PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Gracie Jr (ranked 24120 p4p, 835 weight class) and Raphael Bordel (ranked 24040 p4p, 832 weight class). Gracie Jr comes to the cage accompanied by System Of a Down - She's Like Heroin #10. Raphael Bordel acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Gracie Jr
vs
Bordel

189 cm
27
265 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

190 cm
20
251 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Xavier Gracie Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Raphael Bordel!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bordel bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Gracie Jr blocks a jab.
Bordel connects with a single shot there.
Bordel darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gracie Jr slips under a jab from Bordel.
Gracie Jr shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bordel but Bordel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie Jr swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A swing and a miss from Gracie Jr.
Bordel should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Oh, that's a big right hand from Gracie Jr and Bordel goes tumbling to the canvas! Gracie Jr follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.

It looks like Raphael Bordel has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bordel trying to control but Gracie Jr postures up.

Gracie Jr decides to return to a standing position.

Gracie Jr tries to keep at a distance but Bordel has taken the fight into the clinch.
Bordel is working for takedown but Gracie Jr is calmly controlling the position for now.
Bordel keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gracie Jr's efforts to push away.
Gracie Jr blocks a body shot from Bordel.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bordel is working for takedown but Gracie Jr is calmly controlling the position for now.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Bordel as Gracie Jr tries to tie him up.
Bordel is looking to take this one to the mat.
Xavier Gracie Jr has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raphael Bordel.
A short right from Bordel on the inside.
Bordel working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Gracie Jr pulls guard successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie Jr controls Bordel momentarily but Bordel frees himself.
Bordel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie Jr swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bordel trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bordel is looking to stand up but Gracie Jr won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bordel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie Jr swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bordel looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie Jr gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gracie Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Bordel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bordel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie Jr can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bordel can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gracie Jr 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.
Gracie Jr is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Bordel trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie Jr is proving a slippery customer.
Gracie Jr postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bordel keeping moving, preventing Gracie Jr from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gracie Jr chips away with some ground and pound.
Gracie Jr trying to control but Bordel is working from the bottom.
Bordel wants to get back to his feet but Gracie Jr is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gracie Jr with a nice head shot there.
Gracie Jr lands a couple of elbows.
Bordel looking for a sweep. Not yet Bordel, not yet.
Bordel working a defensive guard here.
Gracie Jr makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gracie Jr has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Bordel wants to get back to his feet but Gracie Jr is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bordel really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie Jr. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gracie Jr lands a couple of digs.

That has opened up Raphael Bordel's cut even more.
Gracie Jr trying to control but Bordel is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bordel has momentary wrist control but Gracie Jr slips an elbow through the middle.

Raphael Bordel's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Xavier Gracie Jr!