PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Palacio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abe Wagner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abe Wagner is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Palacio
vs
Wagner

170 cm
24
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
160 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rodrigo Palacio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Abe Wagner!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Wagner Zegers and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Palacio drives through with a takedown into guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Palacio stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Wagner swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Wagner working a defensive guard here.
Wagner being controlled here, momentarily.
Wagner is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Palacio postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Palacio trying to control but Wagner is working from the bottom.

Rodrigo Palacio has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Palacio throws a sloppy head kick and Wagner moves out of range easily.
Palacio swats away the attempt to clinch by Wagner.
Palacio shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Wagner but Wagner pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Palacio is defended easily by Wagner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palacio shoots in for a takedown but Wagner shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Palacio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wagner has a takedown stuffed.
Wagner avoids the body shot from Palacio.
Wagner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Palacio tries to clinch up but Wagner circles away and keeps his distance.
Palacio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Wagner fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Palacio to the ground. Wagner is now in Palacio's guard.
Wagner stopping the sweep attempt from Palacio.
Wagner slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wagner preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wagner content to stall in guard here.
Palacio is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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

Wagner drives through and clinches with Palacio against the cage.
Wagner is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Palacio to keep the fight standing.
Wagner misses with a knee to the head.

Wagner pulls guard successfully.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Wagner had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Palacio defends it easily.
Palacio throws a big elbow that misses.
Palacio stays in close to Wagner's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner is trying to control the position but Palacio postures up.
Palacio trying to control but Wagner is working from the bottom.
Wagner keeping full guard, as Palacio tries to pass.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Wagner is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Palacio tries to stand but Wagner is controlling from the bottom.
Wagner wants to stand up but Palacio is controlling him.
Palacio controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Wagner is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rodrigo Palacio just wasn't active enough.
Wagner keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Wagner tries to score a power double leg takedown but Palacio sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Wagner somewhat.
Abe Wagner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Palacio changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Wagner looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Palacio is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Wagner's shoulder. That is not cool.
Palacio trying to control the action but Wagner is working from the bottom.
Who's going to make the next move?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wagner is trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rodrigo Palacio will probably get the nod.
That's time! Palacio's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Wagner moves in looking to clinch but Palacio pushes him off.
Palacio tries to close the distance and clinch but Wagner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rodrigo Palacio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Wagner gets tackled into the cage by Palacio. Palacio maintains the clinch.
Wagner tries to pull guard but Palacio won't allow it.
Wagner fails to pull guard.

Palacio is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Wagner can't fight it off and eventually Palacio manages to take the fight to the floor. Wagner looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Palacio wants to control from the top but Wagner keeps moving.
Wagner working a defensive guard here.
Palacio slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Wagner is trying to control the position but Palacio postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palacio wants to control from the top but Wagner keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rodrigo Palacio wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Palacio has managed to clinch.

Wagner gets control of Palacio's arms and successfully pulls guard. Wagner will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Wagner looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Palacio is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Palacio is looking to stand up but Wagner won't let him.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Wagner trying to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Rodrigo Palacio wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Wagner tries to score a power double leg takedown but Palacio sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Wagner somewhat.
Rodrigo Palacio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Abe Wagner.

Wagner feints and as Palacio raises his hands in defense, Wagner changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Wagner trying to control the position from guard on top but Palacio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Palacio trying to control the position here.
Wagner trying to control but Palacio is working from the bottom.

Palacio had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Wagner defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wagner avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Wagner stopping the sweep attempt from Palacio.
Palacio is looking to stand up but Wagner isn't so interested in that idea.
Palacio keeping moving, preventing Wagner from controlling successfully.
Palacio is trying to control the position but Wagner postures up.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Wagner looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Abe Wagner was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Wagner fails with a takedown attempt.
Palacio misses with a takedown

and Wagner counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Palacio looking to hit a scissor sweep but Wagner is one step ahead there.
Wagner wants to control from the top but Palacio keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wagner's corner is telling him to maintain position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Palacio trying to strike off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Abe Wagner will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Wagner fails with a takedown attempt.
Wagner tries to clinch but Palacio moves out of range.
Wagner shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Palacio as he jumps to the side.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wagner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Wagner tries to clinch but Palacio moves out of range.
Palacio shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Wagner as he avoids it easily.
Palacio is trying hard to land a takedown here. Wagner sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Wagner slaps away a takedown attempt from Palacio, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Palacio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wagner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Wagner is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Palacio's half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wagner looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Palacio manages to get to full guard.
Palacio pulls Wagner in close to prevent any damage.

Wagner got a little sloppy there for a moment and Palacio has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Wagner has managed to get both his arms back between Palacio's legs - danger averted.
Wagner trying to control but Palacio is working from the bottom.
Palacio wants to sweep here but Wagner controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palacio keeping moving, preventing Wagner from controlling successfully.
Palacio trying to keep a closed guard but Wagner is proving a slippery customer.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Palacio throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Palacio looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Palacio tries to strike from the bottom.
Palacio is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner stays in close to Palacio's body and controls the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Wagner closes the distance and clinches up with Palacio, looking for a takedown. Wagner pushes Palacio against the cage but Palacio circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Wagner fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Palacio sprawls well initially but Wagner persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Palacio looks like he's trying to stand up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Palacio has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Wagner is working away from the top position though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Wagner in particular looking to stall.
Palacio trying to control but Wagner postures up.
Palacio is in trouble now - Wagner has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palacio tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Palacio is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Palacio is looking to get to half guard.
Wagner looking to control and managing it successfully.
Palacio really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palacio tries to lock up and control but Wagner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Palacio is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Abe Wagner.
I think Wagner has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27

The fight is ruled a draw!