PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tap Time (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rousimar Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Palhares is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by .... I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Rousimar Palhares was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Time
vs
Palhares

186 cm
22
183 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

173 cm
19
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Win Nutritional
Mundo Green - World Verde

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tap Time!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rousimar Palhares!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Daniel Franklin and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Time fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Palhares sprawls well initially but Time persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Time winds up and cracks Palhares with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Time tries to stand but can't do so whilst Palhares controls his leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Time is trying to control. Palhares wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Palhares is trying to stand back up but Time is controlling him
Time prevents Palhares from improving his position.
Time will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Palhares moves into 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 advance position but Time won't allow it.
Time tries to roll over but Palhares keeps him under control.
Time is trying to maintain the position but Palhares is very close to passing his half guard.
Palhares is stalling here. Time is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Palhares seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Time has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares tries to improve position but can't.
Palhares is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ground and pound from Time.
Palhares keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Palhares looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Time is trying to work for a kimura but Palhares is defending well.
Palhares is not content to let Time control the position.

Palhares looking for submissions off his back.
Palhares looks gassed!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Palhares landing strikes from the bottom.
Time prevents Palhares from improving his position.
Palhares is staying active underneath Time, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Time fails to land with a series of punches.
Time shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Palhares pinned against the cage. Palhares gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Palhares takes a swing at Time's ribcage but misses.
Palhares throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Time throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Palhares.
Palhares throws a body kick that misses.
Time avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Palhares tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Time swinging wilding here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares stuffs the takedown attempt from Time. Time gets slowly back to his feet.

Palhares gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Time to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Palhares is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Time scoring with some ground and pound.
Palhares looking for a sweep. Not yet Palhares, not yet.
Time trying to control but Palhares is working from the bottom.
Palhares throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Time 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 to hit a scissor sweep but Time is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palhares keeping moving, preventing Time from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Palhares. No joy for Time on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tap Time. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Palhares misses with an uppercut.
A bone on bone clash there as Time blocks the leg kick.
Palhares misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Palhares throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Time shoots in for a takedown but Palhares shows good takedown defense.
Time lands with a slapping head kick.
Rousimar Palhares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Palhares throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tap Time dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Time shoots in looking for a takedown. Palhares tries to sprawl out of it but Time keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Palhares manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Palhares throws a low kick but Time avoids it.
Time will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Time throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Palhares on the side of the head.
Time blocks a low kick nicely.
Palhares throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Palhares keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tap Time. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palhares fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Time manages to avoid it.
Palhares throws a low kick but Time avoids it.
Palhares swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Time gets a takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Time lands a nice short elbow.

Time looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Palhares actively working from the bottom here.
Time wants to control but Palhares is keeping him busy.

Time is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Time is thwarting Palhares's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares missing with punches from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Time shoots in and drives through. Palhares sprawls well.
Palhares pivots, looking for a leg kick but Time is out of range and Palhares settles back down.
A head kick by Palhares misses

so Time counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Palhares will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Time thows a big elbow that misses.
Time being controlled here momentarily.
Time cracks Palhares with a solid left hand.
Palhares looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares keeping full guard, as Time tries to pass.

Time drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Time jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Time tries to free his leg and advance position but Palhares is retaining full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Time avoids the body shot from Palhares.
Palhares jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A clash of legs there as Time blocks the low kick.
Palhares misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Time throws a sloppy head kick and Palhares moves out of range easily.
Palhares throws a sloppy head kick and Time moves out of range easily.
Palhares throws a lazy right hand but Time sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Palhares will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nice sprawl there from Palhares as Time shoots in.
Good leg kick by Palhares there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Time lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Time throws a head kick but Palhares moves out of range.
Time blocks a head kick by Palhares.
Palhares throws a leg kick

and Time counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Palhares's guard now.
Time advances position into side control!
Palhares throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Time moves into full mount!

Time looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Time avoids the attempt from Palhares to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tap Time dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Palhares throws a sloppy head kick and Time moves out of range easily.
Palhares misses with a low kick.

Time drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

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

Time is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Time 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Palhares won't allow Time to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Palhares throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Time keeping full guard, as Palhares tries to pass.
Palhares won't allow Time to sweep him here.
Palhares not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Palhares walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Time checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Palhares throws a half hearted mid kick.
Palhares takes a swing at Time's ribcage but misses.
Palhares throws out a loose jab but Time uses good head movement to avoid it.
Time throws a right hand that Palhares ducks under and follows up with a left that Palhares also avoids with ease.
Time lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Palhares circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Time fails to land with a series of punches.
Palhares throws a body kick the misses
and Time counters with a big head kick but Palhares shrugs it off.
Palhares throws a leg kick

and Time counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Time is pushing down on Palhares's leg trying to pass to half guard. Palhares is fighting to maintain full guard but Time has managed to sneak the leg through.
Palhares punching from the bottom.
Time takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Palhares manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Time shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Palhares's guard.
Palhares is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Time is controlling him.
Time wants to control from the top but Palhares keeps moving.

Palhares throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Palhares throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Time gets to his feet. Palhares looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Time fails to land with a series of punches.
Palhares throws a leg kick
and Time counters with a slapping leg kick.

Time looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Palhares!
Palhares regains half guard.
Palhares is looking for a sweep. Time is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Time trying to control the action but Palhares is working from the bottom.

Time wants to work for an arm triangle but Palhares is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Time is working for a submission of some sort.
Palhares gets back to full guard.
Rousimar Palhares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Palhares had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Time is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Palhares Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Time's back instead.
Even with his hooks in, Palhares manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Time tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

And that's the end of the fight!
Tap Time showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Time has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tap Time!