PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luiz Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bubba Williams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Palhares
vs
Williams

194 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
18
219 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Luiz Palhares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bubba Williams!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Sosuke Kotani and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Palhares tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Palhares shoots in for a double leg but Williams sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Palhares shoots in for a double leg but Williams sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Palhares tries to close the distance and clinch up but Williams swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Palhares does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Williams slips a jab and a cross from Palhares.
Williams throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Williams scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Williams in particular looking to stall.
Williams is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Williams controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Palhares's head.
Palhares is trying to maintain the position but Williams is very close to passing his half guard.
Williams is just content to waste time from the top position. Palhares takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Williams controls from within his opponent's guard.
Palhares keeping moving, preventing Williams from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Williams controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Despite being in the dominant position, Bubba Williams just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Williams gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Palhares counters with a single leg into guard. Williams didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Palhares's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Williams keeping full guard, as Palhares tries to pass.
Williams tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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.
Williams is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Williams looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Palhares is breathing heavily.
Williams looking to hit a scissor sweep but Palhares is one step ahead there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Luiz Palhares will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Williams shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Williams wants to control from the top but Palhares keeps moving.
Williams controls from within his opponent's guard.
Williams passes Palhares's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Williams in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Williams is looking to take a break and control but Palhares is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Bubba Williams just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Williams has his takedown stuffed

and Palhares counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Palhares perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Williams is trying to get back to full guard.
Palhares is taking a breather. Williams 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.
Williams wants to improve his position but Palhares is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Palhares is looking for a kimura here.
Palhares trying to control the action but Williams is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Williams is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Palhares controlling the action here.
Williams wants to control but Palhares passes into side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Palhares dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Williams.
Palhares is not content to let Williams control the position.
Palhares can't do much from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Williams wants to control but Palhares is keeping him busy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams looking to control but instead Palhares has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Palhares is looking to control Williams's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Palhares avoid being mounted?
Palhares regains full guard. Nicely done.
Williams wants to control from the top but Palhares keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Palhares has a closed guard, preventing Williams from standing up.
Williams wants to control from the top but Palhares keeps moving.
Williams passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Palhares is not content to let Williams control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams staying calm.
Palhares is trying to get back to half guard.
Williams tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Palhares can't do much from the bottom here.
Williams is looking to take a break and control but Palhares is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bubba Williams has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Bubba Williams comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Palhares 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Bubba Williams!