PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Palmares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocky Marciano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marciano has chosen Kid Charlemagne as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Palmares
vs
Marciano

181 cm
25
218 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

194 cm
33
215 lbs
21 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rodrigo Palmares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rocky Marciano!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Dean Styles and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palmares will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Marciano misses with a wild body shot.
Palmares finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Palmares tries for a takedown but Marciano sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rodrigo Palmares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice sprawl there from Marciano as Palmares shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Palmares. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marciano cracks a nice hook into Palmares's ribs.
Palmares shoots for a double leg takedown but Marciano sprawls well. He's pushed Palmares's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Palmares throws a low kick but Marciano moves out of range easily.
Palmares throws a low kick but Marciano moves out of range easily.
Palmares throws a lazy right hand but Marciano sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Palmares doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Marciano checks a leg kick nicely.
Palmares shoots for a takedown but Marciano saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Marciano has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.
Marciano scores with a punch to the head.

It looks like Rodrigo Palmares has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Marciano slips under a jab from Palmares.
Marciano jabs at Palmares's body.
Palmares has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Palmares there as he acknowledges the shot.
Marciano fakes the leg kick and cracks Palmares in the body.
Palmares is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Marciano slips under a jab from Palmares.
Marciano motions for Palmares to come forward. Marciano throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Palmares misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Marciano.
Marciano pivots, looking for a leg kick but Palmares is out of range and Marciano settles back down.

Marciano moves into the clinch.
Palmares is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Marciano pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Marciano lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Marciano gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Palmares.
Marciano cracks Palmares with a nice body shot.
I was talking to Palmares's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Marciano lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Palmares.
Marciano misses with a body punch.
Marciano tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmares takes an elbow to the forehead.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short body shot lands from Marciano as the two fighters clinch.
Marciano lands a body shot in the clinch.
Marciano landing knees to the body.
Marciano lands a damaging elbow.
Still in the clinch, Marciano scores with a nice short uppercut.
Marciano scores with a hook to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Marciano.
Marciano unloads a knee to the mid-section.
A right hook to the body lands for Marciano.
Marciano lands an elbow inside that Palmares shrugs off.
Marciano landing knees to the head.

Rodrigo Palmares's cut is getting worse.
A short right from Marciano on the inside.
Knees to the body from Marciano.
Marciano lands a body punch.
Palmares takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Marciano - that landed with a thud.
A right hand to the body from Marciano.
Marciano lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Marciano lands a hook to the side of the head.
Palmares looking to stall.
Marciano using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marciano lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Marciano creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Palmares's defenses.
Palmares prevents a body shot from Marciano.
Marciano lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Palmares backwards.
Palmares is looking to take this one to the mat.
Marciano lands an uppercut.
Marciano working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Palmares. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Marciano using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marciano lands a knee to the body.
Marciano stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Palmares takes an elbow to the temple.
Marciano pushes Palmares back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Marciano.
Marciano lands a nice elbow.
Marciano lands an elbow inside that Palmares shrugs off.
Marciano throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Marciano scores with a shot to the side of Palmares's head.
Palmares takes a knee right on the jaw!
Marciano creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Palmares's defenses.
Marciano lands a left hand.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A short left from Marciano.
Marciano lands a damaging elbow.
Marciano is leaning against Palmares and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Marciano dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rodrigo Palmares's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Marciano ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Palmares throws a jab when Marciano was well out of range.

Marciano throws a left that rocks Palmares and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Marciano dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Palmares regain composure!

Palmares is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Marciano landing strikes.
Oh Palmares is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Marciano staying calm.
Marciano works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
The referee asks Marciano politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Marciano prefers to stall for the moment though.
Palmares seems to have got his legs back now.

Marciano is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Palmares is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Palmares is looking to reverse the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Marciano controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmares can't do much from the bottom here.
Marciano postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Marciano with the ground and pound but Palmares regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Palmares trying to control but Marciano postures up.
Marciano tries to pass to full mount but Palmares defends it.
Well, if Marciano is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Palmares has a hand on Marciano's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Marciano takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marciano controlling his opponent.
Marciano is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Marciano can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Palmares is looking to escape.
Marciano throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Marciano has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Marciano avoids the attempt from Palmares to control.
Marciano controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marciano prevents Palmares from getting the reversal.
Palmares sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Well, if Marciano is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Palmares controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Marciano seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Marciano moves into full mount! Palmares won't be happy about that!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marciano controlling his opponent.
Palmares is trying desperately to improve position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marciano throws some wild stikes that Palmares manages to avoid easily.
Palmares is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Marciano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rodrigo Palmares's cut.
That's time! Palmares's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Marciano fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A cross from Marciano lands.
Marciano scores with a jab to the head.
Marciano misses with a low kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Palmares is defended easily by Marciano.
Palmares takes a swing at Marciano's ribcage but misses.
Palmares pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Marciano wants to slow Palmares down by chopping away at his legs.
Palmares shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Marciano blocks a low kick nicely.
Palmares throws a leg kick that is checked
and Marciano counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Marciano looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano digs a good hook to Palmares's body.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Marciano, right into the meat.
Palmares throws a lazy right hand but Marciano sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Palmares tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Marciano was well out of range. Poor timing from Palmares.
Marciano pushes Palmares away with a front kick.
Marciano lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Marciano takes the fight into the clinch.
Marciano lands an elbow just above Palmares 's eye.
Palmares is trying to pull guard but Marciano has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Palmares. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marciano lands a shoulder strike.
Palmares takes an elbow to the temple.

Rodrigo Palmares's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Marciano lands a knee to the head.
Marciano lands a body punch in the clinch.
Marciano crunches a lovely knee into Palmares's ribcage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Marciano.
Marciano lands a body shot in the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Marciano.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Marciano creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Marciano lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Palmares.
Marciano scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Marciano scores a nice knee to the body.
A shot in the inside from Marciano.
Knees in the clinch landing for Marciano.
Rocky Marciano seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Marciano works on Palmares's body with a couple of short punches.
Marciano lands a knee to the body.
Marciano working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Marciano.
Marciano lands a nice shot to the body.
Rocky Marciano is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marciano creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Palmares's defenses.
Palmares tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Marciano obliges.
A shot in the inside from Marciano.
Marciano lands a shoulder strike.
Nice body punch from Marciano.
Rodrigo Palmares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marciano lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Jeez, Rodrigo Palmares's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Marciano throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Marciano lands with a short punch from the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marciano lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Marciano lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Marciano lands a right hand that snaps the head of Palmares backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marciano lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Palmares backwards.
Marciano prevents the takedown attempt.
Marciano tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Palmares's elbow.
Palmares is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Marciano's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Marciano presses Palmares against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Marciano tries a body shot but Palmares blocks it.
Marciano presses Palmares against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Marciano lands a damaging elbow.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Rocky Marciano!
After the big win, Rocky Marciano made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Alpha-Male Nutritional Supplements (q160) and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.