PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sylvain Sauvage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rousimar Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Palhares has chosen arrival to earth as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Sylvain Sauvage is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Sauvage
vs
Palhares

177 cm
26
180 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

172 cm
21
173 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

[IMMA] DTK Designs (Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sylvain Sauvage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rousimar Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Luis Engracia and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sauvage clinches with his opponent.
Palhares tries to pull guard but Sauvage won't allow it.
Sauvage stalls.
Palhares tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A short left from Sauvage.
A short body shot lands from Sauvage as the two fighters clinch.
Palhares tries to pull guard but Sauvage forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Sylvain Sauvage has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rousimar Palhares.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sauvage.
Palhares jumps guard but Sauvage stands there with Palhares around his waist. Palhares gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Palhares is trying to pull guard but Sauvage has him pressed against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Sauvage.

Sauvage gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Palhares regains guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sauvage is in close to Palhares's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sauvage scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sauvage scoring with some ground and pound.
Sauvage passes Palhares's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Sauvage is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sauvage working Palhares over with strikes.
Sauvage lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sauvage looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Sauvage winds up and cracks Palhares with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Palhares is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sauvage pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palhares is not content to let Sauvage control the position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sauvage lands a nice short elbow.

Palhares actively working from the bottom here.
Palhares looks winded!
Sauvage scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Sauvage stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
A cross from Sauvage lands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Sauvage closes the distance and pushes Palhares back into the cage.
Sauvage lands with a light punch inside.
Sauvage's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Sauvage is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sauvage landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Sauvage lands an elbow inside that Palhares shrugs off.
Sauvage lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A body shot lands from Sauvage.
Sauvage pressing his opponent against the cage.
Sauvage lands an elbow inside.
Sauvage lands a left hand that snaps the head of Palhares backwards.
Sauvage lands a knee to the head.
Palhares being controlled against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Sauvage scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sauvage pushes Palhares back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sauvage is stalling here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Sylvain Sauvage.
Sauvage works the jab nicely.
Palhares chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sauvage can pounce on him.
Palhares walks into a stiff left hand from Sauvage.

Sauvage clinches.
Sauvage creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Palhares's defenses.
Come on Sauvage - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sauvage comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sauvage putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Palhares in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Sauvage controlling the action here for a moment.

Sauvage has hold of one of Palhares's legs. Palhares is fighting the takedown attempt but Sauvage gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sauvage controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sauvage working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sauvage is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sauvage works over Palhares with some ground and pound from guard.
Sauvage works over Palhares with some ground and pound from guard.
Sauvage with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Sauvage gets to his feet - Palhares follows without any prompting.

Sauvage closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sauvage lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sauvage lands an elbow inside that Palhares shrugs off.
Sauvage avoiding damage.
Sauvage gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Sauvage comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sauvage is working Palhares over against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sauvage creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Palhares's defenses.
Sauvage slows down the pace here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sylvain Sauvage dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sauvage closes the distance and clinches.
Sauvage lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Palhares is trying to pull guard but Sauvage turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Sauvage pushes Palhares back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Palhares fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sauvage throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Sylvain Sauvage has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Palhares tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sauvage just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sylvain Sauvage has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rousimar Palhares.
Palhares jumps guard but Sauvage stands there with Palhares around his waist. Palhares gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Sauvage has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Palhares is trying to keep an underhook but Sauvage manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Sauvage lands strikes from half guard.
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!
Sauvage is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sauvage landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Sauvage scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Sauvage is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Palhares is breathing heavily.
Palhares is staying active underneath Sauvage, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sauvage is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Sauvage is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Palhares can do to turn this around?
Sauvage winds up and cracks Palhares with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sauvage looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Palhares with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sauvage lands with a punch from half guard.
Sauvage controlling the action here.
Palhares tries to roll over but Sauvage keeps him under control.
Sauvage scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Sauvage moves nicely into side control.
Sauvage controls the position from side control.
Palhares takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Palhares takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sauvage lands a decent elbow from side control.
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!
Sauvage is chipping away with strikes.
Sauvage landing strikes.
Sauvage lands an elbow.

Palhares is rocked!
Sauvage working the body and head with strikes.
Palhares is still in real trouble! Can Sauvage finish him?
Sauvage grinds an elbow into Palhares's temple.
Sauvage scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh Palhares is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Sauvage can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sylvain Sauvage!
An out of breath Sylvain Sauvage thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.