PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pete Palje (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cian Chulainn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Palje
vs
Chulainn

201 cm
19
220 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

196 cm
19
255 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

The [A]lliance Clothing + Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pete Palje!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Cian Chulainn!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Wagner Zegers and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palje pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Chulainn fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Palje avoids it really well and circles away.
Chulainn dives in for a single leg takedown but Palje sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.

Chulainn is trying to trip Palje. He has hold of a leg but Palje is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Chulainn persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Palje wants to get back to his feet but Chulainn is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Palje trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Chulainn is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Cian Chulainn wasn't active enough on the ground.
Chulainn fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pete Palje has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cian Chulainn.
Palje throws a sloppy head kick and Chulainn moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palje scores with a leg kick.
Palje pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Chulainn is looking to clinch.
Chulainn on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Palje fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Chulainn is out of range.
Palje misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Chulainn sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Chulainn has closed the distance and engaged Palje in a clinch.
Chulainn struggles to land a body shot inside as Palje controls his hands.
Knees to the body from Palje.
Chulainn looks winded!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palje prevents Chulainn from breaking the clinch.
Palje connects with a nasty looking knee right to Chulainn's face.
Chulainn blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Palje misses with a knee strike.
Chulainn on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Palje misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palje with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Chulainn pulls guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Palje working some strikes from top position.
Palje trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Palje throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Palje missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Palje throws a big right hand that misses.
Chulainn lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Palje!
Chulainn fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Chulainn takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Palje is trying to stand.
Chulainn cracks Palje with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palje tries to buck Chulainn off but he can't manage it.

Chulainn get's back to his feet.
Chulainn blocks a head kick by Palje.
Palje definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Palje misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Palje throws a sloppy head kick and Chulainn moves out of range easily.
Palje throws a sloppy head kick and Chulainn moves out of range easily.
Chulainn shoots in looking for a takedown but Palje manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Chulainn's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Chulainn avoids the head kick by Palje.
Palje misses with an attempted mid kick.
Chulainn blocks a head kick by Palje.
A head kick from Palje lands but Chulainn takes it in his stride.
Palje throws a head kick but Chulainn moves out of range.
Palje pushes Chulainn away with a front kick.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Chulainn.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Chulainn works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn looks up at the clock and then as Palje takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Chulainn smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Chulainn tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Palje is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the ropes but Chulainn has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Chulainn works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Chulainn landing strikes.
Palje on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Palje tries to get out of the position.
Chulainn scoring with punches from side control.
Chulainn tries to advance to mount but Palje denies him.
Palje is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Chulainn asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Palje knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Chulainn on the ground.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Chulainn works to advance to full mount. Palje defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
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 Pete Palje will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Chulainn closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Chulainn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Chulainn blocks a head kick by Palje.
Palje is looking to land body kicks.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Chulainn.
Palje throws a quick inside leg kick.
Palje cracks the inside of Chulainn's front leg.

Chulainn clinches.
Palje tries to land a knee to the head but Chulainn blocks with his arms.

Chulainn tightens his grip and picks Palje up, before dumping him to the ground. Palje manages to land in guard.
Chulainn 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.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Chulainn has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Palje is proving hard to escape from.
Palje is looking to stand up but Chulainn isn't so interested in that idea.
Chulainn slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Cian Chulainn has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palje wants to stand up but Chulainn is controlling him.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Cian Chulainn was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Chulainn checks a leg kick nicely.
Palje throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Chulainn blocks a head kick by Palje.
Chulainn slips a straight right by Palje.
Chulainn shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Palje swings for the body but Chulainn moves out of range.
Palje misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Horrible takedown by Chulainn or perhaps it was just good defense by Palje which made him look bad.
Pete Palje has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cian Chulainn.
Palje throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Chulainn avoids the head kick by Palje.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palje lands a leg kick that knocks Chulainn off balance momentarily.
Chulainn misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Palje scores with a head kick.
Chulainn takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Palje throws a head kick that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Chulainn keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Pete Palje seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Palje throws a sloppy head kick and Chulainn moves out of range easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Chulainn misses with the combination.
Chulainn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Palje throws a nice head kick!
Palje throws a head kick that misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Palje.
Palje looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Chulainn showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Palje.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn avoids a kick to the body.
Palje will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Palje looks to land a body kick but Chulainn moved away.
Chulainn blocks a head kick by Palje.

Chulainn drives through with a takedown into Palje's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Chulainn has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Chulainn is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Palje has a closed guard, preventing Chulainn from standing up.
Chulainn pushing down on Palje's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Chulainn tries to stand and escape but Palje is controlling the position.
Chulainn controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palje pushes Chulainn off looking to stand but Chulainn dives back in and keeps control.
Chulainn has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palje wants to use the ropes to get back to his feet here.
Chulainn controlling the pace for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palje is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Chulainn working the ground and pound effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Cian Chulainn will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Chulainn shoots in for a takedown but Palje shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Palje tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Palje connects with a solid leg kick.
Chulainn takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Chulainn tries to close the distance and clinch but Palje swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Palje bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Palje throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Chulainn takes a swing at Palje's ribcage but misses.
Palje wants to land a leg kick but Chulainn is out of range.
Palje scores with a head kick.
Palje finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A head kick misses from Palje.
Good leg kick by Palje there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
The fighters circling - Palje throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Chulainn feints and as Palje raises his hands in defense, Chulainn changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Chulainn prevents Palje from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chulainn is standing up over Palje. Palje looks to escape but Chulainn dives into side control.
Chulainn advances to full mount.
Chulainn content just to control the position here.
Chulainn looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Chulainn controlling from the full mount.
Chulainn pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn controlling the position easily from mount.
Palje is trying to get to the ropes to help him get back to his feet.
Chulainn tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Chulainn with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Chulainn looking to control and managing it successfully.
Palje is trying to get to the ropes to help him get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Palje is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Chulainn cracks Palje with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Palje has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Palje holding both Chulainn 's hands and preventing any damage.
Chulainn looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Chulainn trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Palje doesn't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Palje has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Chulainn controls the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Cian Chulainn wasn't active enough on the ground.
Palje lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cian Chulainn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Chulainn 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 28:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!