PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Palmer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Malachi Leatherwood (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chris Palmer has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Palmer
vs
Leatherwood

191 cm
32
265 lbs
15 - 7 - 1

193 cm
31
245 lbs
9 - 3 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Kemists ↑ 5x160Q - $149-199

Bullet Proof System

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 15 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Chris Palmer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Malachi Leatherwood!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Paul Gruel and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leatherwood keeps the fight on the outside.
Leatherwood keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Leatherwood fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Palmer on the side of the head.

Leatherwood tries to sprawl but Palmer drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Leatherwood trying to control here.
Leatherwood is looking to improve his position.
Palmer missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Palmer slips a nice elbow through Leatherwood's hands, connecting with Leatherwood's forehead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leatherwood is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Palmer thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Palmer wants to take a breather but Leatherwood is having none of it.
Palmer throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leatherwood keeps working.
Leatherwood is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Leatherwood controlling the position well.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Palmer connects with a nice short shot to Leatherwood's temple.
Palmer trying to advance position but Leatherwood counters by regaining guard.
Palmer lands a couple of elbows.
Palmer tries to free his leg and advance position but Leatherwood is retaining full guard.
Palmer postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmer postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Palmer throws a big right hand that misses.
Palmer throws a big elbow that misses.
Leatherwood has Palmer pulled in close to control his posture.
Palmer trying to control the position from guard on top but Leatherwood is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Leatherwood working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Palmer.
Palmer slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Palmer fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Leatherwood parries the strikes from Palmer easily there. Palmer is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Leatherwood to escape.
The strikes coming from Palmer are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palmer postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Leatherwood 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.
Palmer landing strikes.
An elbow from Palmer crashes against the mat.
Palmer fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Palmer landing strikes.
We've been hearing that Palmer has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Palmer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leatherwood keeps working.
Palmer misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Palmer in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Palmer working the ground and pound but Leatherwood is defending the strikes.
Palmer working away.
Palmer working the ground and pound but Leatherwood is defending the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leatherwood wants to control but Palmer postures up.
Palmer fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Palmer throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palmer has knee on belly momentarily but Leatherwood bucks him off and regains half guard.
Palmer throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nice strikes from Palmer there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palmer missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Palmer throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Palmer throwing shots but Leatherwood is blocking nicely.
Palmer throwing shots but Leatherwood is blocking nicely.
Leatherwood keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Palmer dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Palmer fails with the takedown.
A clash of legs there as Leatherwood blocks the low kick.
Leatherwood throws out a counter right but Palmer avoids it with no problem.
Leatherwood throws a shot from downtown. Palmer moves away and avoids it.
Palmer half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Malachi Leatherwood is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Palmer misses with a straight left.
Leatherwood raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Palmer connects with a right hand. Leatherwood shakes it off.
Leatherwood throws a right and a left that both miss.
Leatherwood throws a head kick but Palmer moves out of range.
Leatherwood on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Palmer tries a low kick but Leatherwood avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palmer darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Palmer scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Leatherwood works the jab nicely.
Leatherwood is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Leatherwood, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
An attempted straight right counter from Palmer misses the target.
Palmer lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Palmer lands a head kick. Leatherwood smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Palmer blocks a head kick by Leatherwood.
Palmer steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Leatherwood.
No joy there for Leatherwood, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Leatherwood scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Palmer chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Palmer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Leatherwood can do to turn this around?
Palmer takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Palmer connects with the punch.
Leatherwood is looking to clinch.
Leatherwood is looking to clinch but Palmer is avoiding it.
Palmer bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Palmer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Leatherwood darts in trying to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Malachi Leatherwood is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Palmer has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Palmer there as he acknowledges the shot.

Palmer scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Leatherwood parries the strikes from Palmer easily there. Palmer is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Leatherwood to escape.
Palmer throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Palmer throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Leatherwood wants to control but Palmer postures up.
Leatherwood parries the strikes from Palmer easily there. Palmer is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Leatherwood to escape.
Palmer tries to move into full mount but can't pass Leatherwood's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leatherwood is looking to regain half guard here but Palmer keeps moving and retains side control.
Palmer throws a strike aimed at the side of Leatherwood's head but Leatherwood avoids it well.
Leatherwood is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Palmer is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Leatherwood has escaped the position, nice work there.
Palmer controls the position.
Palmer throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Palmer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leatherwood keeps working.
Palmer is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Leatherwood is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Palmer scoring with punches and elbows.
Palmer trying to control the position but Leatherwood is working away.
Palmer working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Leatherwood manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Leatherwood wants to get back to full guard.
Palmer wants to control but Leatherwood is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Palmer dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Palmer drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Palmer thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Palmer cracks Leatherwood with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Leatherwood prevents Palmer from moving into mount.
Palmer connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Leatherwood some visible discomfort.
Palmer throws a strike aimed at the side of Leatherwood's head but Leatherwood avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leatherwood stops Palmer from passing to mount.
Leatherwood avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Palmer.
Palmer working the body and head with strikes.
Palmer has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Palmer tries to move to mount but Leatherwood blocks the move with his legs.
Palmer throws a strike aimed at the side of Leatherwood's head but Leatherwood avoids it well.

Palmer swings around for an armbar but Leatherwood sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Palmer's guard.

Leatherwood got a little sloppy there for a moment and Palmer has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Leatherwood has managed to get both his arms back between Palmer's legs - danger averted.
Leatherwood wants to stand but Palmer is controlling his posture from full guard.

Leatherwood gets to his feet. Palmer looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Leatherwood slaps away a takedown attempt from Palmer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Leatherwood throws out a counter right but Palmer avoids it with no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmer blocks a head kick by Leatherwood.
Palmer falls off balance throwing a combination
and Leatherwood counters with a head kick.
Leatherwood misses with a jab, cross combination.

Leatherwood clinches up with Palmer and pushes him back against the cage.
Leatherwood fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Palmer is trying to push Leatherwood away but Leatherwood has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Leatherwood tries a knee to the head but Palmer blocks it.
Palmer blocking some punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Leatherwood.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Palmer.
Palmer tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Leatherwood's elbow.
Leatherwood working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Leatherwood.
Leatherwood swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Leatherwood.
Leatherwood blocking some punches.
Leatherwood misses with a punch on the inside.
Palmer has a couple of punches blocked by Leatherwood.
Palmer blocking some punches.
Leatherwood is pressed up against the cage. Palmer has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Leatherwood down to the mat. Leatherwood avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Palmer bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Palmer dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Leatherwood. That did some damage!
Palmer staying out of range there.
Palmer appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Leatherwood has taken the fight to the clinch.
Leatherwood on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Leatherwood blocking some punches.
Palmer blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Leatherwood pushes Palmer back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Palmer looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Palmer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Leatherwood working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Palmer blocking some punches.
Leatherwood blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Leatherwood lands a hook to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Palmer is looking to control Leatherwood's arms but Leatherwood gets an underhook and turns him. Now Palmer has his back to the cage.

Palmer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Palmer scores with a body shot.
Malachi Leatherwood has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Palmer misses with a jab, cross combination.
Palmer bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Palmer loads up on a big right hand but Leatherwood slips the punch.
Chris Palmer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Leatherwood lands with a thumping leg kick.
Palmer scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Leatherwood throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A jab from Palmer misses.
Malachi Leatherwood seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A solid leg kick lands there for Palmer.
Leatherwood swats away the attempt to clinch by Palmer.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Malachi Leatherwood.
I think Palmer has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Palmer!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Chris Palmer made sure he mentioned Kemists ↑ 5x160Q - $149-199, along with how happy he was to win his fight.