PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marijo Palavra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeff Gorden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Palavra
vs
Gorden

170 cm
32
140 lbs
23 - 22 - 1

175 cm
31
160 lbs
12 - 9 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 23 - 22 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marijo Palavra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Hilo, Jeff Gorden!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Roger Salmon and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gorden looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Palavra!
Gorden trying to control the position but Palavra is working away.
Palavra is looking for a sweep.
Palavra is letting Gorden control him for a moment.
Palavra tries to buck Gorden off but Gorden is having none of it.

Gorden tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Palavra's coaches at Lokko Ltd. have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Palavra trying to control but Gorden flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Gorden has the hooks in. Palavra is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Palavra looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Palavra manages to reverse the position and now he's in Gorden's guard. Nice work there by Palavra.
Gorden has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palavra wants to control from the top but Gorden keeps moving.
Gorden is controlling Palavra's posture.
Palavra wants to control from the top but Gorden keeps moving.
Gorden is controlling Palavra's posture.
Palavra looking to pass the guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Marijo Palavra wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Palavra is looking to clinch but Gorden is avoiding it.
Gorden throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Gorden has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Gorden lands with a good body shot.
Palavra takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Gorden looking to score a takedown here. Palavra is defending well but Gorden drives through and ends up in Palavra's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palavra keeping full guard, as Gorden tries to pass.
Gorden postures up.

Palavra escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gorden gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Palavra had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gorden defends it easily.

Palavra looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Palavra looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Palavra controls Gorden momentarily but Gorden frees himself.
Gorden passes Palavra's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palavra trying to hold on to Gorden's head to control him but Gorden postures up.

Gorden is working for a submission of some sort.
Palavra is staying active underneath Gorden, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Palavra gets back to full guard.
Palavra is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gorden wants to control from the top but Palavra keeps moving.
Palavra utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Palavra keeping moving, preventing Gorden from controlling successfully.
Gorden showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palavra working a defensive guard but Gorden manages to pass into side control anyway.

Gorden looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gorden wants to lay and pray for a moment but Palavra keeps working.
Palavra struggling a bit here.

Gorden tries for a kimura but Palavra is defending well.

Gorden is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Palavra has escaped the position, nice work there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palavra manages to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Palavra shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gorden as he jumps to the side.
Gorden cracks the inside of Palavra's front leg.
Palavra shoots in but no luck this time.
Jeff Gorden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Palavra avoids the head kick by Gorden.

Gorden pushes Palavra up against the cage in a clinch.

Gorden works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Gorden stays in close to Palavra's body and controls the position.
Gorden trying to control the position from guard on top but Palavra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gorden preventing the sweep.
Palavra keeping full guard, as Gorden tries to pass.
Palavra is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gorden preventing the sweep.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Palavra trying to keep a closed guard but Gorden is proving a slippery customer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gorden misses with a head kick.

Palavra gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gorden wants to control from the top but Palavra keeps moving.

Palavra throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gorden escapes and throws Palavra's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Palavra manages to get back to half guard.
Palavra won't allow Gorden to pass to mount.
Palavra is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gorden is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Palavra moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Palavra controlling Gorden's posture.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gorden slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Gorden wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Palavra, who protects the arm well.
Gorden moves into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palavra tries to lock up and control but Gorden gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gorden wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Palavra wants to hold on but Gorden pushes him away.
Palavra regains half guard.
Palavra works his way to full guard. Good work.

Palavra is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gorden advances position into side control!
Palavra takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gorden landing a few strikes.
Gorden trying to control the position but Palavra is working away.

Gorden tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Palavra tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Gorden is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Palavra has escaped the position, nice work there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palavra is looking to reverse the position.
Gorden trying to control the position but Palavra is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Gorden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gorden scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Palavra can't do much from the bottom here.
Gorden advances nicely into full mount.
Palavra is in all sorts of trouble here.

Gorden wants to finish this one by submission but Palavra is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Gorden.
Gorden is landing with some decent strikes but Palavra is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Palavra keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Palavra is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Palavra is squirming around, avoiding Gorden's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gorden with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Palavra is looking to improve his position but Gorden isn't that keen on the idea.

Gorden is working for a guillotine from mount but Palavra frees his head quite easily.
Palavra manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Palavra is not content to let Gorden control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palavra trying to hold on to Gorden's head to control him but Gorden postures up.
Palavra is not content to let Gorden control the position.
Palavra preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Jeff Gorden has got the better of the ground game so far.
Palavra has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gorden is working away from the top position though.

Palavra is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gorden pulls his head out easily.

Gorden is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Palavra is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palavra is looking to control Gorden's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Palavra avoid being mounted?
Palavra is trying to get back to full guard.
Gorden passes to side control.

Gorden thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
A control attempt from Palavra but he's now mounted!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gorden trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Palavra is trying to reverse the position but instead Gorden has taken his back - oops!
Palavra tries to break free.
Palavra staying busy and making it hard for Gorden to control.
You can see the frustration on Palavra's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Palavra prevents Gorden from getting a body triangle.
Gorden might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Palavra haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Palavra trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Palavra is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palavra tries to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jeff Gorden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gorden has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jeff Gorden!
A relieved looking Jeff Gorden thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.