PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Plank (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pelayo Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for John Plank has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Plank
vs
Palhares

188 cm
22
195 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

174 cm
22
196 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Granite chin

(T.H.C) BlackOut Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Plank!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Pelayo Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palhares throws a lazy uppercut
and Plank finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Plank connects with a looping right hand.
Plank throws a lazy right hand but Palhares sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Palhares shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Palhares was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Palhares breaks from Plank's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Palhares is landing with some decent strikes but Plank is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Plank swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Palhares controlling his opponent.
Palhares is landing with some decent strikes but Plank is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Plank is desperately trying to improve his position but Palhares has a good base and remains in mount.
Palhares wants to control the pace but Plank is squirming around nicely.
Palhares has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Palhares scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Plank?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plank is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Plank keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Palhares.
Plank is trying desperately to improve position.
Plank really wants to buck Palhares off and get back to his feet.
Palhares landing strikes from the mount and Plank is in trouble!
Palhares looking to control but Plank is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Palhares connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Plank's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares controlling from mount.
Palhares lands a big shot there that rocks Plank but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palhares controlling the pace for now.
Palhares raining down shots from the mount!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Plank is looking to get to half guard.
Plank knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Palhares on the ground.
Plank is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Plank throwing hammer fists to the chest of Palhares. What's that going to do exactly?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares controlling from mount.
Let's hope that Palhares has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Palhares can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Plank is looking to escape.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Plank takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Plank is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Palhares lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Plank that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Palhares wants to finish this one by submission but Plank is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Palhares.
Palhares controlling from mount.
Plank is looking to improve his position but Palhares isn't that keen on the idea.
Palhares is in the full mount, landing strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Plank defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Palhares.
Plank wants to try and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pelayo Palhares dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Palhares misses with a wild body shot.

Palhares drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Plank is looking to regain half guard here but Palhares keeps moving and retains side control.
Palhares working the ground and pound but Plank is defending the strikes.
Plank wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Palhares is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Plank knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Plank taking a bit of punishment here - Palhares scoring with strikes.
Plank bucks up and tries to throw Palhares off but instead Palhares has got his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares wants to control but Plank is keeping busy.
Plank tries to escape but Palhares has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Palhares tries to get the hooks in deep but Plank pushed the leg off.
Palhares wants to control but Plank manages to buck him off and is now in Palhares's guard! Nice work there by Plank!
Palhares is pulling down on Plank's head. It's preventing any offense from Plank, at least for the moment.
Plank throws a big right hand that misses.
Palhares is trying to keep Plank in close.
Plank postures up in Palhares's guard and throws a big left but Palhares blocks it.
Plank will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Palhares is trying to keep Plank in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Plank throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Palhares works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Plank throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Palhares has Plank pulled in close to control his posture.
Palhares trying to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Pelayo Palhares was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Plank lands a nice looking body kick.
Plank fails in his attempt to clinch.
Plank misses with a looping right.
Horrible takedown by Palhares or perhaps it was just good defense by Plank which made him look bad.
Palhares misses with a body punch
and Plank counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares misses with a body punch
and Plank counters with a low kick, right behind Palhares 's knee.
Palhares throws a sloppy body shot
and Plank counters with a straight right hand.
Plank throws a wild body kick that Palhares sees coming a mile off.
Palhares with a poor takedown
and Plank cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A jab from Palhares does it's job there.
Palhares throws a right hand that misses
letting Plank counter with a right hand.
Palhares throws a combination that misses
and Plank makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Plank is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Plank throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
John Plank is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Plank misses with a double jab
and Palhares counters with a nice uppercut.
Palhares swings widly with a right hand
and Plank counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palhares throws a lazy uppercut
and Plank counters with a body kick that stops Palhares in his tracks momentarily.
Plank throws a head kick but Palhares moves out of range.
Plank connects with a body shot that sends Palhares's belly button to the back.
Palhares throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Plank counters with a good, hard body kick but Palhares shrugs it off.
A solid body kick from Plank.
Palhares has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Plank.

Palhares drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Plank looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Palhares puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Plank tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Palhares performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Plank kicks off Palhares and gets to his feet.
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 John Plank will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Palhares connects with a body shot.
Palhares misses the body punch
and Plank counters with a flying knee. Nice.
A shot to the body from Palhares misses
and Plank counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Palhares swings widly with a right hand
and Plank counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Palhares thinking.
Plank takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Plank lands a front kick.
Plank lands a head kick!
Palhares misses with a double jab
and Plank connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Palhares takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Palhares misses with a body punch
and Plank cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pelayo Palhares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Plank tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice shot lands for Plank.
Palhares misses with an uppercut
and Plank counters with a straight right hand.
Palhares misses with a body punch
and Plank counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Palhares throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Plank to counter with a crisp jab.
Both fighters circling a little - Plank finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Plank throws a front kick that sends Palhares stumbling back into the cage.
Palhares misses with a left hand
and Plank counters with an outside leg kick.
Palhares swings widly with a right hand
and Plank counters with a nice uppercut.
Plank feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Palhares's calf.
Nice cross by Plank.
Plank lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Plank counters with a straight right hand.
Palhares misses with a right hand
and Plank counters with a left and a right that stings Palhares.
Plank moves in looking to clinch but Palhares pushes him off.
Palhares throws an off balance right hand
and Plank counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Palhares on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Palhares fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Plank sprawls well initially but Palhares persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palhares throwing shots but Plank is blocking nicely.

Plank kicks off Palhares and gets to his feet.
Palhares swings widly with a right hand
and Plank counters with a head kick. That will keep Palhares thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Palhares misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Plank.
Palhares throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Plank counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plank jabs at Palhares's body.
Plank is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Palhares misses with a body punch

and Plank counters by moving into the clinch.
Plank lands a knee to the head.
Plank throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Plank lands a right hand.
Plank creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Palhares's defenses.

It looks like Pelayo Palhares has been cut.
Plank misses with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Plank.
Plank lands a knee to the head.
Palhares takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Palhares tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Plank smiles and moves away.
Palhares swings widly with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Plank tries to clinch but Palhares moves out of range.
Plank ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Palhares moves away.
Plank connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Palhares momentarily.
Palhares misses with a right hand
enabling Plank to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palhares misses with a shot to the body
and Plank counters with a stiff right hand.
Palhares has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Plank.
Plank plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Plank has closed the distance and engaged Palhares in a clinch.
Plank lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Plank.
Palhares blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Palhares has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Plank creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Plank misses with an elbow strike.
Plank misses with a knee strike.
Palhares is trying to push Plank away but Plank has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Plank misses with an elbow strike.

Palhares drags the fight down to the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palhares manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Plank manages to get himself to full guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Plank wants to get back to his feet but Palhares is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Plank clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Pelayo Palhares's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Palhares tries for a takedown but Plank circles away easily
and Plank counters with a head kick. That will keep Palhares thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Plank throws a nice inside leg kick.
Palhares misses with the combination.
Plank lands with a slapping head kick.
Palhares misses with a two punch combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Plank tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Palhares has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Plank finds it's way round the side to connect with Palhares's head.
Palhares throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Plank stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Palhares throws a predictable looking body shot
and Plank counters with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares misses with a lunging right hand
and Plank counters with a head kick. That will keep Palhares thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Palhares with a hook.
Palhares fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Palhares is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Palhares closes this distance looking for a takedown but Plank circles away.
Palhares swings away with a body shot that misses
and Plank counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Palhares keeps the fight on the outside.
Plank slaps away a takedown attempt from Palhares, before circling back to the center of the mat.
John Plank has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pelayo Palhares.
Plank moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Palhares misses with a body shot
and Plank counters with a stiff right hand.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Palhares, as that shot connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Plank tries to move into range but Palhares moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Plank misses with a wild body shot.
Plank swings away with a body shot that misses

so Palhares counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Plank trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Palhares showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Plank keeping moving, preventing Palhares from controlling successfully.
Plank trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Plank wants to get back to his feet but Palhares passes into half guard.
Palhares stalling away here and it's allowed Plank to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares wants to control from the top but Plank keeps moving.
Palhares passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palhares wants to free his trapped foot but Plank is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Still in half guard, Palhares seems content to control.
Palhares is nestled in close to Plank, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Palhares content to control rather than advance.
Pelayo Palhares has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plank throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Palhares stalling.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Plank throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Palhares manages to pass to side control.
Plank wants to get back to his feet but Palhares is dominant here and he's now got Plank's back!
Plank tries to roll but Palhares sticks to his back.
Palhares slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pelayo Palhares dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Pelayo Palhares's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Palhares throws a predictable looking body shot
and Plank counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
John Plank is winning the standup battle so far.
Palhares throws an overhand right that lands on Plank's shoulder, as Plank tries to avoid the shot.
Palhares misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Plank.
Palhares gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Plank counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Palhares misses with a right hand
and Plank counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Palhares works Plank's body with a nice hook.
Palhares misses with a shot to the body
and Plank counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Plank thumps Palhares with a low kick.
Palhares defending well as Plank loads up on a big left hand.
Palhares avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares misses with a right hand
and Plank counters with a big head kick but Palhares shrugs it off.
Palhares with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Plank is looking to land body kicks.
Palhares swings widly with a right hand
and Plank counters with a body kick that stops Palhares in his tracks momentarily.
Plank scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Plank takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Palhares shoots in but Plank avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Plank tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Palhares paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Plank wants to clinch.
Palhares misses with a lunging right hand
and Plank counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares closes this distance looking for a takedown but Plank circles away.
John Plank has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pelayo Palhares.
Plank misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Palhares.
Plank connects with a body shot.
Plank darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Plank misses with a body shot.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Palhares.
A lull in the action here.
Plank is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Palhares asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares looks up at the clock and then as Plank takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Palhares smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Palhares wants to lay and pray for a moment but Plank keeps working.
Palhares scores with punches from side control.
Plank is pushing Palhares's head away, looking to escape. Palhares manages to hold on to the position though.
Palhares trying to control the position but Plank is working away.
Plank wants to get back to his feet.
Palhares wants to control but Plank is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Plank prevents Palhares from moving into mount.
Plank tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Palhares cracks Plank with a big right hand but Plank just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Palhares wants to control but Plank is keeping him busy.
Plank is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Plank throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Plank wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Palhares wants to lay and pray for a moment but Plank keeps working.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to John Plank.
I think Plank 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 47:48
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 47:48
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pelayo Palhares!
Pelayo Palhares is the new middleweight champion!