PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Torres (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josiel Palheta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Thiago Torres has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Thiago Torres seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Torres
vs
Palheta

192 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

199 cm
18
244 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Torres!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Josiel Palheta!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Luis Engracia and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Torres swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
Torres works over Palheta's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Josiel Palheta has been cut.
Torres misses with a series of wild punches.
Palheta fails to land the takedown.
Torres misses with a few strikes there.

Palheta feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Palheta sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Torres is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Palheta is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palheta trying to control but Torres is working from the bottom.
Palheta stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Torres swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Palheta gets to his feet - Torres follows without any prompting.
Palheta throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Torres's waist but Torres gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Palheta off to one side.
Palheta looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Thiago Torres has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josiel Palheta.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Torres fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Palheta is out of range.
Palheta turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Torres stalling.
Torres lands with a left to the head.
Torres is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Torres is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Palheta wants to break the clinch but can't.
Palheta fails to pull guard.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Torres seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Palheta is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Torres presses Palheta against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Palheta trying to land knees to the body.

Torres breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Torres fails to land with a series of punches.
Torres jabs at Palheta's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palheta takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Palheta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Torres swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Palheta walks into a stiff left hand from Torres.
Palheta showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Torres.
Torres keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Torres misses with a series of wild punches.
Torres darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Torres throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Palheta.
Palheta fails to land the takedown.
Torres tries to close the distance and clinch up but Palheta swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Palheta looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Torres!
Poor strikes thrown by Palheta there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Torres knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Palheta on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palheta wants to control the pace but Torres is squirming around nicely.
Torres wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Palheta tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
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 Thiago Torres will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Josiel Palheta's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Torres throws a one two combo.
Palheta shoots for a double leg takedown but Torres sprawls well. He's pushed Palheta's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Palheta is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Palheta takes a swing at Torres's ribcage but misses.
Torres scores with the left hand. Palheta knows he should have avoided that one.
Torres doesn't manage to clinch there - Palheta circles away.
Torres fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice sprawl there from Torres as Palheta shoots in.
Torres fails in his attempt to clinch.
Palheta doesn't manage to clinch there - Torres circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palheta tries to clinch there but Torres circles away.
Palheta keeps the fight on the outside.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Palheta tries for a takedown but Torres sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Thiago Torres has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josiel Palheta.
Torres looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Torres shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palheta will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thiago Torres is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Palheta misses with a wild body shot.
Horrible takedown by Palheta or perhaps it was just good defense by Torres which made him look bad.
Palheta avoids a punch combination nicely.
Torres doesn't manage to clinch there - Palheta circles away.
Torres rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Palheta moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Palheta throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Torres's waist but Torres gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Palheta off to one side.
Torres lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Palheta circles away quickly and effectively.
A jab from Torres finds it's way through Palheta's defenses.
Nice takedown defense from Torres. No joy for Palheta on that attempt.
Torres will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A combination from Torres does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Palheta avoids a punch combination nicely.
Torres throws a leg kick that is checked

and Palheta counters with a nice double leg into side control. Torres won't be happy with that.
Torres is being controlled here.
Palheta wants to control but Torres is keeping him busy.
Palheta has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Torres!
Palheta can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Torres is looking to escape.
Torres in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Torres wants to control but Palheta is having none of it.
Palheta breaks from Torres's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Palheta working Torres over with strikes here.

Palheta looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's four 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.
Palheta controlling his opponent.
Palheta can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Torres is looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josiel Palheta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Josiel Palheta's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A left and a right from Torres both land. Nice combination.

Palheta drives through with a takedown into guard.

Palheta stands and steps away. Torres gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Torres is looking to score with low kicks.
Torres throws a series of punches but Palheta moves out of range.

Torres has taken the fight to the clinch.

Torres pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Torres misses with a head kick.
A jab from Palheta misses.
A head kick by Torres misses

and Palheta counters with a takedown into side control.
Palheta wants to lay and pray for a moment but Torres keeps working.
Palheta might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Torres kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Torres is looking for a sweep.

Palheta thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Palheta stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Torres misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Palheta.
Palheta closes the distance and clinches up with Torres, looking for a takedown. Palheta pushes Torres against the cage but Torres circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Palheta tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Palheta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Palheta is looking to clinch.
Palheta shoots in and drives through. Torres sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Torres misses with a leg kick

and Palheta counters by clinching up.
Torres is trying to break the clinch but Palheta has him pressed against the cage.
Palheta trying to control the position but instead, Torres has worked for underhooks and has pushed Palheta into the cage.
Torres lands a right hand.
Palheta is trying to drag Torres to the mat but Torres just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Thiago Torres has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josiel Palheta.
Torres is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Palheta is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Torres lands with a short shot to the head.
Torres wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Palheta trying to land knees to the body.

Torres escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Palheta scores a takedown into full mount!
Torres is trying to stand but he's just given Palheta his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palheta missing with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Palheta is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Torres defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Palheta tries to keep control of the position but Torres is staying busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josiel Palheta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Palheta 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josiel Palheta!