PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Trey Pickett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Palacios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Pickett
vs
Palacios

186 cm
21
212 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

188 cm
19
202 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Kangaroo Muscle

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Trey Pickett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steve Palacios!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pickett fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Palacios, pushing him back against the cage.

Palacios has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Pickett is trying to keep an underhook but Palacios manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Pickett moves into full guard.

Pickett working for a triangle but Palacios defends it easily.
Palacios not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Pickett keeping moving, preventing Palacios from controlling successfully.

Palacios avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Pickett manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Palacios manages to get himself to full guard.
Palacios not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Palacios wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Pickett wants to pass the guard but Palacios is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palacios not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pickett trying to control the position from guard on top but Palacios is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pickett postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Pickett gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Pickett has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Palacios can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pickett lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Palacios!
Palacios is desperately trying to improve his position but Pickett has a good base and remains in mount.
Palacios looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palacios bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Pickett looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Pickett keeping moving, preventing Palacios from controlling successfully.
Pickett looking to hit a scissor sweep but Palacios is one step ahead there.
Palacios passes Pickett's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Pickett tries to get to full guard but Palacios has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palacios is looking to advance position but Pickett won't allow it.

Pickett looking for submissions off his back.
Palacios is tying to control. Pickett wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Palacios drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Pickett looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pickett wants to sweep here but Palacios controlling him for the moment.

Pickett looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Palacios passes into side control.
Palacios advances nicely into full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pickett blocking the ground and pound.
Pickett wants to control but Palacios is having none of it.
Pickett is working to get back to half guard.
Pickett is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Pickett working to try and regain half guard.
Palacios trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pickett sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Pickett looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Palacios is looking to take a break and control but Pickett is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pickett tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Palacios paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pickett tries to close the distance and clinch up but Palacios swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pickett fails with the takedown

and Palacios counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Pickett!

Palacios jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Pickett is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Pickett and Palacios has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Pickett is trying to get back to half guard.
Palacios trying to control the action but Pickett is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on Pickett's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pickett is trying to get back to his feet.
Palacios is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pickett regains half guard.
Pickett trying to hold on to Palacios's head to control him but Palacios postures up.
Pickett is refusing to be controlled, as Palacios sits in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Pickett looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pickett is looking to take a break and control but Palacios is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Pickett is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Palacios is looking to control Pickett's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Palacios avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickett wants to control but Palacios is keeping him busy.

Pickett is looking for submissions but instead, Palacios has regained full guard.

Pickett gets to his feet - Palacios follows without any prompting.
Palacios gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Pickett holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Palacios drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Pickett gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Pickett pulls guard.
Palacios is pushing down on Pickett's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pickett is fighting to maintain full guard but Palacios has managed to sneak the leg through.
Palacios controlling the action here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pickett manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palacios stands and throws Pickett's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Palacios wants to control for a moment but Pickett uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Palacios regains full guard. Nicely done.

Palacios throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Pickett trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Palacios manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Pickett looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pickett is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Palacios drops back, looking for a kneebar! Pickett looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Pickett looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Pickett!
Palacios is looking for a sweep.
Pickett advances nicely into full mount.

Pickett stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Trey Pickett is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pickett gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Palacios counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Pickett!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pickett is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A nice elbow there by Palacios.
Pickett is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Palacios showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Pickett shoots and misses

so Palacios counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Pickett working for a triangle but Palacios defends it easily.
Pickett controls Palacios momentarily but Palacios frees himself.
Palacios trying to control the position from guard on top but Pickett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Palacios throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pickett works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Palacios pushes down on Pickett's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Palacios is thwarting Pickett's attempts to control the position.
Pickett is staying active underneath Palacios, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Palacios takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pickett is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Palacios is looking for a kimura but Pickett is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Palacios to get the leverage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pickett misses with a takedown attempt
and Palacios counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Pickett bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Pickett is looking to take a break and control but Palacios is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Palacios sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Palacios looking for submissions off his back.
Palacios won't allow Pickett to pass to mount.

Palacios looking for submissions off his back.

Pickett is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palacios is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Pickett's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Pickett's back!
Pickett wants to control his opponent's hands but Palacios gets his hands free.
Palacios lands a shot to the body.

Palacios is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Pickett defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Palacios trying to control momentarily.
Palacios controlling well, preventing Pickett from escaping the position.

Palacios is persistently looking for the submission but Pickett is defending it well.
Palacios tries to keep control of the position but Pickett is staying busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palacios gets his hands free as Pickett looks to control.
Pickett turns into Palacios and is now in his guard.
Pickett passes Palacios's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Steve Palacios has got the better of the ground game so far.
Palacios works his way to full guard. Good work.
Pickett lands a couple of digs.
Pickett advances to half guard.
Pickett tries to stand and escape but Palacios is controlling the position.
Palacios is staying active underneath Pickett, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pickett is thwarting Palacios's attempts to control the position.

Pickett is trying to work for a kimura but Palacios is defending well.
Pickett is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Pickett working the head and body with strikes.
Trey Pickett has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pickett is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Pickett works his way into full mount!
Pickett is landing with some decent strikes but Palacios is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Pickett content just to control the position here.
Pickett scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Palacios reaches up to try and control the position but Pickett seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Palacios rolls and tries to escape and now Pickett has his back!
Pickett lands a shot to the head.
Palacios looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Palacios comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Palacios winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Palacios!