PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Darius Ellis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raul Palharez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ellis
vs
Palharez

185 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
23
154 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Darius Ellis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Raul Palharez!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ellis closes the distance and pushes Palharez back into the cage.
Ellis lands an elbow that stopped Palharez in his tracks for a moment.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ellis obliges.
Palharez working hard to break the clinch.

Ellis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Palharez.

Ellis has managed to clinch.

Ellis breaks from the clinch.
Ellis tries to clinch but Palharez is having none of it.
Raul Palharez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ellis steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Palharez.
Ellis is looking to clinch.
Palharez works Ellis's body with a nice hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ellis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Palharez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ellis.
Palharez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ellis.
Ellis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palharez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ellis swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Palharez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Palharez has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Ellis is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Palharez swinging wildly here.
Ellis tries to clinch up.
Ellis avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Ellis takes a swing at Palharez's ribcage but misses.

Ellis closes the distance and pushes Palharez back into the cage.

Ellis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice takedown defense from Palharez. No joy for Ellis on that attempt.
Ellis tries to clinch but Palharez moves out of range.

Ellis moves into range and clinches up with Palharez.
Ellis landing knees to the body.
Ellis looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ellis using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Palharez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Palharez wants to get back to striking at distance but Ellis won't allow it.
Ellis connects with a knee to the head.
Ellis is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darius Ellis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Palharez is trying to pull guard but Ellis has him pressed against the cage.
Ellis lands a knee to the body.
Palharez misses with a knee strike.

Palharez pulls Ellis into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Ellis seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Palharez looks winded!
Palharez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ellis is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ellis controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ellis has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

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

Palharez closes the distance and clinches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ellis.
Ellis goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ellis with a knee to the head.

Ellis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Palharez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Ellis pushes Palharez up against the cage in a clinch.

Ellis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice defenses there by Ellis.
Ellis ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Palharez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ellis avoids it really well and circles away.
Palharez scores with a jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ellis closes the distance and clinches up with Palharez, looking for a takedown. Ellis pushes Palharez against the cage but Palharez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ellis tries to clinch

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

Darius Ellis dominated that round.
That's time! Ellis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Palharez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Palharez closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ellis counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Palharez is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Palharez shoots in but Ellis avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ellis tries for a takedown but Palharez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Palharez tries to clinch up
and Ellis counters with a solid body kick.
Palharez misses with a few strikes there.

Ellis closes the distance and clinches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Palharez is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Palharez is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palharez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ellis throws a head punch that misses.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ellis obliges.
Palharez throws a head punch that misses.
Ellis tries for a takedown but Palharez manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darius Ellis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ellis drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ellis's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Palharez misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Palharez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Palharez tries to pull guard but Ellis won't allow it.

Ellis breaks the clinch.
Palharez tries to close the distance and clinch but Ellis swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ellis looks for a takedown but Palharez sprawls well.
Palharez tries to clinch up but Ellis circles away and keeps his distance.
Ellis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ellis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Palharez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Darius Ellis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Palharez tries to clinch but Ellis moves out of range.
Palharez throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ellis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Palharez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Palharez is breathing heavily.
Palharez is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ellis.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Palharez misses with a right hand
and Ellis counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ellis shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Palharez wants to clinch up but Ellis keeps it at a distance.

Ellis clinches.
Palharez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ellis throws a punch but it's blocked by Palharez.
Palharez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Palharez wants to get back to striking at distance but Ellis won't allow it.
Ellis jumps guard but Palharez stands there with Ellis around his waist. Ellis gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ellis jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Palharez walks away with a smile on his face. Ellis gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A combination from Palharez does no damage.
Ellis throws a nice head kick!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Palharez.
A swing and a miss from Palharez.
Darius Ellis is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ellis moves in looking to clinch but Palharez pushes him off.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ellis is defended easily by Palharez.
Ellis ducks under a wild hook from Palharez.

Ellis clinches up against the cage.
Ellis tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ellis scores a nice knee to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ellis escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ellis doesn't manage to clinch there - Palharez circles away.
Palharez misses with a hook
and Ellis counters with a three punch combo that has Palharez backing up. Palharez nods at Ellis to acknowledge the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darius Ellis dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Palharez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ellis was well out of range. Poor timing from Palharez.
Palharez throws a hook but Ellis blocks it.
Palharez leaves Ellis with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Palharez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Ellis counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Palharez makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ellis keeps control of Palharez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Palharez throws a head punch that misses.
Palharez wants to break free but Ellis has control.

Ellis breaks the clinch.
Palharez swats away the attempt to clinch by Ellis.
Palharez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Palharez dives in and grabs Ellis's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ellis pushes down on Palharez's head and hops out.
Palharez throws a jab when Ellis was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Palharez tries to keep at a distance but Ellis has taken the fight into the clinch.
Ellis lands a damaging elbow.
Palharez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Palharez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Ellis escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice defenses there by Ellis.
Palharez thows a left - swing and a miss!

Ellis gets a clinch.
Ellis takes a shot to the head.
Ellis utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Ellis missing with knees to the body.

Ellis breaks from the clinch.
Palharez fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palharez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ellis avoids it really well and circles away.
A jab from Palharez misses.

Ellis clinches.
Ellis changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Palharez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
No luck for Ellis with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darius Ellis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Palharez darts in trying to clinch
and Ellis counters with a low kick, right behind Palharez 's knee.
Ellis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Palharez but Palharez pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palharez tries to clinch but Ellis moves out of range.
Palharez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ellis is fending him off so far but Palharez persists. Nope, Ellis circles away and we're back to standing.
Ellis keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Palharez.
Ellis connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Raul Palharez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Palharez might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Palharez just misses with a punch to the body.
Ellis moves in looking to clinch but Palharez pushes him off.
Palharez throws a shot from downtown. Ellis moves away and avoids it.
Palharez tries to clinch but Ellis moves away

and Ellis moves into the clinch.

Ellis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ellis gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ellis crunches a lovely knee into Palharez's ribcage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ellis tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ellis has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Palharez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Ellis landing knees to the head.
Darius Ellis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ellis.
Ellis prevents Palharez from breaking the clinch.
Ellis unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Ellis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Palharez swats away the attempt to clinch by Ellis.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Palharez just misses with a punch to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A nice leg kick lands there from Ellis.
Palharez throws a lazy uppercut

and Ellis counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darius Ellis showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ellis has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darius Ellis!
Darius Ellis bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.