PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rivers Cuomo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Palmer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mark Palmer has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cuomo
vs
Palmer

185 cm
18
163 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
165 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Demonic Drugs (New 155 product on Jan 4th)
SCP Fight Gear

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rivers Cuomo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mark Palmer!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Palmer shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Cuomo's guard.
Palmer postures up.
Cuomo will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Palmer cracks Cuomo with a solid left hand.

Cuomo has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Palmer off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Nice uppercut there from Cuomo.
Rivers Cuomo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cuomo shoots and misses

and Palmer counters with a takedown into side control.
Cuomo is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palmer creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Palmer really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cuomo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palmer working away.
Cuomo is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuomo tries to buck Palmer off but Palmer is having none of it.
Palmer in side control lands a decent elbow.
Cuomo dodges the ground and pound from Palmer.
Cuomo is trying to buck Palmer off.
Cuomo is breathing heavily.
Palmer landing a few strikes.
Palmer wants to control but Cuomo is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Cuomo manages to get back to half guard.
Cuomo pushes Palmer off looking to stand but Palmer dives back in and keeps control.
Cuomo trying to hold on to Palmer's head to control him but Palmer postures up.
Cuomo flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Cuomo throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palmer is controlling the pace.

Cuomo makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Palmer keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cuomo.

Palmer bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palmer tries to move to full mount but Cuomo actually manages to regain half guard.
Cuomo wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cuomo wants to improve his position but Palmer is controlling well.
Cuomo controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Cuomo wants to get back to his feet.
Cuomo tries to roll over but Palmer keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Palmer dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Palmer shoots in and bounces Cuomo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Palmer wants to control from the top but Cuomo keeps moving.
Cuomo wants to stand but Palmer is controlling the position.
Cuomo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cuomo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cuomo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Palmer is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuomo tries to strike from the bottom.
Cuomo wants to stand but Palmer is controlling the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Cuomo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Palmer trying to control the position from guard on top but Cuomo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cuomo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Palmer dodges the punch combination from Cuomo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
A punch combination from Cuomo misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Cuomo, as that shot connected.
Palmer scores with a jab to the jaw.
Cuomo throws out a loose jab but Palmer uses good head movement to avoid it.

Cuomo gets caught flat footed, as Palmer shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Cuomo had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Palmer is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Cuomo Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Palmer's back instead.
Palmer tries to escape but Cuomo has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Palmer is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuomo throwing damaging strikes from the back! Palmer could be in trouble here!

Palmer fending off the submission attempt from Cuomo.
Cuomo keeps control of the position as Palmer tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cuomo has Palmer flattened out and is raining down punches.
A lull in the action here.
Cuomo scores with punches to the body.
Can Palmer hold on?! Cuomo is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Palmer takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Cuomo not allowing Palmer to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mark Palmer will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cuomo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Palmer circles away quickly and effectively.

Palmer shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Cuomo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Cuomo bucks Palmer off and manages to get back to his feet!
Palmer takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Palmer drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuomo keeps control of the position as Palmer tries to break free.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cuomo lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Palmer hold on?!
Mark Palmer has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cuomo is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Palmer. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Cuomo wants to control but Palmer manages to buck him off and is now in Cuomo's guard! Nice work there by Palmer!
Cuomo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cuomo wants to stand up but Palmer is controlling him.
Cuomo trying to strike off his back.
Palmer prevents Cuomo from getting back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A slow jab from Palmer misses its intended target.
Cuomo lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Palmer wants to clinch up but Cuomo keeps it at a distance.
Cuomo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cuomo connects with a nice looking jab.
Cuomo throws a jab but it's blocked by Palmer.
Cuomo lands with a kick to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palmer tries to clinch but Cuomo is having none of it.
Cuomo missing with a left hand there. Palmer was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cuomo is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Palmer shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Palmer showed some decent athleticism there.
Rivers Cuomo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Cuomo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cuomo pushes Palmer off looking to stand but Palmer dives back in and keeps control.
Cuomo misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cuomo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Palmer trying to control the position from guard on top but Cuomo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cuomo trying to control the position.

Cuomo has his foot on Palmer's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Palmer works his way back into a safe position though.
Mark Palmer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Cuomo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Palmer can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rivers Cuomo.
I think Palmer has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Palmer!