PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tanner Speed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Palmares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Speed comes to the cage accompanied by Funky Kingston / Toots And The Maytals. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Speed
vs
Palmares

188 cm
34
212 lbs
18 - 13 - 0

181 cm
28
218 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 18 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tanner Speed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rodrigo Palmares!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, William Peck and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palmares ducks under a wild hook from Speed.
Speed tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Palmares was well out of range. Poor timing from Speed.
Speed moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
No luck for Palmares with that takedown attempt.

Speed rushes Palmares and presses him up against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Speed fails to land.
Speed misses with a hook from the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Speed.
Speed with an attempt at a knee that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Speed.

Palmares pulls guard effortlessly.
Palmares preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Speed sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Palmares looking to hit a scissor sweep but Speed is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Palmares is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Speed is aware though and is defending well.

Palmares has an active guard here but Speed has managed to pass into half guard.
Palmares is looking for a sweep. Speed is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Palmares looking for submissions off his back.
Palmares tries to get to full guard but Speed has control of the leg.
Speed wants to pass to mount but Palmares is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Palmares actively working from the bottom here.
Speed working the head and body with strikes.
Speed blocks the strikes from Palmares.

Palmares looking for submissions off his back.
Speed is thwarting Palmares's attempts to control the position.
Palmares is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed wants to control but Palmares is keeping him busy.
Palmares tries to roll over but Speed keeps him under control.
Speed seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Palmares does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Palmares trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Speed manages to pass to mount!
Palmares tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Palmares is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Palmares wants to hold on but Speed pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palmares keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Palmares sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Palmares wants to improve his position but Speed is controlling well.
Speed missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Palmares works his way to full guard. Good work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palmares manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Palmares prevents Speed from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rodrigo Palmares will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Palmares scores with a body shot.
Speed looks to land a left hand but Palmares moved out of range nicely.
Speed throws a hook to the side of Palmares's head but Palmares sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Speed scores with a crisp jab that stopped Palmares in his tracks.
Speed rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Palmares counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
My spies in Mello MMA inform me that Palmares has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Speed tries to roll over but Palmares keeps him under control.
Palmares is thwarting Speed's attempts to control the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Palmares looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Speed is refusing to be controlled, as Palmares sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmares wants to free his trapped foot but Speed is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Speed trying to control but Palmares postures up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Palmares missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Speed is not content to let Palmares control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Palmares misses with a takedown
and Speed counters with a nice low kick that buckles Palmares's knee momentarily.
Speed avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A swing and a miss from Speed.
Speed scores with a decent looking hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Speed throws a body punch but Palmares moves out of range.
Speed connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Speed avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Tanner Speed seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck for Palmares with that takedown attempt.
Speed leaves Palmares with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Tanner Speed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Palmares.
Speed misses with a hook. Palmares ducked under it nicely.

Palmares throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Speed was covering up waiting for the punch and Palmares finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rodrigo Palmares has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palmares controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Palmares is not content to let Speed control the position.

Palmares looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Palmares is trying to get back to full guard.
Palmares trying to hold on to Speed's head to control him but Speed postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Speed stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palmares is trying to control but can't.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rodrigo Palmares hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Palmares takes a jab right on the kisser.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Speed throws a quick inside leg kick.
Speed tries to clinch up but Palmares circles away and keeps his distance.
Palmares looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Speed is fending him off so far but Palmares persists. Nope, Speed circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rodrigo Palmares will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Palmares swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Speed misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Palmares.
Nice sprawl there from Speed as Palmares shoots in.
Palmares loads up on a big right hand but Speed slips the punch.
Speed lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Palmares dodges the punch combination from Speed.
Speed tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Speed jabs Palmares to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Tanner Speed is winning the standup battle so far.
Speed takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Palmares on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Speed has managed to clinch.
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!
Speed tries to stall but Palmares uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Palmares drops down looking for an ankle pick but Speed pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Speed clobbers Palmares with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Palmares walks into a jab.
Speed scores with a crisp jab that stopped Palmares in his tracks.
Speed tries to close the distance and clinch but Palmares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Speed misses with a wild body shot.
Palmares avoids the body shot from Speed.
Palmares moves out of range as Speed strikes.
Speed fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Palmares on the side of the head.

Speed darts in and clinches Palmares up against the cage.
Palmares wants a takedown but no success here.
Tanner Speed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Palmares.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Palmares tightens his grip and picks Speed up, before dumping him to the ground. Speed manages to land in guard.
Tanner Speed has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmares is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Palmares wants to control from the top but Speed keeps moving.

Speed isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Palmares stacks Speed on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Palmares!
Palmares wants to lay and pray for a moment but Speed keeps working.
Sloppy strikes there by Palmares.
Palmares is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Speed will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Speed is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palmares is putting a hurting on Speed here, landing some big shots from side control.
Speed managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Palmares.
Speed is trying to control Palmares's posture but Palmares avoids it.
Speed takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Speed taking a bit of punishment here - Palmares scoring with strikes.
Speed tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Palmares wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Palmares wants to control but Speed is keeping him busy.
Palmares looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Speed is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Palmares cracks Speed with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Palmares controls the position from side control.
Speed manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Palmares not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Speed is controlling Palmares's trapped leg to prevent Palmares from advancing to side control.
Palmares not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Palmares is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Rodrigo Palmares is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Palmares is trying to control the action in half guard but Speed is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rodrigo Palmares.
I've got Palmares 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Palmares!
After winning the bout, Rodrigo Palmares thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.