PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Thierry Bailly (ranked 5869 p4p, 6819 weight class) and Jack Palmer (ranked 436 p4p, 477 weight class). Bailly comes to the cage accompanied by MMA Entrance Music / Dustin Poirier. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Bailly
vs
Palmer

175 cm
21
145
1 - 3 - 0

177 cm
19
148
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Thierry Bailly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jack Palmer!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Winston Alpacca and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palmer throws the left hand but Bailly avoids the punch easily.

Bailly closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bailly lands in his opponent's guard.
Palmer has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad The Island. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Bailly sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bailly working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bailly drops back looking for a leg! Palmer is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Palmer manages to kick Bailly off! Bailly jumps back into Palmer's guard.
Palmer tries to strike from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bailly's corner is telling him to maintain position.

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

Palmer clinches up against the cage.

Palmer has hold of one of Bailly's legs. Bailly is fighting the takedown attempt but Palmer gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Bailly is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Palmer tries to get to full guard but Bailly has control of the leg.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmer trying to control from the bottom.

Bailly is looking for a kimura here.

Bailly is looking for a kimura but Palmer is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bailly to get the leverage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bailly is taking a breather. Palmer says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Palmer is trying to control but can't.
Bailly moves nicely into side control.
Palmer really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bailly. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bailly advances nicely into full mount.

Bailly has control of Palmer's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Palmer regains control of the situation pretty easily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bailly looking to control but Palmer is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Bailly looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Bailly content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palmer tries to reverse the position but Bailly maintains control.
Bailly postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Palmer looks a forlorn figure.

Bailly is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Palmer has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Bailly unloads with some shots from mount but Palmer bucks and avoids them well.
Bailly breaks from Palmer's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bailly tries to control but Palmer wriggling away.
Palmer is bucking up trying to escape but Bailly cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Thierry Bailly dominated that round.
That's time! Bailly's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Palmer pushes Bailly up against the cage in a clinch.

Palmer jumps guard.
Palmer wants to stand up but Bailly is controlling him.
Bailly not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Palmer has momentary wrist control but Bailly slips an elbow through the middle.
Palmer tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bailly is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bailly stopping the sweep attempt from Palmer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bailly.
Bailly is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Palmer drives through and clinches with Bailly against the cage.

Palmer drags the fight down to the ground.
Palmer keeping moving, preventing Bailly from controlling successfully.
Bailly engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bailly controls from within his opponent's guard.
Bailly is looking to work some ground and pound but Palmer has wrist control.
Bailly 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.
Bailly seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

Bailly is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bailly shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Bailly was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Bailly stands up and beckons Palmer to his feet.
Thierry Bailly is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Palmer closes the distance and clinches.

Bailly is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Palmer can't fight it off and eventually Bailly manages to take the fight to the floor. Palmer looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Bailly is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Palmer is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bailly is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bailly gets to his feet - Palmer follows without any prompting.
Palmer misses with a jab, cross combination.
Palmer tries a head kick but it misses.

Palmer closes the distance and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Bailly is trying to trip Palmer. He has hold of a leg but Palmer is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Bailly persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Bailly 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bailly gets to his feet - Palmer follows without any prompting.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bailly looking to score a takedown here. Palmer is defending well but Bailly drives through and ends up in Palmer's guard.
Bailly trying to control but Palmer is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Thierry Bailly will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Bailly bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Palmer tries to improve position but can't.
You can see the frustration on Palmer's face as Bailly controls the position.

Bailly tries for a kimura but Palmer is defending well.
Bailly taking a breather here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bailly advances to full mount.
Palmer tries to hold on but Bailly pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bailly throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Palmer keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Palmer tries to lock up and control but Bailly gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bailly sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Palmer takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Bailly takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Bailly is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Palmer can do to turn this around?
Bailly trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Palmer doesn't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bailly has the hooks in. Palmer is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Palmer is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Bailly gets his way!
Palmer wants to escape the position.
Bailly has good solid back control here.

Bailly has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Palmer has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bailly punishes Palmer with strikes from the back mount.
You can see the frustration on Palmer's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Bailly softening up his opponent with strikes here.
A lull in the action here.

Bailly looking for the RNC.
Palmer prevents Bailly from getting a body triangle.

Palmer is trying to defend against the choke here but Bailly has an arm under his chin. This one might not last much longer. Bailly Tightens the hold and Palmer taps out furiously! Bailly displays superior BJJ to win the fight.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Thierry Bailly!
Post fight, Thierry Bailly stared into the camera and said 'A big thanks to my sponsor Savage Fightwear Island and the Highland organisation for having the chance fighting here tonight. Also a big thanks on the great fans and public supporting me, without you all I could not win. Thanks again and i'll be back, you'r the best.'.