PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kenshi Zuko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacques Francel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zuko comes to the cage accompanied by Turning Japanese. Francel is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Voix de fait. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Zuko
vs
Francel

181 cm
24
184 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

176 cm
20
183 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kenshi Zuko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jacques Francel!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Robert Douchet and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Francel throws a wild body kick that Zuko sees coming a mile off.
Zuko misses with a jab, cross combination.
Zuko drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Francel throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Zuko wants to clinch up but Francel keeps it at a distance.
The fighters circling - Zuko throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Zuko thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zuko lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Francel circles away quickly and effectively.
Nice defenses there by Zuko.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zuko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A left lands for Francel.
Zuko fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Francel avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice defenses there by Zuko.
Zuko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Francel has his takedown stuffed
and Zuko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Zuko throws a series of punches but Francel avoids them all with ease.
Zuko tries to clinch but Francel moves out of range.
Francel fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Zuko.
Zuko fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuko tries to clinch there but Francel circles away.
Zuko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Francel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zuko avoids the body shot from Francel.
Zuko misses with the combination.
Francel misses with a combination
and Zuko counters with a nice body shot.
Francel swings away with a body shot that misses
and Zuko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A solid leg kick lands there for Francel.
Francel misses with a straight left.
A jab from Francel misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Francel shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Zuko is doing well to control the position and prevent Francel from advancing to side control.
Francel controlling the pace.
Zuko has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Francel is working away from the top position though.
Zuko keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Francel is trying to work for a kimura but Zuko is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Francel is pressing down on Zuko's thigh, looking to free his foot. Zuko is holding on for now.
Zuko is trying to get back to full guard.
Francel stalling.
Francel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Zuko is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kenshi Zuko will probably get the nod.
That's time! Zuko's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Zuko tries to close the distance and clinch but Francel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zuko throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Zuko misses with a combination

and Francel counters with a takedown into side control.
Zuko manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Zuko looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Francel tries to roll over but Zuko keeps him under control.
Zuko stalling.
Zuko wants to pass to mount but Francel is defending the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francel controlling the position for now.
Francel is looking to control Zuko's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Francel avoid being mounted?
Zuko prevents Francel from standing back up.
Francel moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Zuko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Francel works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Zuko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Francel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zuko with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Francel keeping moving, preventing Zuko from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Francel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zuko.
Zuko won't allow Francel to get back to his feet.
Francel lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Zuko!
Francel raining down shots from the mount!
Francel looking to finish with strikes here!
Zuko tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Francel trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Francel is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Zuko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Zuko is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Francel avoids the attempt from Zuko to control.
Francel with a couple of short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Francel throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Poor strikes thrown by Francel there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Francel with the ground and pound from mount.
Francel unloads with some shots from mount but Zuko bucks and avoids them well.
Zuko really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Francel is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Zuko to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Zuko shrugs it off.
Francel is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Zuko is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacques Francel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Zuko doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Francel counters with an inside leg kick.
Zuko misses with a double jab
and Francel counters with a one-two to the body.
Francel misses with a wild body shot.
Zuko falls off balance throwing a combination

and Francel decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zuko's guard.
Francel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zuko is keeping the position for now.
Zuko not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francel slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Francel trying to control but Zuko is working from the bottom.
Zuko working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Francel.
Francel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Francel being controlled here momentarily.
Zuko wants to sweep here but Francel controlling him for the moment.
Francel slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Francel scores with a jab.
Francel scores with a shot to the body.

Francel shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Francel is working for a submission of some sort.
Zuko is not content to let Francel control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuko wants to control but Francel is keeping busy.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Francel in particular looking to stall.
Zuko is looking to escape.

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.
Zuko is refusing to be controlled, as Francel sits in half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jacques Francel wasn't active enough on the ground.
Francel shoots in and drives through. Zuko sprawls well.
Zuko leaves Francel with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Zuko loads up on a big right hand but Francel slips the punch.
Zuko with a lazy takedown attempt
and Francel counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Francel 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.
Zuko showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Francel.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacques Francel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Francel 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacques Francel!