PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paul Bourque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeffson Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie has chosen Cliff Richard - Summer Holiday as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Paul Bourque has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Paul Bourque seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Bourque
vs
Gracie

192 cm
42
156 lbs
46 - 25 - 0

160 cm
39
155 lbs
31 - 24 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)

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 46 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paul Bourque!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 24 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jeffson Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie connects with a body shot.
Bourque fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Gracie clinches up against the cage.
A knee to the head by Gracie.

It looks like Paul Bourque has been cut.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
Bourque is trying to break the clinch but Gracie has him pressed against the cage.
Gracie tries a knee to the head but Bourque blocks it.
Bourque wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gracie has him pressed against the cage.

Gracie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bourque looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Gracie looks to land a combination but Bourque avoids it well.
Paul Bourque seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bourque throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Gracie slips under a jab from Bourque.
Bourque tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bourque throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bourque connects with a right hand. Gracie shakes it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bourque jabs Gracie right on the nose. Gracie blinks but takes it well.
We've been informed that Gracie has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Jab by Bourque.
Bourque fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bourque swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Bourque throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.
Bourque closes the distance but Gracie moves to the side

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bourque's guard.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Bourque is retaining full guard.
Gracie working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Gracie has gone for a leg lock! Bourque slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gracie's guard.

Gracie has a closed guard, preventing Bourque from standing up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Bourque doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Bourque manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Bourque trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gracie's guard.
Bourque preventing the sweep.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Bourque has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gracie is proving hard to escape from.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bourque would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bourque has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bourque throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bourque's guard.

Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Bourque regains half guard.
Gracie is keen to just control but Bourque is a slippery customer.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Bourque is controlling Gracie's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Gracie wants to stand but Bourque has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throwing shots but Bourque is blocking nicely.
Gracie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bourque does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gracie wants to advance to full mount but Bourque doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Bourque will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bourque is adopting a defensive guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bourque is proving hard to escape from.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jeffson Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Paul Bourque's cut.
That's time! Bourque's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nice straight punches there by Bourque. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Bourque.
Bourque scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gracie takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Bourque waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Paul Bourque is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie blocks a jab.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bourque swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bourque clobbers Gracie with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bourque scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Gracie shoots in but Bourque avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bourque lands with an overhand left.
A big left from Gracie misses.
Bourque lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Gracie takes a jab right on the kisser.
Gracie takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Bourque lands a right hook to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bourque's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gracie under the eye.
Gracie connects with a looping right hand.
Bourque throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bourque is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Bourque misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bourque throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Bourque fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bourque scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Bourque swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Bourque misses with a straight right.
A swing and a miss from Bourque.
Good standup being displayed there by Bourque as he connects with a hook.
Gracie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bourque.
Gracie on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Good shot there by Bourque.
Gracie displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bourque throws out the jab.
Gracie slips a jab from Bourque.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Bourque sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bourque cracks Gracie with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bourque throws a poor cross that misses

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.
Jeffson Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bourque has escaped the position, nice work there.
Bourque is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but Bourque denies him.
Gracie tries to stand but Bourque is controlling his head.
Gracie tries to move to mount but Bourque blocks the move with his legs.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bourque, who protects the arm well.
Bourque is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?
Gracie advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Bourque dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Paul Bourque's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bourque scores with a three punch combo!
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Bourque.
Gracie takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Bourque throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jab by Bourque.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bourque paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Bourque.
Bourque works over Gracie's head and body with a nice combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bourque throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bourque misses with a hook.
Bourque misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bourque tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bourque is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Bourque thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bourque throws out a loose jab but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bourque lands with a good body shot.
Bourque throws a shot to the body.
Bourque misses the jab.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Bourque.
Paul Bourque is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bourque fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Paul Bourque is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bourque connects with a crisp jab.
Bourque circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bourque doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bourque connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Gracie's hands.
Gracie goes for a double leg but Bourque avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bourque continues to drive forward.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bourque tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracie on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bourque.
Bourque wants to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bourque.
Gracie staying out of range there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bourque scores with a crisp jab that stopped Gracie in his tracks.
Nice sprawl there from Bourque as Gracie shoots in.
The crowd cheers as Bourque lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gracie doesn't seem phased though.
Bourque stalks Gracie and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Gracie's face. Gracie staggers backwards, shaken.
A right-left combo lands from Bourque.
Gracie slips under a jab.
A big left from Gracie misses.
Gracie takes a jab right on the kisser.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bourque throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Gracie counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie loads up on a big right hand but Bourque slips the punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Gracie 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Bourque smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Gracie throws a jab but it's blocked by Bourque.
Bourque misses with a wild combination.
Bourque sizes up Gracie with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Gracie is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Bourque looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Paul Bourque has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffson Gracie.
Bourque swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Bourque showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bourque has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Bourque!
Our winner, Paul Bourque, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.