PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between T Challa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pelayo Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Challa
vs
Palhares

184 cm
26
200 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

174 cm
20
196 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Conviction

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, T Challa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Pelayo Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Challa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Palhares avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Palhares shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Challa pinned against the cage. Challa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Challa just misses with a punch to the body.
Challa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Challa throws a body punch but Palhares moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palhares throws a low kick but Challa avoids it.
Challa lands a really nice looking cross but Palhares seems unphased.

It looks like Pelayo Palhares has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Challa to score with a decent uppercut.
Nice jab there from Challa.
Challa is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Palhares.
Challa closes the distance and lands a one-two.
T Challa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Challa checks the leg kick.
Palhares throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Challa's waist but Challa gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Palhares off to one side.
T Challa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pelayo Palhares.
Challa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Challa throws a series of strikes that have Palhares backpedaling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Palhares takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Challa throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Challa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Challa wants it to stay on the feet.
Palhares swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Challa counter with a right hand.
Challa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Palhares moves away.
Palhares fails with the takedown
and Challa counters with a stiff right hand.
Challa takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That has opened up Pelayo Palhares's cut even more.
Palhares tries for a takedown but Challa circles away easily
and Palhares takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Palhares is trying desperately to land a takedown but Challa is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Palhares.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares swings away with a body shot that misses
and Challa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Palhares tries for a takedown but Challa circles away easily
letting Challa counter with a right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Palhares. Challa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Palhares fails with the takedown
and Challa counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Palhares looks gassed!
Palhares ducks under a wild hook from Challa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Challa swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Palhares.
Challa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Palhares uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Challa.
Challa thows a left - swing and a miss!
Challa takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Challa is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Challa lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Challa scores with a shot to the body.
Challa scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

T Challa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pelayo Palhares's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Challa throws a jab but it's blocked by Palhares.
Challa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Challa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Palhares with a lazy takedown attempt
and Challa counters with a nice uppercut.
Danga de danga de dang - Challa scores with a four punch combination!
Pelayo Palhares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Palhares blocks a jab.
Challa thows a body shot but no joy.
Challa missing with a left hand there. Palhares was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Challa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Challa loads up on a big right hand but Palhares slips the punch.
Challa throws a lazy right hand but Palhares sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
T Challa is winning the standup battle so far.
Challa looks to score with a jab to the body but Palhares is just out of range.
Challa misses with an uppercut. Palhares saw that one coming.
Palhares shoots and misses
and Challa counters with a straight right hand.

The cut above Pelayo Palhares's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Palhares misses with a takedown
and Challa counters with a straight right hand.
T Challa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pelayo Palhares.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Challa checks a low kick from Palhares.
Palhares showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Challa.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Palhares might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Challa has got the better of the exchanges.
Challa connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Palhares ducks under a wild hook from Challa.
Challa missing with a left hand there. Palhares was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Challa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Palhares with a poor takedown
and Challa counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Challa.
Challa throws a hook to the side of Palhares's head but Palhares sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Palhares misses with a takedown attempt
and Challa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Palhares tries for a takedown but Challa circles away easily
and Challa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Palhares has his takedown stuffed
and Challa counters with a series of strikes. Palhares will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Challa throws a jab but it's blocked by Palhares.
Palhares blocks a jab.
Palhares moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Challa scores with a hook to the body. Palhares takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Palhares slips a straight right by Challa.
Palhares scores with a hook to the body. Challa takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Palhares shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Challa manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

T Challa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Pelayo Palhares's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Challa jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Palhares slips a straight right by Challa.
Palhares shoots and misses
and Challa counters with a nice uppercut.
Challa takes a swing at Palhares's ribcage but misses.
Challa swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palhares tries for a takedown but Challa circles away easily
and Challa counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Palhares closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Palhares takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Challa struggling a bit here.
Challa tries to buck Palhares off but Palhares is having none of it.
Palhares trying to control the position but Challa is working away.
Challa wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Palhares wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Challa, who protects the arm well.
Challa is trying to control Palhares's posture but Palhares avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares wants to lay and pray for a moment but Challa keeps working.

Palhares thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Palhares uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Challa.
T Challa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares tries for a takedown but Challa circles away easily
and Challa counters with a nice body shot.
T Challa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pelayo Palhares.
Challa takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Challa cracks Palhares with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Palhares with a poor takedown
and Challa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Palhares misses with a takedown
and Challa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Challa connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Pelayo Palhares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Challa misses with a straight left.
Challa swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Palhares.
Challa swings for the body but Palhares moves out of range.
Palhares misses with a takedown attempt
and Challa counters with a straight right hand.
Challa ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Challa waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Palhares.

Palhares shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Challa is trying to defend but Palhares finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Pelayo Palhares.
I think Challa has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... T Challa!