PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoel Palacio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khasbulaev comes into the arena with Fetty Wap - Trap Queen blaring out of the sound system. The key to victory for Magomedrasul Khasbulaev has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Khasbulaev
vs
Palacio

173 cm
20
144 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

150 cm
20
138 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Sun-Tzu
Mohito Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Magomedrasul Khasbulaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yoel Palacio!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Cecil Peabody and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khasbulaev ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Palacio moves away.
Palacio has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Khasbulaev uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Palacio.
Khasbulaev misses with a body shot.

Palacio shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Khasbulaev manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Palacio looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Khasbulaev is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Palacio is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palacio throws a big elbow that misses.
Khasbulaev is wriggling around but Palacio manages to pass to half guard.
Palacio landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palacio slows the pace down in half guard.
Palacio missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Khasbulaev is trying to stand up here but Palacio is controlling him well.
Palacio wants to free his trapped foot but Khasbulaev is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Palacio takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Palacio is looking to pass Khasbulaev's guard but actually Khasbulaev recovers to full guard.
Palacio makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Palacio is working Khasbulaev over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Palacio throws a big elbow that misses.
Palacio lands a couple of elbows.
Palacio throwing strikes but missing.
Khasbulaev wants to stand but Palacio is controlling the position.
Palacio postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palacio scoring with punches to the head and body.
Khasbulaev working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Palacio.
Palacio stops Khasbulaev from standing up.
Palacio lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Khasbulaev wants to stand but Palacio is controlling the position.
Palacio has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Palacio throws a strike but Khasbulaev rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palacio controlling Khasbulaev's posture.
Palacio looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Palacio thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Khasbulaev stopping the sweep attempt from Palacio.
Palacio is still trying to improve position.
Palacio bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Khasbulaev's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palacio is looking to work some ground and pound but Khasbulaev has wrist control.
Palacio is pushing down on Khasbulaev's leg trying to pass to half guard. Khasbulaev is fighting to maintain full guard but Palacio has managed to sneak the leg through.
Palacio lands strikes from half guard.
Palacio scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palacio performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Palacio slips a nice elbow through Khasbulaev's hands, connecting with Khasbulaev's forehead.
Khasbulaev wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Palacio winds up and cracks Khasbulaev with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Palacio passes to full mount!
Khasbulaev is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoel Palacio dominated that 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.

Palacio takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Khasbulaev tries to clinch up but Palacio circles away and keeps his distance.
Khasbulaev lands a right hook to the body.
Khasbulaev defending well as Palacio loads up on a big left hand.
Khasbulaev throws the left hand but Palacio avoids the punch easily.
Khasbulaev scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Khasbulaev lands a jab to the head.
Khasbulaev slips a straight right by Palacio.
Khasbulaev scores with a jab.
Palacio has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Khasbulaev cracks the inside of Palacio's front leg.
Palacio throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Khasbulaev sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Palacio. Khasbulaev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Palacio smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Khasbulaev doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Palacio checks a low kick from Khasbulaev.
Palacio looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev is winning the standup battle so far.
Palacio moves out of range of the body kick.
Khasbulaev throws a series of punches but Palacio moves out of range.
Khasbulaev tries to move into range but Palacio moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palacio misses with an uppercut.
Khasbulaev falls off balance throwing a combination
and Palacio counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Khasbulaev thinking.
Palacio connects with a body shot that sends Khasbulaev's belly button to the back.
Khasbulaev misses with an uppercut.
Palacio misses with a straight left.
Palacio connects with a nice looking jab.

Khasbulaev is rocked!
Khasbulaev moves away from the strike by Palacio.
Oh Khasbulaev is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Khasbulaev avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Khasbulaev tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Palacio is able to avoid easily.
Palacio throws a right hand that misses
and Khasbulaev counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Palacio throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Khasbulaev throws a shot from downtown. Palacio moves away and avoids it.
Khasbulaev throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Palacio.
It seemed like Palacio was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Khasbulaev seems to have got his legs back now.
Palacio drops his hands momentarily and Khasbulaev takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Good shot there by Palacio.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palacio ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Khasbulaev throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Palacio connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Palacio dives in and gets a big takedown. He lands in full mount and immediately unloads a series of heavy strikes! Khasbulaev has had enough and taps out.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Yoel Palacio!
Our winner, Yoel Palacio, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.