PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Derrick Rankinstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marijo Palavra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rankinstein comes to the cage accompanied by Going Back To Cali by LL Cool J. On his way into the cage it seems that Derrick Rankinstein has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Derrick Rankinstein seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Rankinstein
vs
Palavra

169 cm
23
147 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

170 cm
22
140 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Balco Boys - Hilo
Balco Boys - Hilo

Resistance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Derrick Rankinstein!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Marijo Palavra!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Konstantin Menshow and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rankinstein with a nice cross.
Palavra shoots in and drives through. Rankinstein sprawls well.
Rankinstein scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Palavra doesn't seem bothered though.
Palavra fails with a takedown attempt.
Rankinstein scores with a sloppy right hand. Palavra should have avoided that one.

Rankinstein clinches up against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rankinstein.
A right handed body shot lands from Rankinstein.
Rankinstein misses with a body punch.
Rankinstein can't find room to land a body shot as Palavra controls the action.
Rankinstein lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Palavra.
A nice left hand lands by Rankinstein.
Rankinstein lands a nice elbow.
Palavra is trying to break free.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Palavra takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rankinstein scores with a shot to the side of Palavra's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palavra is looking for a takedown.
Derrick Rankinstein has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marijo Palavra.
Palavra drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rankinstein gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rankinstein creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Palavra's defenses.

Rankinstein pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rankinstein moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Palavra misses with a jab, cross combination.
Palavra takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Rankinstein swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Palavra.
Palavra shoots in but no luck this time.
Rankinstein cracks Palavra with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A cross from Rankinstein lands.
Rankinstein throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Palavra misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rankinstein scores with a jab to the body.
Palavra takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palavra fails with a takedown attempt.
Rankinstein lands a right hook to the body.
Rankinstein looks to land a combination. Palavra sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Rankinstein blocks a head kick by Palavra.
Rankinstein cracks a nice hook into Palavra's ribs.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rankinstein!
Rankinstein misses with a jab, cross combination.
Palavra changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rankinstein tries to avoid it but Palavra manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rankinstein to the ground. Rankinstein escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Palavra has a takedown stuffed.
Palavra is trying desperately to land a takedown but Rankinstein is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Palavra.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rankinstein throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rankinstein fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Palavra shoots in for a double leg but Rankinstein sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rankinstein is looking to wear down Palavra with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rankinstein keeps the fight on the outside.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rankinstein.

Palavra fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rankinstein sprawls well initially but Palavra persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Palavra passes to side control.
Palavra working away.
Palavra works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Palavra goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Rankinstein has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Palavra but great work by Rankinstein.
Palavra tries to bench press Rankinstein off him but Rankinstein keeps the position.
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!
Rankinstein wants to control but Palavra is keeping him busy.
Rankinstein taking a breather here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rankinstein wants to lay and pray for a moment but Palavra keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rankinstein connects with a solid leg kick.
Derrick Rankinstein is winning the standup battle so far.
Palavra has a takedown stuffed.
Rankinstein blocks the body kick.
Palavra throws a lazy uppercut
and Rankinstein counters with a two punch combo.
Rankinstein lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Palavra moves out of range of the body kick from Rankinstein.

Palavra gets the takedown into side control.
Rankinstein is trying to get back to half guard.
Palavra tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rankinstein managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Palavra.
Rankinstein manages to get back to half guard.

Rankinstein is defending against the submission attempts here by Palavra.
Palavra looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rankinstein with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Palavra moves nicely into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palavra slows the pace down.
Rankinstein tries to buck Palavra off but Palavra is having none of it.
Palavra working the ground and pound but Rankinstein is defending the strikes.
You can see the frustration on Rankinstein's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Palavra wants to control but Rankinstein is keeping him busy.
Rankinstein defending against the ground and pound.
Palavra has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rankinstein tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Palavra wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Palavra is trying to ground and pound but Rankinstein uses the momentary lack of control by Palavra to regain half guard.

Palavra is trying to work for a kimura but Rankinstein is defending well.
Rankinstein is looking to control Palavra's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rankinstein avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palavra thows a huge punch but Rankinstein dodges it nicely.
Rankinstein trying to hold on to Palavra's head to control him but Palavra postures up.
Palavra trying to mount his opponent but Rankinstein defends it.

Palavra decides to return to a standing position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palavra gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rankinstein counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marijo Palavra 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! This is the final round!

Rankinstein avoids the head kick by Palavra.
Rankinstein throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Palavra shoots in looking for a takedown but Rankinstein manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Palavra's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Palavra fails with the takedown.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Rankinstein.
Rankinstein lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rankinstein wants to clinch up but Palavra keeps it at a distance.
Palavra ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rankinstein moves away.
Palavra tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rankinstein paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Palavra misses with a takedown attempt - Rankinstein sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Derrick Rankinstein has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marijo Palavra.
Rankinstein ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Palavra takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rankinstein lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Palavra circles away quickly and effectively.
Derrick Rankinstein is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rankinstein forces Palavra back against the cage and clinches.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rankinstein obliges.
Rankinstein cracks Palavra with a nice body shot.
Rankinstein with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Rankinstein breaks from the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Rankinstein. No joy for Palavra on that attempt.
Palavra takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Palavra closes the distance and clinches up with Rankinstein, looking for a takedown. Palavra pushes Rankinstein against the cage but Rankinstein circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rankinstein, as that shot connected.
Derrick Rankinstein is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rankinstein throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rankinstein throws a right hand that Palavra ducks under and follows up with a left that Palavra also avoids with ease.
Palavra misses with a takedown

and Rankinstein counters by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palavra looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Palavra drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rankinstein gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rankinstein escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Palavra is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Rankinstein.
Palavra fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rankinstein scores with a three punch combo!
Rankinstein connects with an inside leg kick.
Palavra takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Palavra misses with a takedown attempt - Rankinstein sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Palavra tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rankinstein manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Rankinstein.
Palavra fails with a takedown attempt.
Rankinstein misses with the combination.
Palavra takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Palavra misses with a takedown attempt
and Rankinstein counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Palavra fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rankinstein avoids it really well and circles away.
Rankinstein fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Palavra.
Rankinstein lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Palavra at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Palavra or perhaps it was just good defense by Rankinstein which made him look bad.
Rankinstein with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Rankinstein keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Rankinstein dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Palavra. That did some damage!
Rankinstein punishes Palavra's body with a nice straight punch.
Rankinstein moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Palavra takes one on the button.

Palavra is rocked!
Rankinstein lands with a nice body punch.
Palavra is still on wobbly legs! Can Rankinstein finish him?
Rankinstein lands a nice looking kick to the body. Palavra takes a step back to recover.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rankinstein goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rankinstein connects with a good straight punch right through the guard and follows up with a right hook and a left hook! That last one sent Palavra tumbling to the canvas! Rankinstein pours on the pressure with more strikes and the referee has no hesitation diving in to stop the fight! Palavra was done - good stoppage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Derrick Rankinstein!
During a confident post fight interview, Derrick Rankinstein thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.