PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sid Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Asturiem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor comes to the cage accompanied by Bodies. Asturiem has chosen Fernandinho - Sede de Justiça as his entrance music. Alexander Asturiem has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Taylor
vs
Asturiem

181 cm
20
195 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

225 cm
24
190 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

[MMABR]FALCON CLOTHING[†]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sid Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alexander Asturiem!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Asturiem leaves Taylor with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Taylor looks for a takedown but Asturiem sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sid Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Asturiem cracks Taylor with a right hand to the side of the head.
Asturiem checks the leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A bone on bone clash there as Asturiem blocks the leg kick.
Taylor avoids a punch combination nicely.
Asturiem wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asturiem ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Asturiem stuffs the takedown.
Taylor is trying hard to land a takedown here. Asturiem sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Asturiem fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Taylor looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Taylor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Asturiem paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Taylor tries to clinch but Asturiem is having none of it.
Asturiem is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

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 is looking to chop away at Asturiem's legs.
Sid Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Asturiem leaves Taylor with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Asturiem but Asturiem pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Asturiem is looking to clinch but Taylor is avoiding it.
Asturiem jabs at Taylor's body.
Taylor throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Asturiem counters with a left and a right that stings Taylor.
Asturiem cracks Taylor with an open hand slap.
Asturiem looks to land a combination. Taylor sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Asturiem coming out on top.
No luck for Taylor with that takedown attempt.
Asturiem is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Asturiem tries to clinch there but Taylor circles away.
Taylor closes the distance but Asturiem moves to the side
and Asturiem counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Taylor throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Taylor misses with a body shot
and Asturiem makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Taylor tries to clinch but Asturiem moves away
and Asturiem counters with a two punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asturiem throws a one two combo.
Taylor tries to clinch up

and Asturiem counters by moving into the clinch.
Asturiem presses Taylor against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Asturiem just stands there and leans against the cage.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Asturiem just stands there and leans against the cage.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Asturiem just stands there and leans against the cage.
Asturiem lands a shot to the body.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Asturiem just stands there and leans against the cage.
Taylor goes for a takedown attempt but Asturiem pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Asturiem uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Taylor has time to react.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Asturiem dominated that round.
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.

Asturiem has Taylor up against the cage in a clinch.
Taylor jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Asturiem walks away with a smile on his face. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Taylor takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Taylor misses with a kick to the body.
Taylor closes the distance and clinches up with Asturiem, looking for a takedown. Taylor pushes Asturiem against the cage but Asturiem circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Taylor takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A right-left combo lands from Asturiem.

Asturiem moves into the clinch.
Asturiem digs a right hand underneath Taylor's ribcage. Taylor let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Asturiem is trying to break the clinch but Taylor is controlling him.
Asturiem tries to circle away but Taylor has him pinned against the cage.
Taylor is working for takedown but Asturiem is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sid Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asturiem lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Nice body punch from Asturiem - that landed with a thud.
Taylor jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Asturiem walks away with a smile on his face. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Asturiem forces Taylor back against the cage and clinches.
Taylor tries for a takedown. No joy.
Asturiem lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Taylor using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Asturiem has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Asturiem just stands there and leans against the cage.
Taylor drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Taylor tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Asturiem is trying to break free.
Asturiem working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Asturiem stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Asturiem wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Asturiem looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Asturiem is trying to break the clinch but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Asturiem just stands there and leans against the cage.
Asturiem lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Asturiem lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Asturiem wants to get back to striking at distance but Taylor won't allow it.
Asturiem lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Taylor backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asturiem is trying to break the clinch but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A hook to the body from Asturiem.
Asturiem can't break the clinch.

Taylor jumps guard and drags Asturiem to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Asturiem avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Taylor throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Taylor will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Asturiem stands and steps away. Taylor gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Taylor takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Asturiem has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Asturiem with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Asturiem drives through and clinches with Taylor against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Asturiem.
Asturiem tries to break the clinch but Taylor is controlling the position.
Asturiem wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Asturiem lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Taylor backwards.
Asturiem is trying to break free.
Asturiem stops a takedown attempt from Taylor.
Asturiem is trying to break free.
Asturiem gets underhooks to prevent Taylor's takedown attempt.
Asturiem tries to circle away but Taylor has him pinned against the cage.
Taylor tries for a takedown. No joy.
A hook to the body from Asturiem.
Asturiem has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Asturiem is trying to break free.
Taylor tries for a takedown. No joy.
Asturiem looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A frustrated look appears on Asturiem's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Asturiem wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Asturiem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asturiem lands with a light punch inside.
Asturiem softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Taylor manages to break the clinch.
Asturiem fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Taylor tries to score a power double leg takedown but Asturiem sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Taylor somewhat.
Asturiem lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Sid Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Asturiem's waist but Asturiem gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Taylor off to one side.
Asturiem wants to clinch up but Taylor keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Asturiem showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Taylor darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Asturiem tries to kick Taylor off but Taylor keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Taylor stalling.
Asturiem wants to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Asturiem can do anything to dispel that myth.
Asturiem is not content to let Taylor control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asturiem wants to get back to his feet.
Asturiem avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Taylor.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Taylor tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Asturiem holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Asturiem is trying to break free.
Taylor tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Asturiem smiles and moves away.

Asturiem pushes Taylor up against the cage in a clinch.
Asturiem wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Taylor turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Asturiem!
Asturiem is squirming around, avoiding Taylor's attempts to control the action.
Taylor is really struggling to control Asturiem but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Asturiem is trying to stand.
Taylor looking to control but Asturiem is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Taylor thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor controlling the pace for now.
Taylor throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Asturiem because Taylor loaded up on that one.
Taylor looking to finish with strikes here!
Asturiem is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Taylor tries to control but Asturiem wriggling away.
Taylor throwing strikes here but Asturiem is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four 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 won't let Asturiem get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Taylor tries to control but Asturiem wriggling away.
Taylor landing shots from mount.
Sid Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taylor wants to control the pace but Asturiem is squirming around nicely.
Asturiem wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taylor with the ground and pound from mount.
Alexander Asturiem is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Taylor cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

And that's the end of the fight!
Sid Taylor showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Asturiem has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Asturiem!