PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Markus Fittz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dominickoy Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Markus Fittz has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Fittz
vs
Palhares

194 cm
25
223 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

193 cm
34
222 lbs
14 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Fast

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Markus Fittz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dominickoy Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Fujiwara and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Palhares looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Palhares loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Palhares throws a big elbow that misses.
Palhares throws a big elbow that misses.
Palhares working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fittz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Palhares stands up over Fittz, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Palhares in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Palhares working some strikes from top position.
Palhares wants to control from the top but Fittz keeps moving.
Palhares missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Fittz is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Palhares is controlling him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fittz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares preventing the sweep.
Palhares scoring with punches to the head and body.
Palhares postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Palhares in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Palhares won't allow Fittz to get back to his feet.
Palhares working some strikes from top position.
Palhares is looking to work some ground and pound but Fittz has wrist control.
Palhares trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Palhares preventing the sweep.
Palhares with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Fittz has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Palhares working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Palhares slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
My spies in Lock and Roll Grappling Gym inform me that Palhares has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Palhares misses with the ground and pound.
Check out the look on Palhares's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares throwing strikes but Fittz manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Palhares tries to improve position but can't.
Fittz working away.
Palhares is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Palhares looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Palhares looking for submissions off his back.
Fittz tries to stand but can't do so whilst Palhares controls his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares is looking for a sweep. Fittz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fittz tries to stand and escape but Palhares is controlling the position.

Palhares looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Palhares tries to get to full guard but Fittz has control of the leg.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Fittz tries to stand and escape but Palhares is controlling the position.
Palhares wants to get back to full guard.
Palhares is trying to control but can't.

Palhares actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palhares wants to control but Fittz is keeping busy.
Fittz tries to stand and escape but Palhares is controlling the position.

Palhares looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Fittz decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Fittz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fittz misses with a double jab.
Palhares defending well as Fittz loads up on a big left hand.
Some wild striking there from Fittz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dominickoy Palhares dominated that round.
That's time! Fittz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Palhares darts in looking for a takedown but Fittz gets double underhooks and turns Palhares into the ropes.
Palhares avoiding damage as Fittz throws knees to the body.
Palhares is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Fittz gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Palhares is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Markus Fittz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominickoy Palhares.

Fittz breaks from the clinch.
Palhares shoots for a double leg takedown but Fittz sprawls well. He's pushed Palhares's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fittz tries to bum rush Palhares with a series of wild strikes but Palhares uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Some wild striking there from Fittz.
Fittz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Fittz misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fittz is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Palhares.
Nice uppercut there from Fittz.
Markus Fittz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fittz throws a looping overhand right but Palhares ducks down to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Fittz.
Palhares showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Fittz.
Fittz lands a two punch combo.

It looks like Dominickoy Palhares has been cut.
Markus Fittz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Palhares throws a head kick that misses.
Fittz looks to land a combination but Palhares avoids it well.
Markus Fittz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fittz fails to land with a series of punches.
Fittz jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fittz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fittz fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Palhares on the side of the head.

Palhares is rocked!
Palhares is holding his hands too far apart here. Fittz throws a hard, straight punch right down the pipe and BOOM! Palhares is out! That punch landed square on the jaw - what a shot!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:19 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Markus Fittz!
An out of breath Markus Fittz thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
The defeated Dominickoy Palhares had this to say: 'great fight'.