PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lucifer Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Campbell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Palhares
vs
Campbell

175 cm
22
180 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

183 cm
22
183 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

KAISER
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucifer Palhares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Stephen Campbell!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Patrick Alders and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Campbell scores with a nice strike.
A lazy left from Palhares finds it's target.
Campbell ducks under a wild hook from Palhares.
We've been informed that Campbell has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Palhares throws out a loose jab but Campbell uses good head movement to avoid it.
Campbell just misses with a punch to the body.
Campbell cracks Palhares with a right hand to the side of the head.
Palhares misses the body punch
and Campbell counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Campbell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Palhares uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Campbell.
A telegraphed right hand from Palhares misses the target.
Campbell throws out a counter right but Palhares avoids it with no problem.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palhares loads up on a big right hand but Campbell slips the punch.
Campbell works the jab nicely.
Palhares rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Campbell moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Campbell ducks under a wild hook from Palhares.
Campbell drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Palhares defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Campbell looks to score with a jab to the body but Palhares is just out of range.
Palhares dives in for a single leg takedown but Campbell sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Campbell throws a low kick but Palhares moves out of range easily.
Palhares changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Campbell misses with the combination.
Campbell looks to throw the jab but Palhares is out of range.
Stephen Campbell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice straight punches there by Palhares. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Palhares.
Campbell scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Campbell pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Palhares listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Campbell throws a leg kick

and Palhares counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Palhares.
Palhares working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Campbell's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Palhares scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Campbell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Palhares trying to control but Campbell is working from the bottom.
Palhares 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.
Campbell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Campbell keeping moving, preventing Palhares from controlling successfully.
Palhares with a flurry of punches that miss.
Palhares throws an elbow that misses. Campbell uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Palhares's guard. Nice move by Campbell!

Palhares looking for a guillotine here but Campbell defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Campbell keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Palhares's head.
Campbell content to stall in guard here.
Campbell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Palhares working a defensive guard here.
Palhares has Campbell pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Palhares wants to sweep here but Campbell controlling him for the moment.
Palhares looking to control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Campbell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Palhares has his hands on Campbell's head, controlling the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Campbell throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Palhares tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Campbell is in Palhares's guard.

Palhares escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Campbell gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Campbell's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Stephen Campbell will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Palhares misses with a double jab.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Campbell! But no joy.
Palhares clobbers Campbell with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Campbell steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Palhares.
Lucifer Palhares is winning the standup battle so far.
Campbell misses the shot to the body.
Campbell clobbers Palhares with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Palhares looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Palhares waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Campbell.
Campbell misses with a hook. Palhares ducked under it nicely.
Campbell throws a chopping leg kick but Palhares manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Palhares looks to land a left hand but Campbell moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palhares with a hook.
Campbell moves away from the strike by Palhares.
Campbell takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Campbell connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Campbell misses with a looping right.
Palhares uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Campbell.
Campbell on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Campbell tries to score with a low kick but Palhares moves his leg out of the way.
Campbell misses with an uppercut.
Campbell ducks under a wild hook from Palhares.
Campbell with the counter takedown but Palhares avoids it easily.
Campbell throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Palhares on the side of the head.
Campbell tries to bum rush Palhares with a series of wild strikes but Palhares uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Palhares misses with a lunging right hand

and Campbell counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Campbell throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Campbell missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Stephen Campbell has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares wants to control but Campbell is keeping busy.
Campbell thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Palhares's head.
Palhares wants to get back to full guard.
Nice strikes from Campbell there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Palhares has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Campbell is working away from the top position though.
Palhares is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Campbell trying to control the action but Palhares is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares is looking to improve his position.
Palhares is not content to let Campbell control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice shot lands for Palhares.
A looping hook to the body misses from Campbell. Palhares does a little dance to reset his feet.
Palhares scores with a jab to the head.
Campbell throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A slow jab from Campbell misses its intended target.
Palhares attempts a counter takedown but Campbell avoids it well and moves away.
Palhares misses with an uppercut. Campbell saw that one coming.
Campbell throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Palhares tries to counter with a takedown but Campbell is quick to defend against it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Campbell misses with a leg kick

and Palhares counters with a takedown into side control.
Palhares works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Palhares cracks Campbell with a big right hand but Campbell just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Campbell tries to buck Palhares off but Palhares is having none of it.
Palhares cracks Campbell with a big elbow.
You can see the frustration on Campbell's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Palhares looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Palhares thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Palhares tries for a kimura but Campbell is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucifer Palhares dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

Campbell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Palhares throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Campbell counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Campbell fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Palhares avoids it really well and circles away.
Palhares misses with an uppercut. Campbell saw that one coming.
A telegraphed right hand from Palhares misses the target.
Campbell throws a series of punches but Palhares moves out of range.
Palhares drops down looking for a counter takedown but Campbell sprawls and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Palhares jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Campbell throws a big shot that misses.
Campbell will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares defending well as Campbell loads up on a big left hand.
Palhares swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Campbell waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Palhares.
Palhares rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Palhares takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Campbell ducks under a wild hook from Palhares.

Campbell scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Campbell trying to control from half guard but Palhares is working away.
Palhares is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are battling for position here. Palhares manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palhares is pulling down on Campbell's head. It's preventing any offense from Campbell, at least for the moment.
Palhares wants to sweep but no luck.
Campbell wants to control from the top but Palhares keeps moving.
Campbell throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Campbell works over Palhares with some ground and pound from guard.

Palhares working for a triangle but Campbell defends it easily.
Palhares is looking to sweep but instead, Campbell has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Campbell throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Campbell is looking for submissions but instead, Palhares has regained full guard.
Campbell wants to pass the guard but Palhares is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Campbell trying to control the position from guard on top but Palhares is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Campbell avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Palhares working a defensive guard here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Campbell trying to control but Palhares is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Campbell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Campbell 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Stephen Campbell!
A victorious Stephen Campbell thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.