PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Harald Emil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rashaad Parks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Emil
vs
Parks

170 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Harald Emil!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rashaad Parks!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emil closes the distance and clinches up with Parks, looking for a takedown. Emil pushes Parks against the cage but Parks circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Emil shoots in for a double leg but Parks sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Emil tries to close the distance and clinch up but Parks swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Emil tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Emil looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harald Emil. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Parks stuffs the takedown.

Parks gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Parks manages to pull guard.
Parks pulls Emil in close to prevent any damage.
Parks wants to stand and escape but Emil is having none of it.
Parks is pulling down on Emil's head. It's preventing any offense from Emil, at least for the moment.
Parks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Emil trying to control but Parks is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Parks controls Emil momentarily but Emil frees himself.
Parks will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Parks is trying to keep Emil in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Parks shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Parks was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Parks stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Emil is breathing heavily.

Parks changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Emil looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Emil tries to buck Parks off but Parks is having none of it.
Parks tries to advance to mount but can't.
Parks moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emil is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Emil is refusing to be controlled, as Parks sits in half guard.
Parks is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Emil is pressing down on Parks's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Parks looking to pass the guard.
Parks stopping the sweep attempt from Emil.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Emil looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Parks passes Emil's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Parks is thwarting Emil's attempts to control the position.
Emil is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Emil is defending against the submission attempts here by Parks.
Emil tries to get to full guard but Parks has control of the leg.

That's four 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.
Parks is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Parks stops Emil from getting back to his feet.
Emil is looking for a sweep. Parks is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Parks feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Emil trying to strike off his back.
Emil looking for a sweep. Not yet Emil, not yet.
Emil is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashaad Parks dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Emil throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Emil tries for a takedown but Parks circles away easily

and Parks counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Emil's guard now.
Parks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Emil is keeping the position for now.

Emil uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Parks closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Parks is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Emil sees it coming and defends easily.

Emil looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Parks wants to control but Emil is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emil gets back to full guard.
Parks would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Parks won't allow Emil to get back to his feet.
Parks wants to control from the top but Emil keeps moving.
Emil is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Parks rushes Emil and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Emil lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Parks backwards.
Emil working hard to break the clinch.
Parks goes for a takedown in the clinch but Emil prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Emil wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Parks has him pressed against the cage.
Parks wants to break the clinch but can't.
Parks has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Emil avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Emil jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Parks walks away with a smile on his face. Emil gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Emil thows a leg kick but Parks checks it

so Parks counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Parks trying to control but Emil is working from the bottom.
Emil looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Emil wants to stand but Parks is controlling the position.

Emil looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Parks controlling from the top position.
Emil looking for a sweep. Not yet Emil, not yet.
Parks trying to control the position from guard on top but Emil is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Emil shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Emil is looking to work some ground and pound but Parks has wrist control.
Parks wants to stand and escape but Emil is having none of it.
Emil wants to control from the top but Parks keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Parks holds on and takes a little breather.
Emil looking to pass the guard.
Emil prevents Parks from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashaad Parks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Emil throws a low kick but it's checked well by Parks.

Emil scores with a takedown into Parks's guard.

Emil has gone for a leg lock! Parks slips out almost immediately though and dives into Emil's guard.
Parks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Emil swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Emil is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Parks defends well.

Emil is working an open guard so Parks takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Emil fails with the takedown

and Parks counters with a nice double leg into side control. Emil won't be happy with that.
Rashaad Parks has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emil is looking for a sweep.
An elbow from Parks crashes against the mat.

Parks decides to stand back up. Parks steps back and let's Emil get back to his feet.
Emil misses with a takedown
and Parks counters with a one-two to the body.
Emil swats away the attempt to clinch by Parks.

Emil has closed the distance and engaged Parks in a clinch.
Emil lands a body shot.
Emil tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Parks just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harald Emil. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Emil has Parks pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Parks manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Parks gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Emil is looking to stand back up but Parks counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Emil.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Parks in particular looking to stall.
Emil is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Emil wants to control but Parks is keeping busy.
Emil is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Emil manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Parks trying to control the position from guard on top but Emil is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Parks won't allow Emil to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Emil has his foot on Parks's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Parks works his way back into a safe position though.

Emil looking for a guillotine here but Parks defends easily.
Emil working a defensive guard here.
Emil wants to get back to his feet but Parks is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Emil is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Parks is aware though and is defending well.
Emil not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Parks shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Emil but Emil pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Harald Emil is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Emil with a poor takedown
letting Parks counter with a right hand.

Parks darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Emil manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Parks shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Emil napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Emil is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Parks's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Parks is looking to take a break and control but Emil is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Parks sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Harald Emil has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rashaad Parks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Emil looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rashaad Parks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Parks has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rashaad Parks!