Vera working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera wants to get back to his feet.
Bonaparte looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Bonaparte won't let Vera get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Bonaparte cracks Vera with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Bonaparte takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Vera is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Bonaparte scoring with strikes but Vera is staying in there.
Bonaparte pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Vera tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Vera is working hard here to advance position.
Bonaparte is landing with some decent strikes but Vera is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Bonaparte lands a big elbow.
Bonaparte lands with some strikes.
Vera working to try and regain half guard.
Bonaparte trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bonaparte really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Vera. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vera is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pierre Luke Bonaparte dominated that round.
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.

Vera closes the distance looking to clinch

so Bonaparte counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Vera is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bonaparte throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Bonaparte must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bonaparte tries to free his leg and advance position but Vera is retaining full guard.
Bonaparte wants to control from the top but Vera keeps moving.
Bonaparte is working Vera over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Bonaparte trying to control but Vera is working from the bottom.

Vera has his foot on Bonaparte's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bonaparte works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bonaparte trying to control but Vera is working from the bottom.

Vera looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera keeping moving, preventing Bonaparte from controlling successfully.

Vera is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Vera had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bonaparte defends it easily.

Vera had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bonaparte defends it easily.
Bonaparte trying to control but Vera is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Vera looking for a guillotine here but Bonaparte defends easily.

Vera working for a triangle but Bonaparte defends it easily.

Bonaparte avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Vera looking for a guillotine here but Bonaparte defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bonaparte trying to control but Vera is working from the bottom.

Vera has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bonaparte can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bonaparte passes Vera's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Bonaparte is trying to control the action in half guard but Vera is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Vera is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bonaparte pulls his head out easily.
Bonaparte wants to stand up but Vera is controlling the position.

That's four 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.
Vera is not content to let Bonaparte control the position.

Vera kicks off Bonaparte and gets to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Vera. No joy for Bonaparte on that attempt.
Vera moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Bonaparte shoots in but Vera avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Vera has his takedown stuffed

and Bonaparte counters by clinching up.
Vera jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bonaparte walks away with a smile on his face. Vera gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Vera throws a right and a left that Bonaparte avoids nicely.

Bonaparte gets the takedown into side control.
Vera stops Bonaparte from passing to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Matt Vera will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Vera with a poor takedown

and Bonaparte counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vera's guard now.

Bonaparte got a little sloppy there for a moment and Vera has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bonaparte has managed to get both his arms back between Vera's legs - danger averted.
Bonaparte stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vera swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vera keeping moving, preventing Bonaparte from controlling successfully.

Vera is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bonaparte defends well.
Vera wants to stand up but Bonaparte is controlling him.

Vera is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bonaparte is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vera had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bonaparte defends it easily.
Bonaparte wants to pass the guard but Vera is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Vera is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bonaparte is aware though and is defending well.

Vera has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bonaparte can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bonaparte wants to get up but he can't break Vera's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Bonaparte is posturing up here but Vera has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Bonaparte tries to roll out but it's too tight and Bonaparte has to tap! Slick submission there by Vera!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Matt Vera!