PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Andre Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cecil Peoples (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor comes to the cage accompanied by Body Head Anthem. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Taylor
vs
Peoples

180 cm
23
151 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

176 cm
23
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Vandal fight Boutique -ACME-

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Andre Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Cecil Peoples!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, William Gold and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor throws a right and a left that Peoples avoids nicely.
Taylor scores with a three punch combo!
Some wild striking there from Taylor.

Peoples clinches with his opponent.
Peoples pushes off an throws an elbow but Taylor leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Taylor blocking some punches.
Peoples throws a knee to the head but misses.
Peoples landing knees to the head.

It looks like Andre Taylor has been cut.
Peoples tries a knee to the head but Taylor blocks it.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Peoples just misses with a elbow thrown towards Taylor's brow.
Peoples lands a nice elbow.
Peoples pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Peoples with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Taylor is looking to break free of the clinch but Peoples has double underhooks.
Peoples connects with a nasty looking knee right to Taylor's face.
Taylor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Peoples with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Taylor wants to break free but Peoples has control.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Peoples has him pressed against the cage.
Peoples prevents Taylor from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor avoiding damage as Peoples throws knees to the body.
Peoples throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Taylor blocks it with crossed arms.
Nice body punch from Peoples.
Peoples tries a knee to the head but Taylor blocks it.
Peoples prevents Taylor from breaking the clinch.
Peoples lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Peoples throws an elbow that misses.
Taylor is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Peoples lands a nice elbow.
Peoples using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Peoples landing knees to the body.
Peoples prevents Taylor from breaking the clinch.
Peoples lands a shoulder strike.
A short left from Peoples.
Peoples tries to work over Taylor's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Peoples has him pressed against the cage.
Peoples leaning against his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Peoples throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Peoples trying to land knees to the body.
Peoples trying to land knees to the body.
Peoples throws a knee to the head but misses.
Peoples looks gassed!
Peoples comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Peoples creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Taylor wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Peoples has him pressed against the cage.
Peoples tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Peoples missing with knees to the body.
Taylor is looking to break free of the clinch but Peoples has double underhooks.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike.
Taylor wants to break free but Peoples has control.
Peoples lands a damaging elbow.
Peoples misses with an elbow over the top.
Taylor wants to break the clinch but can't.
Peoples misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Taylor.
Peoples keeps control of Taylor as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Peoples using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Taylor can't break the clinch.
Peoples trying to land knees to the body.
Peoples trying to land knees to the body.
Peoples misses with an elbow over the top.
Peoples tries to land knees in the clinch but Taylor avoids the damage to the body.
Taylor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Taylor connects with a single shot there.
Taylor tries to bum rush Peoples with a series of wild strikes but Peoples uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Taylor closes this distance looking for a takedown but Peoples circles away.

Taylor decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Peoples is defending against the submission attempts here by Taylor.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is looking for a kimura here.
Peoples gets full guard.

Taylor drops back, looking for a kneebar! Peoples looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Peoples looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Peoples!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cecil Peoples will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Andre Taylor's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Peoples fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Taylor.
Taylor keeps the fight on the outside.
Taylor fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Peoples manages to avoid it.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Peoples as he avoids it easily.

Peoples gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Peoples lands with a right to the head.
Peoples lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Peoples with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Taylor wants to break free but Peoples has control.
Peoples tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Peoples throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Taylor blocks it with crossed arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Peoples has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Peoples is breathing heavily.
Peoples misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Taylor.
Taylor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Peoples prevents Taylor from breaking the clinch.
Taylor wants to break the clinch but can't.
Peoples tries a knee to the head but Taylor blocks it.

Taylor manages to break the clinch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Taylor.
Andre Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Good leg kick by Taylor there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Peoples sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Peoples slips a jab from Taylor.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Peoples as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andre Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Peoples tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taylor paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Taylor ducks right into an uppercut from Peoples.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Peoples moves out of range of the strikes.
Taylor lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Peoples moves into the clinch.
Peoples misses with a knee strike.
Peoples misses with a knee to the head.
Peoples tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Peoples has him pressed against the cage.
Peoples missing with knees to the body.
Taylor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Peoples looking to throw knees to the head but Taylor is blocking nicely.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Peoples has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Peoples prevents Taylor from breaking the clinch.
Peoples misses with a knee to the head.
Taylor wants to get back to striking at distance but Peoples won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Peoples using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Taylor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Taylor wants to break free but Peoples has control.
Taylor is looking to break free of the clinch but Peoples has double underhooks.
Peoples keeps control of Taylor as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Peoples using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Taylor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Taylor breaks from the clinch.
Peoples tries a head kick but it misses.
Taylor shoots in looking for a takedown. Peoples tries to sprawl out of it but Taylor keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Peoples manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Taylor misses with the combination.

Taylor looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Taylor is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Peoples defends it well.

Taylor is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Peoples sees it coming and defends easily.
Peoples is looking for a sweep. Taylor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taylor is thwarting Peoples's attempts to control the position.

Taylor is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Andre Taylor will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Andre Taylor's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Taylor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Peoples is looking to clinch.
Peoples has his takedown stuffed

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into side control. Peoples won't be happy with that.
Taylor working away.
Peoples is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Taylor is trying to get an arm triangle but Peoples is defending well.

Taylor goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Peoples rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Taylor's guard! Nice work there by Peoples!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Peoples's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Taylor has his foot on Peoples's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Peoples works his way back into a safe position though.
Peoples trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.

Taylor looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Taylor working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Peoples has passed into half guard!

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.
Taylor wants to improve his position but Peoples is controlling well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Peoples in particular looking to stall.
Taylor is staying active underneath Peoples, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Taylor wants to get back to full guard but Peoples has mounted him!
Peoples scoring with strikes but Taylor is staying in there.
Taylor can't escape the position.
Peoples scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Taylor?
Peoples prevents Taylor from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Peoples looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Peoples lands a big shot there that rocks Taylor but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Taylor is working to get back to half guard.
Peoples connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Peoples landing strikes from the mount and Taylor is in trouble!
Peoples looking to control but Taylor is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Taylor is in all sorts of trouble here.
Taylor gets back to half guard.

Taylor is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Peoples pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Peoples working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Peoples prevents Taylor from improving his position.
Peoples lands with a punch from half guard.
Peoples lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Taylor actively working from the bottom here.
Taylor wants to get back to full guard but Peoples has passed into side control.
Peoples tries to control but Taylor wriggling away.
Taylor is trying desperately to improve position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Taylor showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Taylor 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Taylor!