PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Modesto Palmer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zack Spanke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Modesto Palmer has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Palmer
vs
Spanke

217 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Modesto Palmer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Zack Spanke!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Hugh Johnson and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spanke with a lazy takedown attempt

and Palmer counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Palmer really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Palmer is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Palmer is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Palmer is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Palmer thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Spanke's head.
Spanke has hold of Palmer's hands but Palmer slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spanke moves into full guard.
Palmer has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Spanke is trying to keep Palmer in close.
Palmer knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Spanke on the ground.
Palmer controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spanke is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Palmer keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Spanke's head.
Spanke controls Palmer momentarily but Palmer frees himself.
Palmer working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Palmer throws a strike but Spanke rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Palmer escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Spanke gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Palmer looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Spanke trying to control but Palmer is working from the bottom.
Spanke postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Palmer working for a triangle but Spanke defends it easily.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Palmer working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Spanke doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Spanke manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Palmer is trying to keep Spanke in close.
Palmer working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Spanke.
Palmer keeping full guard, as Spanke tries to pass.
Spanke trying to control the position from guard on top but Palmer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spanke misses with a jab, cross combination.
Spanke has his takedown stuffed

and Palmer counters by moving into the clinch.
Palmer goes for a takedown in the clinch but Spanke prevents it.

Palmer breaks the clinch.
Spanke throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Palmer's waist but Palmer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Spanke off to one side.
Modesto Palmer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Spanke.
Spanke moves in looking to clinch but Palmer pushes him off.
Spanke shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Palmer counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Palmer thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Palmer misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Spanke avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Palmer.
Spanke is trying to control Palmer's posture but Palmer avoids it.
Spanke tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Spanke is trying to control Palmer's posture but Palmer avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Modesto Palmer dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Palmer displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Spanke.
Spanke tries to clinch up.
Spanke pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Spanke swings widly with a right hand

and Palmer counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Palmer.
Palmer is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Spanke pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Palmer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spanke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Palmer tries to close the distance and clinch but Spanke swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spanke tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Palmer counters by moving into the clinch.
Spanke wants a takedown but no success here.
Palmer prevents the takedown attempt.
Modesto Palmer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Spanke.
Palmer has Spanke pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Spanke manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Palmer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Modesto Palmer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Palmer moves into the clinch.
Palmer goes for a takedown attempt but Spanke pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Spanke throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spanke looks to land a combination but Palmer avoids it well.
Spanke fails with the takedown

and Palmer moves into the clinch.
Spanke is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Palmer to keep the fight standing.
Spanke prevents the takedown attempt.

Palmer is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Spanke can't fight it off and eventually Palmer manages to take the fight to the floor. Spanke looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Spanke trying to keep a closed guard but Palmer is proving a slippery customer.
Palmer with a flurry of punches that miss.
Palmer trying to control but Spanke is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palmer postures up and lands a big shot to Spanke's brow.
Palmer working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Palmer is standing up over Spanke. Spanke looks to escape but Palmer dives into side control.

Palmer tries for a kimura but Spanke is defending well.
Palmer will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Palmer working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palmer slows the pace down.
Palmer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Spanke can do to turn this around?
Spanke is working to avoid the ground and pound but Palmer connects with a decent elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spanke is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Spanke struggling a bit here.
Palmer connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Spanke some visible discomfort.
Spanke tries to improve position but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Palmer staying calm.
Spanke on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Modesto Palmer dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Spanke goes for a double leg but Palmer avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Palmer continues to drive forward.

Palmer turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Palmer is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Spanke knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Spanke is trying to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palmer scoring with punches and elbows.
Spanke tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Palmer wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Spanke wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer controlling the position.
Spanke tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Palmer goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Spanke has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Palmer but great work by Spanke.
Palmer is looking to regain half guard here but Spanke keeps moving and retains side control.
Spanke wants to control but Palmer is keeping him busy.
Palmer manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spanke tries to pass the half guard into mount. Palmer knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Palmer looking for submissions off his back.
Palmer controlling the position for now.
Palmer trying to control but Spanke postures up.
Spanke tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Palmer.
Spanke is trying to control the action in half guard but Palmer is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spanke is just content to waste time from the top position. Palmer takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Palmer looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Palmer is looking for a triangle but Spanke pushes his legs off easily.
Spanke passes Palmer's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Palmer holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Spanke is thwarting Palmer's attempts to control the position.
Palmer is trying to stand back up but Spanke is controlling him

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Spanke with a lazy takedown attempt

and Palmer counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Palmer not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Spanke is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Palmer is thwarting Spanke's attempts to control the position.
Spanke keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Palmer is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Spanke defends it well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Palmer content to control rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Modesto Palmer showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Palmer 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Modesto Palmer!