PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Diago Palichini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Mauricio Rua was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Palichini
vs
Rua

180 cm
20
205 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
213 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diago Palichini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mauricio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Rua. No joy for Palichini on that attempt.
A head kick misses from Palichini.

Palichini scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Palichini decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rua to his feet.
Palichini misses with a double jab.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Palichini fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Palichini throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rua.
Rua remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
The ground and pound from Rua seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Rua is looking to take a break and control but Palichini is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with the ground and pound.
Palichini is trying to get back to his feet.
Palichini is breathing heavily.
Palichini struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Palichini tries to bum rush Rua with a series of wild strikes but Rua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Rua closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rua tries to score a body lock takedown but Palichini shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Palichini wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rua has him pressed against the cage.
Rua avoiding damage as Palichini throws knees to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Rua has Palichini pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rua pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Palichini tumbling to the mat - Rua dives into Palichini's guard.
Rua pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Palichini is keeping the position for now.
Rua not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua looking to pass the guard.

Rua is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Palichini is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Palichini has escaped and now he's on top!

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rua is looking for a triangle but Palichini pushes his legs off easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rua wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Palichini manages to pass to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Palichini stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Palichini swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Rua moves into range and clinches up with Palichini.
Rua keeps control of Palichini as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rua lands a left hand that snaps the head of Palichini backwards.
Rua lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Palichini backwards.
Rua goes for a takedown attempt but Palichini pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Palichini wants to clinch

and Rua moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mauricio Rua will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rua bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rua stands up.

Palichini rushes Rua and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Palichini wants to break free but Rua has control.
Palichini's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Palichini jumps guard but Rua stands there with Palichini around his waist. Palichini gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Rua ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rua no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Rua trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Rua is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Palichini is controlling him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Palichini is one step ahead there.
Rua is trying to control the position but Palichini postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Rua gets the takedown into side control.

Rua decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Palichini will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Palichini jabs Rua right on the nose. Rua blinks but takes it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palichini misses with a double jab.
It's a brutal combination of punches from Palichini! Rua is backing up but he can't get away as Palichini lands with one final shot to the jaw that drops Rua and ends the fight. Great knockout.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:13 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Diago Palichini!