PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Denzel Palmer (ranked 6598 p4p, 615 weight class) and Ricky Zabuza (ranked 5218 p4p, 544 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Palmer
vs
Zabuza

193 cm
20
179 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Denzel Palmer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricky Zabuza!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Steven Brown and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palmer slaps away a takedown attempt from Zabuza, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Palmer manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Zabuza on his heels. He'll look to pass Zabuza's guard now, I'm sure.
Palmer with a nice head shot there.
Palmer wants to pass the guard but Zabuza is keeping the position.
Zabuza wants to get back to his feet but Palmer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Palmer landing some decent shots from guard.
Palmer with a flurry of punches that miss.
Palmer stands up over Zabuza, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Palmer drops back looking for a leg! Zabuza is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Zabuza manages to kick Palmer off! Palmer jumps back into Zabuza's guard.
Palmer postures up and lands a big shot to Zabuza's brow.
Palmer working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Palmer working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Zabuza's head.
Zabuza working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Palmer.
Palmer cracks Zabuza with a solid left hand.
Zabuza utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Zabuza holds on and takes a little breather.
Palmer throwing strikes from guard but Zabuza blocks nicely.
Palmer will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Zabuza holds on and takes a little breather.
Palmer scoring with some ground and pound.
Palmer lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Palmer postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Zabuza wants to stand and escape but Palmer is having none of it.
Palmer content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Palmer has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Palmer with a flurry of punches that miss.
Palmer landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmer makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Zabuza throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Zabuza controls Palmer momentarily but Palmer frees himself.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zabuza can do anything to dispel that myth.
Palmer working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Palmer works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Palmer prevents Zabuza from improving his position.
Zabuza looks winded!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Palmer lands a nice short elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Palmer lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Palmer is working for a submission of some sort.
Palmer looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zabuza is trying to get back to full guard.
Zabuza is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Palmer scores with a couple of nice shots.
Zabuza is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Palmer scores with a couple of nice shots.
Zabuza wants to get back to his feet.

Palmer is looking for a kimura here.
Palmer seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Palmer working Zabuza over with strikes.
Nice strikes from Palmer there.
Palmer really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Palmer is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Zabuza!

Palmer jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Zabuza manages to avoid the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Palmer is chipping away with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palmer scoring with punches from side control.

Palmer looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Zabuza really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Palmer. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Palmer working the ground and pound.

Zabuza throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Palmer darts in looking for a takedown but Zabuza gets double underhooks and turns Palmer into the cage.

Palmer closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Zabuza did well to prevent Palmer getting side control.
Zabuza is doing well to control the position and prevent Palmer from advancing to side control.
Zabuza on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Palmer has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Zabuza is bucking up trying to escape but Palmer cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Palmer landing punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denzel Palmer dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Palmer tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Zabuza defends well and Palmer ends up having to push Zabuza into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Zabuza fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Palmer to the ground. Zabuza is now in Palmer's guard.
Palmer thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Palmer looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Palmer lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Palmer working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Zabuza's head.
Palmer lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Zabuza is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Palmer scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Zabuza is breathing heavily.
Zabuza is pulling down on Palmer's head. It's preventing any offense from Palmer, at least for the moment.
Zabuza tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer slips nicely into half guard.

Palmer is trying to work for a kimura but Zabuza is defending well.
Palmer landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Palmer slips a nice elbow through Zabuza's hands, connecting with Zabuza's forehead.
Zabuza taking some punishment here, with Palmer in his half guard.
Palmer lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Palmer working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Palmer frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Palmer cracks Zabuza with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Palmer landing shots from mount.

Zabuza is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zabuza reaches up and holds on to Palmer to control the position.
Zabuza is still in real trouble! Can Palmer finish him?
Zabuza is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Zabuza seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmer working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Zabuza is looking to get to half guard.
Palmer working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Palmer has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Zabuza is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Denzel Palmer!
Denzel Palmer seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.