PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Timothy Bourque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pope is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: For Whom The Bell Tolls. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bourque
vs
Pope

225 cm
44
270 lbs
49 - 24 - 0

190 cm
32
213 lbs
25 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)

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 49 - 24 - 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 25 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Pope!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Edson Gomes and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pope keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pope slips under a jab from Bourque.
Bourque lands the left hand.
Pope throws the left hand but Bourque avoids the punch easily.
Pope misses with a hook. Bourque ducked under it nicely.
We've been told by Bourque's head coaches at The Warehouse that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Bourque throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Nice jab there from Pope.

It looks like Timothy Bourque has been cut.
Pope on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bourque misses with a jab to the body
and Pope counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Bourque moves out of range as Pope strikes.
Pope misses with an uppercut. Bourque saw that one coming.
A head kick misses from Bourque.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bourque throws a right and a left that Pope avoids nicely.
Pope misses the jab.
Michael Pope seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bourque thuds his shin into the meat of Pope's side.
A left lands for Pope.
Bourque throws a sloppy head kick and Pope moves out of range easily.
Pope avoids the head kick by Bourque.
Pope misses the jab.
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 throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Pope drops his hands momentarily and Bourque takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pope needs to keep his hands up - Bourque had a free shot at his head there.
Bourque connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Bourque is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pope misses with a straight left.
Bourque jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Pope gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Bourque counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Pope thinking.
Bourque throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Pope throws a big shot that misses.
Pope misses with a head kick.
Bourque scores with a head kick. Pope tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Bourque is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jab by Bourque.
Pope throws a body kick that misses.
Pope throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Pope on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Bourque looks to land a body kick but Pope moved away.
Bourque throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Left hook, right uppercut from Bourque.
Pope throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Bourque counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bourque gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Bourque.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pope misses with a left hand
and Bourque counters with a stiff right hand.
Bourque scores with a decent looking hook.
Pope connects with a high kick.
Bourque throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Pope misses the jab.
Bourque looks to score with a jab to the body but Pope is just out of range.
Pope lands with a straight right. Bourque didn't see that one coming.
Pope throws a head kick that misses
and Bourque counters with a right hand to the body.
Bourque is looking to slow Pope down with leg kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timothy Bourque dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Timothy Bourque's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Bourque throws a hook to the side of Pope's head but Pope sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Pope misses with a looping right.
Bourque tries a head kick but it misses.
Pope throws a lazy body kick
and Bourque cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pope misses with a hook. Bourque ducked under it nicely.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Pope might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Bourque has got the better of the exchanges.
A head kick by Pope misses
and Bourque counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
A head kick by Pope misses
and Bourque counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pope on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Pope misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pope avoids the body shot from Bourque.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bourque throws a sloppy head kick and Pope moves out of range easily.
Bourque moves out of range as Pope throws a body kick.
Bourque cracks Pope with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A head kick by Pope misses
and Bourque counters with a solid body kick.
Bourque misses with an uppercut. Pope saw that one coming.
A jab from Bourque finds it's way through Pope's defenses.
Bourque misses with a looping left.
Timothy Bourque is winning the standup battle so far.
Bourque avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Pope bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bourque slips under a jab from Pope.
Timothy Bourque is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bourque throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sloppy strikes from Pope. Those never looked like landing.
Bourque misses with a double jab.
Bourque shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pope throws a shot from downtown. Bourque moves away and avoids it.
Bourque swings for the body but Pope moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Pope.
Pope takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Bourque avoids the head kick by Pope.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bourque waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pope.
Pope looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bourque scores with a nice body kick.
Bourque is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pope can do to turn this around?
Bourque looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Bourque lets loose with a powerful body kick. Pope will feel that in the morning.
Pope blocks a jab.
Bourque throws a body kick that misses.
Bourque throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pope.
Pope throws a looping overhand right but Bourque ducks down to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bourque takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Pope tries a head kick but it misses.
Some wild striking there from Bourque.
Pope pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pope staying out of range there.
Bourque pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pope tries to land a body kick
and Bourque makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Pope throws a jab but it's blocked by Bourque.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timothy Bourque dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Bourque connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Pope tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pope throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bourque avoids the head kick by Pope.
Pope ducks under a wild hook from Bourque.
Pope looks to land a right hand but Bourque moved out of range.
Bourque buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pope throws a lazy uppercut
and Bourque counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A head kick by Pope misses
and Bourque counters with a three punch combo that has Pope backing up. Pope nods at Bourque to acknowledge the strikes.
Pope waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bourque.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bourque scores with a nice right hand.
Bourque throws a big shot that misses.
Pope has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Bourque lands a lovely overhand right.
Bourque just misses with a punch to the body.
Pope throws a looping overhand right but Bourque ducks down to avoid it.
Good exchange - Bourque coming out on top.
Pope moves away from the strike by Bourque.
Bourque throws a big shot that misses.
Pope uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bourque.
Michael Pope has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Timothy Bourque is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab by Bourque.
Bourque misses with a head kick.
Pope misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bourque digs a good body shot into Pope's ribs.
A slow jab from Pope misses its intended target.
Pope blocks a head kick by Bourque.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bourque swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pope uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bourque.
Pope tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope throws a sloppy head kick and Bourque moves out of range easily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Bourque.
Bourque paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Bourque lands a high kick!
Bourque swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Bourque, as that shot connected.
A thudding body kick lands there by Bourque!
Pope looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Bourque misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope throws a lazy head kick
and Bourque counters with a nice low kick that buckles Pope's knee momentarily.
Bourque misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pope blocks a head kick by Bourque.
Bourque walks into a straight right hand from Pope.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bourque pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bourque blocks a head kick by Pope.
Pope misses with a body kick.
Bourque misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pope misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Timothy Bourque showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Bourque has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Timothy Bourque!
After winning the bout, Timothy Bourque thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.