PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Abe Wagner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Palacio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Wagner
vs
Palacio

170 cm
25
160 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

170 cm
24
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Abe Wagner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rodrigo Palacio!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Daniel Blasius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wagner looking to score a takedown here. Palacio is defending well but Wagner drives through and ends up in Palacio's guard.
Palacio looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Wagner wants to control from the top but Palacio keeps moving.
Wagner tries to free his leg and advance position but Palacio is retaining full guard.

Palacio looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Wagner preventing the sweep.
Wagner tries to free his leg and advance position but Palacio is retaining full guard.
Wagner is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Wagner wants to control from the top but Palacio keeps moving.
Wagner is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Abe Wagner wasn't doing enough on the ground.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Palacio enables Wagner to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Palacio manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Wagner looking to pass the guard.
Wagner forces his way into half guard.
Wagner looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Wagner prevents Palacio from standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wagner trying to mount his opponent but Palacio defends it.
Wagner wants to take a breather but Palacio is having none of it.
Wagner wants to pass to mount but Palacio is defending the position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Wagner in particular looking to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Abe Wagner just wasn't active enough.
Wagner shoots in looking for a takedown. Palacio tries to sprawl out of it but Wagner keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Palacio manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Wagner closes this distance looking for a takedown but Palacio circles away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Wagner gets tackled into the cage by Palacio. Palacio maintains the clinch.
Palacio wants a takedown but no success here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Palacio is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abe Wagner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wagner looking for a takedown.
Wagner is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Palacio to keep the fight standing.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Palacio manages to pull guard.
Wagner won't allow Palacio to sweep him here.
Wagner trying to control but Palacio is working from the bottom.
Wagner is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Wagner wants to control from the top but Palacio keeps moving.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Abe Wagner.

Wagner moves into the clinch successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palacio throws a head punch that misses.
Wagner tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Wagner tightens his grip and picks Palacio up, before dumping him to the ground. Palacio manages to land in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palacio is adopting a defensive guard.
Wagner content to stall in guard here.
Wagner seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Palacio for as long as he can get away with.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palacio trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abe Wagner dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Wagner scores with a takedown into Palacio's guard.
Wagner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Palacio is keeping the position for now.
Wagner not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Wagner trying to control the position from guard on top but Palacio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Palacio is breathing heavily.
Wagner slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palacio seems a little lost for a moment, as Wagner dominates the positioning.
Palacio keeps Wagner under control for a moment.
Wagner is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wagner works to advance to full mount. Palacio defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Palacio wants to get back to his feet.
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.
Wagner looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palacio can't escape the position.
Wagner can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Palacio is looking to escape.
Wagner moves to take his opponent's back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner not allowing Palacio to control his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wagner avoiding Palacio 's attempts to control his hands.
Wagner is hanging on to Palacio's back as he tries to escape.
Palacio trying to control the hands but Wagner won't let him.

Wagner is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Palacio knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Palacio for a finish.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wagner has good solid back control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abe Wagner dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Wagner shoots in and drives through. Palacio sprawls well.
Wagner wants to clinch up but Palacio keeps it at a distance.
Wagner tries to score a power double leg takedown but Palacio sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Wagner somewhat.

Wagner looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Palacio can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Wagner controls the pace.
Wagner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Palacio is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Palacio controls Wagner momentarily but Wagner frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wagner is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Wagner passes into half guard.
Wagner slows the pace down in half guard.
Palacio is trying to control but Wagner manages to pass to mount!
Palacio tries to reverse the position but Wagner maintains control.
Abe Wagner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palacio is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Wagner looking to control and managing it successfully.

Wagner looking to secure an arm triangle but Palacio defends it well.
Wagner content just to control the position here.
Palacio is squirming around, avoiding Wagner's attempts to control the action.
Palacio working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner controlling from the full mount.

Palacio defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Wagner.
Palacio tries to lock up and control but Wagner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palacio working to try and regain half guard.
Wagner avoids the attempt from Palacio to control.
Palacio is looking to improve his position but Wagner isn't that keen on the idea.
Wagner controlling the position easily from mount.
Rodrigo Palacio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palacio throwing hammer fists to the chest of Wagner. What's that going to do exactly?

And that's the end of the fight!
Abe Wagner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Wagner, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abe Wagner!