PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Timothy Bourque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Staal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Bourque
vs
Staal

225 cm
34
270 lbs
34 - 14 - 0

195 cm
27
230 lbs
16 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Steel Terror-Trition: Video Proven 160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 34 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Timothy Bourque!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Staal!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bourque misses with a wild body shot.
Staal on the wrong end of a nice hook.
An inside leg kick lands from Staal.
Staal lands a glancing blow to the side of Bourque's head.

It looks like Timothy Bourque has been cut.
Staal scores with a leg kick.
Staal misses with a body kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bourque cracks Staal with a right hand to the side of the head.
A nice inside leg kick there by Bourque. That's going to slow Staal down.
Bourque misses with a head kick.
Staal looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A head kick misses from Staal.
Bourque blocks the body kick.
Bourque thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bourque throws a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bourque.
Bourque really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bourque takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Bourque looks to land a right hand but Staal moved out of range.
Staal pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bourque throws a series of punches but Staal moves out of range.
Staal tries to bum rush Bourque with a series of wild strikes but Bourque uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bourque checks the leg kick.
Bourque's jab looks to have found its range, popping Staal under the eye.
Staal is looking to slow Bourque down with leg kicks.
Staal connects with a leg kick. Bourque looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
The fighters circling - Staal throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Staal takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Staal throws a head kick but Bourque moves out of range.
Staal cracks the inside of Bourque's front leg.
Good leg kick by Staal there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Bourque comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Bourque misses with a body kick.
Staal throws a half hearted mid kick.
Staal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A lazy left from Bourque finds it's target.
Bourque takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Bourque walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
John Staal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bourque moves out of range of the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal scores with a head kick.
Bourque lands with an overhand left.
Staal connects with a good right hand that stumbles Bourque. Bourque circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Staal swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Staal throws a lazy head kick
and Bourque counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bourque fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jab by Bourque.
Bourque's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Staal connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Bourque scrambles back to his feet.

Timothy Bourque's cut is getting worse.
A leg kick checked by Bourque.
Bourque takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Staal misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Staal.
Bourque misses with a double jab.
Bourque uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Staal.
Staal clobbers Bourque with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Bourque is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Staal listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Staal misses the shot to the body.
Nice shot by Bourque.
A slapping leg kick lands for Staal.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bourque tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Staal was well out of range. Poor timing from Bourque.
Bourque misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A telegraphed right hand from Staal misses the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Staal dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Timothy Bourque's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Staal lands with a straight right. Bourque didn't see that one coming.
Staal pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bourque keeps the fight on the outside.
Bourque moves out of range as Staal strikes.
Staal with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Staal tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Bourque swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Staal.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Staal. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Bourque on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Bourque takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Bourque on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bourque scores with a jab.
John Staal seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bourque throws a sloppy head kick and Staal moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bourque checks a leg kick.
Bourque uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Staal.

Staal closes the distance and clinches.
Staal swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Staal lands a shoulder strike.
Staal makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bourque is trying to force a seperation but Staal has the dominant position.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Staal.
Bourque can't find room to land a body shot as Staal controls the action.
Staal has Bourque pressed against the cage, preventing Bourque from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Staal is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Staal lands a hook to the side of the head.

Timothy Bourque's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Staal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Staal looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bourque dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bourque blocks a head kick by Staal.
A low kick from Staal is predictable there
and Bourque counters with a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Staal tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Staal misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Bourque.
Staal dodges the punch combination from Bourque.
Bourque is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Bourque on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Staal. Staal obviously looking to wear him down.
Bourque is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Staal closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Staal lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Bourque on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal looks to land a left hand but Bourque moved out of range nicely.
Timothy Bourque is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Staal misses with a head kick.
Bourque misses with a looping right.
Staal misses the shot to the body.
Staal throws a leg kick

and Bourque counters with a head kick that drops Staal to the mat! Staal scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Staal is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bourque avoids a kick to the body.
Staal is still on wobbly legs! Can Bourque finish him?
Staal walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Bourque is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Staal.
Bourque has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Bourque there as he acknowledges the shot.
Staal seems to have recovered his senses.
Staal walks into a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bourque tries a head kick but it misses.
Staal staying out of range there.
Staal looks to land a combination but Bourque avoids it well.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Bourque crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Staal - the referee stops the clock and Bourque gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Staal. Bourque manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Staal goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Crunch! Staal slams his shin into Bourque's torso.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Staal thows a body kick. Bourque tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Bourque rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Staal counters with an outside leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Staal throws the kick towards the body but Bourque avoids it.
Staal digs a good body shot into Bourque's ribs.
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 Timothy Bourque will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Timothy Bourque's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Bourque on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Staal. Staal obviously looking to wear him down.
Bourque throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Staal.

Staal pushes Bourque up against the cage in a clinch.
Staal lands a body shot.
Staal gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Timothy Bourque's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). John Staal!