PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Con Strictor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Housimar Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Strictor's entrance music is Witch Hunt. A fine choice. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Strictor
vs
Palhares

184 cm
22
183 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
195 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

South Side Swagger
Elite Nutrition Supplements

S.W.A.T.

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Con Strictor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Housimar Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Matheus Silva and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strictor throws a sloppy head kick and Palhares moves out of range easily.

Palhares closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Strictor manages to get to full guard.

Strictor looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

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

Palhares drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Palhares jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Strictor tries to strike from the bottom.
Strictor wants to get back to his feet but Palhares is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Strictor is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Palhares throwing strikes from guard but Strictor blocks nicely.

Palhares drops back looking for a leg! Strictor is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Strictor manages to kick Palhares off! Palhares jumps back into Strictor's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares pushes down on Strictor's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Palhares works his way into side control.

Strictor throws Palhares to one side and escapes!
Strictor ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Palhares moves away.
Strictor throws a head kick that misses.
Strictor throws a head kick that half lands.
Strictor is breathing heavily.
Palhares fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Palhares gets a takedown into half guard.
Strictor wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strictor is working hard here to advance position.
Strictor is trying to stand back up but Palhares is controlling him
Strictor slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Palhares passes into half guard.
Palhares is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Palhares is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Strictor defends it well.
Palhares lands strikes from half guard.

Strictor looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Palhares lands a nice short elbow.
Strictor gets back to full guard.

Strictor has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Palhares off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
A nice leg kick lands there from Strictor.
Palhares shoots in for a double leg but Strictor sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Palhares fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Con Strictor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Housimar Palhares.
Palhares uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Strictor.
Strictor keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Strictor motions for Palhares to come forward. Strictor throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Housimar Palhares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Palhares closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Strictor to the mat! Strictor manages to get full guard.

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

Strictor escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Palhares gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Strictor can't keep his opponent in guard - Palhares advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strictor is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Palhares's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Palhares's back!

Palhares defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Palhares manages to reverse the position and now he's in Strictor's guard. Nice work there by Palhares.
Strictor preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Strictor will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Palhares passes into half guard.
Palhares uses his free foot to push down on Strictor's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Strictor.

Palhares looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Strictor is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Housimar Palhares dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Strictor stuffs the takedown.

Palhares closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Strictor to the mat! Strictor manages to get full guard.
Palhares tries to free his leg and advance position but Strictor is retaining full guard.
Palhares missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Strictor keeping busy on the bottom but Palhares has passed one foot through into half guard.
Palhares is pressing down on Strictor's thigh, looking to free his foot. Strictor is holding on for now.

Palhares is looking for a kimura here.
Strictor wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Strictor trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Strictor is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Palhares pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Strictor misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Palhares prevents Strictor from standing back up.

Strictor is defending against the submission attempts here by Palhares.
Palhares looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Strictor with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Palhares tries to pass the half guard into mount. Strictor knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Palhares is looking for a kimura but Strictor is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Palhares to get the leverage.
The fighters are battling for position here. Strictor manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

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 cracks Strictor with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares advances to half guard.
Palhares prevents Strictor from improving his position.
Strictor moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Palhares throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Strictor works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Strictor looking for a guillotine here but Palhares defends easily.
Strictor wants to sweep but no luck.
Palhares landing with the ground and pound.
Strictor looking to hit a scissor sweep but Palhares is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palharesis looking to pass into half guard but Strictor pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Strictor is in guard.
Strictor slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Strictor passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Palhares!

Strictor jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Palhares manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Palhares is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Palhares manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Palhares looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Strictor preventing the sweep.
Strictor advances position into side control!
Palhares regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palhares regains full guard. Nicely done.
Palhares keeping moving, preventing Strictor from controlling successfully.
Strictor tries to free his leg and advance position but Palhares is retaining full guard.
Strictor wants to control from the top but Palhares keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palhares tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Palhares keeping full guard, as Strictor tries to pass.

Palhares is looking for a triangle here but Strictor uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Palhares manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palhares makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Palhares.
Strictor wants to get up but he can't break Palhares's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Housimar Palhares showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! 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.

Strictor misses with a head kick.
Strictor throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Palhares tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Strictor swivels and escapes.
Palhares shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Strictor as he jumps to the side.
Strictor stuffs the takedown.
Con Strictor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Housimar Palhares.
Strictor misses with an attempted mid kick.
Strictor throws a head kick but Palhares moves out of range.

Palhares bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Strictor sneaks back into half guard.

Palhares is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Strictor doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Palhares.
Strictor is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Palhares prevents Strictor from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares 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.
Palhares has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ground and pound from Palhares.
Palhares is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Palhares is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Palhares lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Strictor is pressing down on Palhares's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Palhares avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Strictor lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Palhares!
Palhares is wriggling around trying to escape.
Strictor tries to control but Palhares wriggling away.
Palhares is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strictor looking to ground and pound but Palhares is blocking nicely.

Strictor is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Palhares is surviving well by controlling Strictor's body position as best he can.

Strictor moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Palhares has worked his arm free - good work by Palhares!
Palhares is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Strictor off and has taken his back!

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Housimar Palhares!