PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mister Twister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rousimar Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mister Twister has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Twister
vs
Palhares

187 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
27
185 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mister Twister!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rousimar Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Palhares looking to score a takedown here. Twister is defending well but Palhares drives through and ends up in Twister's guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Palhares connects with a couple of short punches.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Twister not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Twister will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Palhares throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Palhares makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Twister is trying to control the position but Palhares postures up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Palhares accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Twister is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Palhares defends well.
Palhares throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Twister works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Palhares is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Palhares trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Twister is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Palhares postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Palhares thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares throwing strikes but missing.
Twister avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Palhares postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Palhares loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Palhares drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Twister dives on top into guard.

Palhares working for a triangle but Twister defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Twister is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Palhares looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Palhares keeping moving, preventing Twister from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Palhares looking for a guillotine here but Twister defends easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Twister drops back, looking for a kneebar! Palhares looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Palhares looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Palhares!
Twister sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Twister moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Palhares throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Twister works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Palhares is in close to Twister's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Palhares missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Twister is trying to control the position but Palhares postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Palhares drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Palhares jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Twister not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Palhares drops back looking for a leg! Twister is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Twister manages to kick Palhares off! Palhares jumps back into Twister's guard.
Twister wants to sweep but no luck.
Palhares working some strikes from top position.
Twister is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Palhares throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Twister is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Twister looking to hit a scissor sweep but Palhares is one step ahead there.

Palhares postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Twister is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Palhares, into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Twister preventing the sweep.
Twister throwing strikes from guard but Palhares blocks nicely.
Twister tries to free his leg and advance position but Palhares is retaining full guard.
Palhares is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Palhares is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Twister is bucking up trying to escape but Palhares cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Palhares lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Palhares unloads with some shots from mount but Twister bucks and avoids them well.

Palhares with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Palhares looks gassed!
Palhares looking to finish with strikes here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rousimar Palhares dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Palhares closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Twister did well to prevent Palhares getting side control.

Palhares wants to work for an arm triangle but Twister is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palhares slips a nice elbow through Twister's hands, connecting with Twister's forehead.

Twister looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Palhares thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Palhares is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Twister has managed to free his arm - good work.

Twister is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Palhares pulls his head out easily.
Twister trying to hold on to Palhares's head to control him but Palhares postures up.
Twister is looking to improve his position.
Palhares wants to free his trapped foot but Twister is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Twister is defending against the submission attempts here by Palhares.
Twister is looking for a sweep. Palhares is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rousimar Palhares has got the better of the ground game so far.
Twister taking some punishment here, with Palhares in his half guard.

Palhares is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Twister sees it coming and defends easily.
Twister is looking to control Palhares's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Twister avoid being mounted?

Palhares is working for a submission of some sort.
Palhares is breathing heavily.
Palhares lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Twister looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Twister trying to hold on to Palhares's head to control him but Palhares postures up.
Twister has a hand on Palhares's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Palhares takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Twister working to try and regain half guard.
Palhares working Twister over with strikes here.

It looks like Mister Twister has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Twister is trying to escape the mount.
Palhares is looking to work his way around to Twister's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Twister in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Palhares avoids the attempt from Twister to control.

Palhares is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Twister to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Twister shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Twister is desperately trying to improve his position but Palhares has a good base and remains in mount.

Twister defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Palhares.
Twister tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Twister tries to improve his position but instead Palhares has taken his back!
Palhares gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.

Palhares is working for the choke. It looks like he might have got it... has he...? Yes! Twister is tapping out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Rousimar Palhares!