PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Owain Palais (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zoltan Guziec (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zoltan Guziec is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Palais
vs
Guziec

190 cm
23
240 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

194 cm
19
240 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Owain Palais!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Zoltan Guziec!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Joseph Jones and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Guziec wants to clinch up but Palais keeps it at a distance.
Guziec tries to clinch but Palais moves out of range.
Palais looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Guziec is fending him off so far but Palais persists. Nope, Guziec circles away and we're back to standing.
Guziec tries to clinch but Palais moves out of range.

Palais shoots in and bounces Guziec off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Guziec avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Guziec wants to stand but Palais is controlling the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Palais accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palais postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Guziec wants to stand up but Palais is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Palais accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guziec wants to stand up but Palais is controlling him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Guziec lands a leg kick that knocks Palais off balance momentarily.
Zoltan Guziec is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Guziec stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Guziec wants it to stay on the feet.
Guziec tries to close the distance and clinch but Palais swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
It looked like Palais was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Palais looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Palais bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Guziec is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Palais tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Palais has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Palais decides to stand up, so the ref orders Guziec to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palais shoots in for a takedown but Guziec shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Owain Palais. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Palais is breathing heavily.
Guziec lands a head kick. Palais smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Guziec throws a head kick that half lands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Palais shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Guziec pinned against the cage. Guziec gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Palais closes the distance and clinches.

Guziec jumps into guard, dragging Palais to the mat.
Palais postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Palais scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Guziec is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Palais in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Palais slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Guziec wants to stand but Palais is controlling the position.
Palais working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Guziec is looking to stand up but Palais isn't so interested in that idea.

Palais drops back looking for a leg! Guziec is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Guziec manages to kick Palais off! Palais jumps back into Guziec's guard.
Guziec wants to stand and escape but Palais is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Palais postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Palais slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Guziec lands a head kick. Palais smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Owain Palais has been cut.

Palais shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Guziec has momentary wrist control but Palais slips an elbow through the middle.
Palais landing some decent shots from guard.
Palais wants to control from the top but Guziec keeps moving.
Guziec wants to stand and escape but Palais is having none of it.
Palais connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Owain Palais will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Owain Palais's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Guziec looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Guziec thumps Palais with a low kick.

Guziec clinches with his opponent.
Guziec tries to pull guard but Palais holds him up against the cage and eventually Guziec drops back down to his feet.

Guziec has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Palais uses from the top position.
Palais content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Guziec wants to stand but Palais is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palais throwing strikes from guard but Guziec blocks nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Guziec wants to get back to his feet but Palais is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Palais scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palais trying to control the position from guard on top but Guziec is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Palais chips away with some ground and pound.
Guziec is breathing heavily.
Guziec wants to stand and escape but Palais is having none of it.

Palais stands up from Guziec's guard - Palais perhaps looking for a knockout.
Palais darts in looking for a takedown but Guziec gets double underhooks and turns Palais into the cage.
Guziec feints the counter takedown.
Owain Palais is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Guziec scores with a kick to the midsection.
Guziec goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A chopping leg kick lands by Guziec.
Palais shoots in but Guziec avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Guziec wants to counter the offense by Palais and move into the clinch position.
Guziec lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palais moves out of range as Guziec throws a body kick.
Palais shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Guziec pinned against the cage. Guziec gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Owain Palais. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Palais looks for a takedown but Guziec sprawls well.
Palais is looking to clinch but Guziec is avoiding it.
Guziec tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Palais manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Palais feinted with a counter takedown.
Guziec tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Guziec lands a head kick. Palais smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Guziec fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Palais manages to avoid it.
Guziec lands with a thumping leg kick.
Palais dives in for a single leg takedown but Guziec sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Guziec moves in looking to clinch but Palais pushes him off.
Palais is looking to counter the offense by Guziec and move into the clinch.
Guziec defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Palais.
Palais walks forward, straight into a front kick from Guziec.
Guziec fails with an attempt to clinch.
Palais swats away the attempt to clinch by Guziec.
Guziec lands with a slapping head kick.
Zoltan Guziec seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Guziec throws a sloppy head kick and Palais moves out of range easily.
Palais tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Guziec manages to circle out of the way.
Palais throws a leg kick but Guziec checks it.
Palais shoots in looking for a takedown. Guziec tries to sprawl out of it but Palais keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Guziec manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Guziec scores with a head kick.

Palais closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Guziec wants to get back to his feet but Palais drags him back down.

Palais stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Guziec bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zoltan Guziec showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Owain Palais's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Palais.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Palais.
Guziec is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Palais asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Palais scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Guziec to see if he's OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palais looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Guziec is avoiding damage well.
Guziec is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Palais has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Palais wants to control for a moment but Guziec uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Palais performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guziec pushes Palais off looking to stand but Palais dives back in and keeps control.
Palais perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Guziec wants to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Guziec can do anything to dispel that myth.

Palais stands up from half guard.

Guziec pushes Palais up against the cage in a clinch.

Palais has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Guziec regains guard immediately.

Palais has gone for a leg lock! Guziec slips out almost immediately though and dives into Palais's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palais is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Palais trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Palais preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Guziec chips away with some ground and pound.
Palais avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Guziec throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Palais has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Guziec doesn't defend quickly enough and Palais has managed to lock this one up! Can Guziec escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Palais on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Owain Palais!
A relieved looking Owain Palais thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.