PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paul Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesse Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy comes to the cage accompanied by Rock the Casbah. Jesse Taylor has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hardy
vs
Taylor

180 cm
22
170 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jesse Taylor!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Ackerman and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor blocks a head kick by Hardy.
A right-left combo lands from Hardy.

It looks like Jesse Taylor has been cut.
Taylor shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hardy pinned against the cage. Hardy gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Good exchange - Hardy coming out on top.
Hardy will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Taylor walks into a stiff left hand from Hardy.
Hardy misses with a series of wild punches.
Hardy fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Taylor looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Hardy misses with a few strikes there.
Taylor closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hardy circles away.
Taylor defending well as Hardy loads up on a big left hand.

Taylor looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hardy keeping full guard, as Taylor tries to pass.
Hardy knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Taylor on the ground.
Taylor throws a big right hand that misses.
Hardy preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Taylor drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hardy dives on top into guard.
Hardy has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Taylor is proving hard to escape from.
Hardy 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.

Hardy avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.

Taylor is looking for a triangle but Hardy pushes his legs off easily.

Taylor has his foot on Hardy's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hardy works his way back into a safe position though.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy looking to sit in guard and control but Taylor gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Taylor tries to free his leg and advance position but Hardy is retaining full guard.
Taylor trying to control but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Taylor throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hardy works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Taylor is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hardy is looking to stand up but Taylor isn't so interested in that idea.
Taylor throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hardy works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy trying to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Hardy has closed the distance and engaged Taylor in a clinch.
Taylor goes for a takedown attempt but Hardy pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Paul Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesse Taylor.
Taylor has a takedown stuffed.
Hardy works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Nice shot lands for Hardy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Hardy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jesse Taylor's cut.
That's time! Hardy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hardy throws a combination. Taylor tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Hardy stuffs the takedown.

Taylor closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hardy did well to prevent Taylor getting side control.
Taylor seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Let's hope that Taylor has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Hardy is concentrating on defense, preventing Taylor from advancing position.
Hardy is trying to stand back up but Taylor is controlling him
Taylor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardy keeps working.
Hardy scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Taylor manages to mount him!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Taylor with shots to the head and body - Hardy looks very uncomfortable down there.
Hardy blocking the ground and pound.
Taylor raining down shots from the mount!
Taylor sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
BOOM! Taylor connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor thowing shots but they're missing.
Taylor thowing shots but they're missing.
Taylor putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Hardy throwing hammer fists to the chest of Taylor. What's that going to do exactly?
Taylor throws some wild stikes that Hardy manages to avoid easily.
Hardy wants to try and get back to his feet.
Hardy is bucking up trying to escape but Taylor cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor scoring with strikes but Hardy is staying in there.
Taylor has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hardy's face.
Taylor controlling from mount.
Taylor throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Hardy because Taylor loaded up on that one.
Hardy keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Taylor throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Taylor content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Hardy tries to hold on but Taylor postures up.
Hardy is trying to stand up.

Taylor is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Hardy has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Hardy!
Hardy is looking to stand up but Taylor won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Taylor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jesse 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Taylor shoots in and drives through. Hardy sprawls well.
Hardy stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hardy wants it to stay on the feet.
Taylor has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Taylor there as he acknowledges the shot.
Hardy bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Taylor's head.
Hardy slaps away a takedown attempt from Taylor, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Paul Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesse Taylor.
Taylor closes the distance and clinches up with Hardy, looking for a takedown. Taylor pushes Hardy against the cage but Hardy circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Taylor or perhaps it was just good defense by Hardy which made him look bad.
Hardy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hardy works the jab nicely.
Taylor throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hardy's waist but Hardy gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Taylor off to one side.
Taylor shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hardy defends it nicely.
Hardy throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Taylor on the side of the head.
Hardy lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Taylor fails to land the takedown.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hardy.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taylor takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That has opened up Jesse Taylor's cut even more.
Taylor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hardy getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Nice shot lands for Hardy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Hardy drops Taylor with a left right combo! Hardy follows him down to the ground into side control.

Taylor is rocked!

Hardy decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Taylor is still on wobbly legs! Can Hardy finish him?
Hardy lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Taylor seems to have recovered his senses.
Paul Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jab, jab by Hardy - just one landing.
Hardy lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

The cut above Jesse Taylor's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Hardy lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Paul Hardy is winning the standup battle so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hardy looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Both fighters circling a little - Hardy finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Hardy throws a quick inside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Hardy.
A punch lands to the side of Taylor 's head but he takes it in his stride.
A head kick misses from Hardy.

Taylor closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hardy is trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Taylor.
Hardy defending against the ground and pound.
Taylor is working Hardy over with some ground and pound from side control.
Hardy is trying to control Taylor's posture but Taylor avoids it.
Taylor creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hardy sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Taylor wants to control but Hardy is keeping him busy.
Jesse Taylor has got the better of the ground game so far.

Taylor wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hardy, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is trying to buck Taylor off.
Taylor trying to control the position but Hardy is working away.
Hardy tries to buck Taylor off but Taylor is having none of it.
Hardy is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Taylor is controlling him well.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hardy throws a head kick that misses.
Hardy stuffs the takedown attempt from Taylor. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet.
Hardy fails with an attempt to clinch.

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 joy there for Hardy, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Taylor fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Good shot there by Hardy.

Taylor closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Taylor trying to control the action but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Hardy controls the position for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor staying calm.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Hardy showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hardy 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28

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