PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paul Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Calvin Ox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Calvin Ox was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Taylor
vs
Ox

185 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Calvin Ox!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Colin Fotheringham and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ox tries to clinch up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taylor.

Taylor closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Taylor lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Taylor 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.
Taylor cracks Ox with a big elbow.
You can see the frustration on Ox's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Taylor wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ox, who protects the arm well.
Taylor wants to control but Ox is keeping him busy.
Taylor is really struggling to control Ox but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Ox parries the strikes from Taylor easily there. Taylor is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Ox to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor scoring with punches and elbows.
Taylor misses with the ground and pound.
Taylor is breathing heavily.
Ox tries to bench press Taylor off him but Taylor keeps the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Ox drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ox stopping the sweep attempt from Taylor.
Ox slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ox is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ox is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Ox won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.
Taylor on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Taylor tries to get out of the position.
Ox is working Taylor over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ox passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Ox is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Taylor's shoulder. That is not cool.
Ox tries to advance to mount but can't.
Taylor seems a little lost for a moment, as Ox dominates the positioning.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ox is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Taylor is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Taylor is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Ox has just dragged him back down to the mat.

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.
Taylor is looking to reverse the position.
Ox is looking to take a break and control but Taylor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Taylor is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Ox's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Ox seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Calvin Ox will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Taylor shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ox counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ox with a poor takedown

and Taylor counters with a shoot takedown. Ox fights it but they end up in guard.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Ox is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taylor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ox swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Taylor throws and elbow that misses. Ox uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Taylor's guard. Nice move by Ox!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ox pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taylor is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ox stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Ox moves into the clinch.

Ox pulls Taylor into guard.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Ox keeps moving.
Taylor chips away with some ground and pound.
Taylor in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ox tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ox working a defensive guard here.

Ox had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Taylor is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Ox Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Taylor's back instead.
Taylor is trying to stand back up.
Taylor wants to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ox softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Ox not allowing Taylor to control his hands.

Ox is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Taylor knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Taylor for a finish.
Taylor trying to control the position but Ox manages to sink in the hooks.
Taylor is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Ox.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ox 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, Taylor has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Taylor trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Taylor breaks Ox's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Taylor gets to his feet - Ox follows without any prompting.
Ox tries for a takedown but Taylor circles away easily

and Taylor counters with a takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Taylor dominated that second round.
That's time! Taylor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Taylor misses with a takedown
and Ox counters with a left and a right that stings Taylor.
Ox thumps Taylor with a low kick.
Ox throws a head kick that half lands.
Ox doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Taylor counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Taylor working the head and body with strikes.
Taylor scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Taylor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ox defending well though.
Taylor wants to control but Ox is keeping him busy.
Ox avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Taylor.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ox is positioning himself well to prevent Taylor advancing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ox is trying to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Taylor shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ox counters with a one-two to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ox looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Taylor tries to land a body kick

and Ox counters by moving into the clinch.

Ox decides to pull guard.
Taylor postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Taylor throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ox works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Taylor is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

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.
Ox keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Ox lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Taylor!
Taylor tries to lock up and control but Ox gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Taylor is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Taylor wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Ox has the hooks in. Taylor is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ox trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Taylor doesn't escape.
Taylor wants to escape the position.
Taylor staying busy and making it hard for Ox to control.
Taylor rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Taylor is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ox's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ox's back!
Taylor avoiding Ox 's attempts to control his hands.
Taylor throwing damaging strikes from the back! Ox could be in trouble here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Taylor lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Ox hold on?!
Taylor loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Ox hold on?
Taylor is trying to stick to Ox's back but Ox is turning into Taylor. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Taylor's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Ox.
Taylor trying to keep a closed guard but Ox is proving a slippery customer.
Ox wants to pass the guard but Taylor is keeping the position.
Ox won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Paul Taylor.
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 Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27

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