PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leland Palmer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Pontes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Palmer's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Annihilator - Fun Palace. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Palmer
vs
Pontes

186 cm
25
200 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

180 cm
26
199 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Mango Nutrition (90% Laundry)

ANABOLIC **160** and LAUNDRY 95%

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leland Palmer!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Pontes!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Edson Gomes and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palmer takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Palmer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Pontes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Pontes is trying to ground and pound but Palmer uses the momentary lack of control by Pontes to regain half guard.
Pontes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palmer makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Palmer.
Pontes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pontes wants to control from the top but Palmer keeps moving.
Pontes postures up in Palmer's guard and throws a big left but Palmer blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pontes trying to control the position from guard on top but Palmer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pontes working some strikes from top position.
Palmer is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Pontes working some strikes from top position.
Pontes trying to control the position from guard on top but Palmer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pontes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Palmer tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pontes wants to control from the top but Palmer keeps moving.
Palmer keeping full guard, as Pontes tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pontes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Palmer wants to sweep here but Pontes controlling him for the moment.
Pontes passes Palmer's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Palmer is pressing down on Pontes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Palmer tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Palmer wants to control but Pontes passes easily into half guard.
Palmer regains full guard. Nicely done.
Pontes trying to control the position from guard on top but Palmer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palmer working a defensive guard here.
Pontes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Palmer works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Palmer working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pontes.
Palmer keeping full guard, as Pontes tries to pass.

Palmer is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Pontes wants to control from the top but Palmer keeps moving.
Pontes throwing strikes from guard but Palmer blocks nicely.
Palmer keeping full guard, as Pontes tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palmer preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pontes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Palmer 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 stops Pontes from getting back to his feet.
Palmer seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Pontes is trying to stand back up but Palmer is controlling him
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palmer passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Pontes!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Palmer scores with a punch to the head.
Pontes misses with a takedown

and Palmer counters with a left hand that sends Pontes to the canvas!

Pontes is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pontes wants to get back to his feet but Palmer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pontes keeping full guard, as Palmer tries to pass.
Pontes has control of Palmer's left arm, preventing Palmer from doing any damage.
Felipe Pontes has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pontes keeping moving, preventing Palmer from controlling successfully.
Palmer distracts Pontes with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Pontes has his hands on Palmer's head, controlling the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Palmer content to stall in guard here.
Pontes wants to get back to his feet but Palmer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pontes throws a right and a left that Palmer avoids nicely.
Palmer misses with a lunging right hand
and Pontes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Pontes works Palmer's body with a nice hook.
Nice sprawl there from Palmer as Pontes shoots in.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pontes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pontes slips under a jab.
Palmer slaps away a takedown attempt from Pontes, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Leland Palmer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Pontes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pontes dips to his left and cracks Palmer with an uppercut!

Palmer catches Pontes napping and connects with a big right hand that sends Pontes to the canvas!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pontes is looking to stand up but Palmer isn't so interested in that idea.
Palmer tries to free his leg and advance position but Pontes is retaining full guard.
Palmer throws a big right hand that misses.
Pontes is controlling Palmer's posture.
Palmer sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pontes wants to stand but Palmer is controlling the position.
Pontes trying to control the position here.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Felipe Pontes wasn't active enough on the ground.
Pontes on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pontes tries to clinch but Palmer moves out of range.
Palmer stuffs the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leland Palmer dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pontes wants to clinch up but Palmer keeps it at a distance.
Palmer misses with a straight right.

Pontes gets the takedown into side control.
Palmer is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Pontes off and has taken his back!
Pontes really must keep his cool here. He's controlling one of Palmer's hands and whilst he does that, he's got a chance of escaping the position.
Pontes controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Palmer doesn't have the hooks in and Pontes manages to turn into his guard.

Pontes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Palmer looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Palmer manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Pontes manages to get himself to full guard.
Palmer working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pontes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pontes controlling the position.
Palmer is pushing down on Pontes's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pontes is fighting to maintain full guard but Palmer has managed to sneak the leg through.
Palmer tries to pass the half guard into mount. Pontes knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Pontes is looking to control Palmer's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pontes avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palmer scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Palmer throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Palmer with the ground and pound but Pontes uses the opportunity to regain guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Palmer is looking to work some ground and pound but Pontes has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Palmer is in close to Pontes's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Pontes is controlling Palmer's posture.
Palmer throwing strikes from guard but Pontes blocks nicely.
Palmer working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pontes trying to keep a closed guard but Palmer is proving a slippery customer.
Pontes has his hands on Palmer's head, controlling the position.
Palmer is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Felipe Pontes hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Pontes has his takedown stuffed

and Palmer counters with a shoot takedown. Pontes fights it but they end up in guard.
Palmer stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pontes swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palmer slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Pontes stops Palmer from passing to mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pontes manages to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palmer works his way into full mount!
Pontes is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fighters circling - Pontes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Palmer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Pontes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Palmer moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Palmer thows a body shot but no joy.
Pontes fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Pontes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Palmer tries to avoid it but Pontes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Palmer to the ground. Palmer escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pontes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Palmer throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palmer misses with a hook
and Pontes counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Palmer takes a swing at Pontes's ribcage but misses.
Felipe Pontes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pontes throws an overhand right that lands on Palmer's shoulder, as Palmer tries to avoid the shot.
Palmer misses with a lunging right hand
and Pontes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Pontes works Palmer's body with a nice hook.
Palmer throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pontes's waist but Pontes gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Palmer off to one side.
Pontes tries to clinch but Palmer is having none of it.
Palmer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pontes shoots in and bounces Palmer off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Palmer throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Pontes distracts Palmer with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pontes lands a couple of elbows.
Pontes won't allow Palmer to sweep him here.
Palmer bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pontes's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pontes wants to sweep here but Palmer controlling him for the moment.
Palmer throws an elbow that misses. Pontes uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Palmer's guard. Nice move by Pontes!
Palmer keeping moving, preventing Pontes from controlling successfully.

Palmer has his foot on Pontes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Pontes works his way back into a safe position though.
Pontes throws a big right hand that misses.
Pontes throws an elbow that misses. Palmer uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pontes's guard. Nice move by Palmer!
Pontes is trying to control the position but Palmer postures up.
Pontes wants to stand but Palmer is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pontes is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Palmer throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pontes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pontes is on top in guard.
Palmer looking for a sweep. Not yet Palmer, not yet.

Palmer working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pontes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Palmer is tightening it up a little... Pontes has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Pontes reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Pontes taps out! Nice BJJ there by Palmer!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Leland Palmer!
Leland Palmer retains his middleweight title!
Leland Palmer was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.