PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Santiago Palmer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paddy McCracken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Palmer might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to GSP - Not Impressed. McCracken has chosen You Can't Bring Me Down as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Paddy McCracken told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Palmer
vs
McCracken

175 cm
28
170 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

180 cm
21
165 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Santiago Palmer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paddy McCracken!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Frank Dennis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palmer throws a shot from downtown. McCracken moves away and avoids it.
McCracken circles away from the clinch attempt.
McCracken fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Palmer was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Palmer swings for the body but McCracken moves out of range.
McCracken fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Palmer clinches with his opponent.
Palmer lands a hook that snaps the head of McCracken backwards.
Palmer is pressed up against the cage. McCracken has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Palmer down to the mat. Palmer avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Santiago Palmer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paddy McCracken.
McCracken shoots for a takedown but Palmer saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
McCracken throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Palmer has taken the fight to the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palmer stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
I was talking to Palmer's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Palmer makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Palmer gets through McCracken's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Palmer lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
McCracken has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Palmer after a bit of a struggle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning McCracken up against the cage.
McCracken tries for a takedown. No joy.
McCracken is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Palmer pulls him back up using the underhooks.
McCracken tries for a takedown. No joy.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Palmer.
Stalling in the clinch from Palmer.
McCracken throws a head punch that misses.
McCracken can't get the takedown.
Palmer will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning McCracken up against the cage.
Palmer is struggling to control the position.
McCracken managing to block the knees to the body from Palmer.
McCracken dodges an elbow strike from Palmer.
McCracken can't get the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Palmer creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
McCracken tries for a takedown. No joy.
McCracken is looking to take this one to the mat.
Palmer pressing his opponent against the cage.
McCracken wants a takedown but no success here.
McCracken tries for a takedown. No joy.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
McCracken is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Palmer pulls him back up using the underhooks.
McCracken changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Palmer fights it off and pushes away nicely.
McCracken scores with a sloppy right hand. Palmer should have avoided that one.
Palmer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McCracken manages to avoid it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Palmer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Palmer tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but McCracken paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCracken displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Palmer throws out the jab.
McCracken shoots for a takedown but Palmer saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Palmer cracks a nice hook into McCracken's ribs.
McCracken takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Palmer leaves McCracken with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
McCracken takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Palmer displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from McCracken.
Palmer scores with the left hand. McCracken knows he should have avoided that one.

Palmer has closed the distance and engaged McCracken in a clinch.
McCracken is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Palmer pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Palmer taking a breather.
Palmer manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Palmer lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Paddy McCracken has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Palmer leaning against his opponent.
Palmer avoiding damage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Santiago Palmer.

Palmer gets a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Palmer stalling against the cage.
McCracken jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Palmer walks away with a smile on his face. McCracken gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
McCracken shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Palmer pinned against the cage. Palmer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
McCracken throws a lazy right hand but Palmer sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Palmer throws out a loose jab but McCracken uses good head movement to avoid it.
As Palmer backs off McCracken throws a huge counter combo but Palmer manages to avoid it all.
Palmer stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Palmer wants it to stay on the feet.
A big right from McCracken misses.
McCracken misses with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Palmer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paddy McCracken's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Palmer lunges at McCracken with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by McCracken's hand.
Paddy McCracken is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Palmer leaves McCracken with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
McCracken misses with a wild combination.
Palmer connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Palmer lands a jab.
McCracken needs to keep his hands up - Palmer had a free shot at his head there.

McCracken is rocked!
Paddy McCracken seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McCracken tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Palmer defends well and McCracken ends up having to push Palmer into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
McCracken is still on wobbly legs! Can Palmer finish him?
Palmer throws an overhand right that drops McCracken like a sack of potatoes! Palmer dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Santiago Palmer!
Post fight, an emotional Santiago Palmer said 'Yeah I am gonna face the champ. Hey champ! Santiago Palmer is gonna smother you with a big blanket on your weak body! You better spar with a blanket or you will be done!'.