PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jorge Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Taylor has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jorge Almeida's chin.

Almeida
vs
Taylor

197 cm
22
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

197 cm
21
247 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 London, Jorge Almeida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Sam Margolis and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Almeida rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Taylor moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Almeida tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A punch combination from Taylor misses.
Almeida throws a head kick that misses.

Taylor looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Taylor looking to pass the guard.
Taylor trying to control but Almeida is working from the bottom.
Almeida doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Almeida thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Taylor postures up.
Taylor won't allow Almeida to get back to his feet.
Almeida bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Taylor's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida stopping the sweep attempt from Taylor.
Taylor throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Taylor pulls Almeida in close to prevent any damage.
Taylor trying to control the position.
Almeida wanted to stand there but Taylor had control of the position.
Taylor pulls Almeida in close to prevent any damage.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Taylor trying to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Taylor shoots in and drives through. Almeida sprawls well.
Almeida tries to clinch but Taylor is having none of it.
Almeida with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Almeida fails with the takedown

and Taylor counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Taylor looks gassed!
Almeida looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Almeida 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.
Almeida working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor won't allow Almeida to sweep him here.
Almeida wants to stand up but Taylor is controlling him.
Taylor working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Almeida's head.
Taylor stops Almeida from standing up.
Almeida is trying to control the position but Taylor postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Almeida doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Taylor holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Almeida wants to get back to striking at distance but Taylor won't allow it.
Taylor avoids a wild elbow strike from Almeida.
Almeida looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jorge Almeida. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Almeida wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Almeida with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Taylor breaks from the clinch.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt - Almeida sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jorge Almeida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taylor throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Taylor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Taylor looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Almeida is fending him off so far but Taylor persists. Nope, Almeida circles away and we're back to standing.
Almeida with a poor takedown

and Taylor counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Almeida!
Almeida tries to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.
Almeida is desperately trying to improve his position but Taylor has a good base and remains in mount.
Taylor can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Almeida is looking to escape.
Almeida can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Taylor dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Taylor tries to clinch but Almeida is having none of it.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Almeida but Almeida pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A nice inside leg kick there by Almeida. That's going to slow Taylor down.
Jorge Almeida is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Almeida fails to land with a series of punches.
Taylor takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Paul Taylor has been cut.
Taylor is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Almeida.

Almeida has closed the distance and engaged Taylor in a clinch.
Almeida misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Taylor.
Taylor is working for takedown but Almeida is calmly controlling the position for now.

Almeida manages to break the clinch.
Almeida clinches but Taylor breaks the clinch

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into side control. Almeida won't be happy with that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Almeida wants to control but Taylor postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor wants to control but Almeida is keeping him busy.
Almeida is looking to regain half guard here but Taylor keeps moving and retains side control.
Almeida gets back to half guard.
Taylor trying to mount his opponent but Almeida defends it.
Taylor is thwarting Almeida's attempts to control the position.
Almeida flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Almeida fails to land the takedown.
Almeida has his takedown stuffed

and Taylor decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Almeida's guard.
Almeida controls Taylor momentarily but Taylor frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Almeida throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Taylor prevents Almeida from getting back to his feet.
Almeida is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Taylor stopping the sweep attempt from Almeida.

Almeida working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Taylor doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Taylor manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Almeida keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Almeida pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taylor uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Almeida.
Almeida tries for a takedown but Taylor circles away easily
and Taylor counters with a leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jorge Almeida. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Almeida tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Taylor swivels and escapes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
No luck for Taylor with that takedown attempt.
Almeida doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Taylor counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Taylor.

Almeida looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Almeida controls Taylor momentarily but Taylor frees himself.

Almeida had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Taylor is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Almeida Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Taylor's back instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Taylor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Paul Taylor's cut.
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!

Almeida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Almeida misses with a takedown
and Taylor counters with a leg kick.
Taylor fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Almeida just misses with a punch to the body.

Taylor tries to keep at a distance but Almeida has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor is working for takedown but Almeida is calmly controlling the position for now.
Almeida is pressed up against the cage. Taylor has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Almeida down to the mat. Almeida avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Jorge Almeida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Taylor.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Almeida pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Almeida with a poor takedown

and Taylor counters with a shoot takedown. Almeida fights it but they end up in guard.
Paul Taylor has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor trying to control but Almeida is working from the bottom.
Almeida is looking to stand up but Taylor isn't so interested in that idea.
Almeida striking off his back but it's not causing Taylor any problems.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Almeida has a closed guard, preventing Taylor from standing up.
Almeida keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Taylor looking to sit in guard and control but Almeida gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Almeida wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Almeida has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Almeida tries a head kick but it misses.

Almeida closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A body shot lands from Almeida.
Taylor wants a takedown.
Taylor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Taylor takes an elbow to the temple.

Almeida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Almeida.
Almeida throws a right and a left that Taylor avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt
and Almeida counters with a straight right hand.
A head kick misses from Almeida.
Taylor throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Almeida's waist but Almeida gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Taylor off to one side.
Taylor shoots for a takedown but Almeida saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Taylor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Almeida has his takedown stuffed
and Taylor counters with a one-two to the body.
Almeida uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Taylor.
Almeida with a poor takedown

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Almeida tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Taylor manages to move to mount!
Taylor controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor prevents Almeida from getting the reversal.
Jorge Almeida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taylor avoids the attempt from Almeida to control.
Paul Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Almeida tries to reverse the position but Taylor maintains control.

Taylor looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Taylor stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Taylor circles away from the clinch attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Taylor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Taylor winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30

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