PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Herald Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jamaal Wilkensone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
Wilkensone

198 cm
22
150 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

150 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Herald Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jamaal Wilkensone!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wilkensone ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Taylor moves away.
Wilkensone should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Wilkensone shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Taylor as he avoids it easily.
Taylor shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Wilkensone counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Wilkensone.
Wilkensone in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Taylor trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wilkensone trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wilkensone wants to pass the guard but Taylor is keeping the position.
Taylor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Taylor throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Wilkensone. No joy for Taylor on that attempt.
Taylor really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Wilkensone swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jamaal Wilkensone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taylor shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Wilkensone counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Herald Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wilkensone sitting in guard here, content to control.
Wilkensone is looking to stand up but Taylor won't let him.
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 keeping moving, preventing Wilkensone from controlling successfully.
Taylor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Wilkensone's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor trying to control but Wilkensone is working from the bottom.
Wilkensone thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Taylor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Taylor won't allow Wilkensone to get back to his feet.
Wilkensone keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Wilkensone looks gassed!
Taylor is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Taylor gets to his feet - Wilkensone follows without any prompting.
Wilkensone misses with a takedown attempt

and Taylor counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Taylor.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Taylor postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor advances position into side control!
Taylor moves into full mount!

Taylor looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Taylor trying to control but Wilkensone is having none of it.
Taylor looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilkensone wants to control but Taylor is having none of it.
Wilkensone can't escape the position.
Wilkensone really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taylor. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Taylor takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taylor landing punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor punishing his opponent with strikes.
Taylor lands a heavy elbow.
Taylor content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Herald Taylor will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Taylor shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Wilkensone as he avoids it easily.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Wilkensone.
Wilkensone with a poor takedown

and Taylor decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Wilkensone's guard.
Taylor lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Wilkensone is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor advances position into side control!
Herald Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Wilkensone is working to avoid the ground and pound but Taylor connects with a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor scoring with punches and elbows.
Taylor in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Taylor moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Wilkensone is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Taylor asserts his dominance and retains side control.
A lull in the action here.

That's two 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.
Taylor working the head and body with strikes.
Taylor advances to mount.
Taylor controlling his opponent.
Wilkensone wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilkensone tries to reverse the position but Taylor maintains control.
Wilkensone is squirming around, avoiding Taylor's attempts to control the action.
Taylor tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Wilkensone is trying desperately to improve position.
Taylor looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Wilkensone tries to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.
Taylor with the ground and pound from mount.
Taylor postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Wilkensone looks a forlorn figure.
Taylor lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Wilkensone wants to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.

Taylor is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Wilkensone can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Wilkensone tries to hold on but Taylor postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Herald Taylor dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Wilkensone gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Taylor counters with a left and a right that stings Wilkensone.
Wilkensone walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Wilkensone wants to clinch but Taylor slips to the side

and Taylor counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Taylor pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Wilkensone is keeping the position for now.
Taylor sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Wilkensone's guard.
Wilkensone keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Taylor there.
Wilkensone is looking for a sweep. Taylor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taylor passes into side control, despite Wilkensone's attempt to control the position.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Wilkensone has eaten all the pies!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Wilkensone is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Taylor trying to control the action but Wilkensone is working from the bottom.
Wilkensone is trying to control Taylor's posture but Taylor avoids it.

Taylor is trying to get an arm triangle but Wilkensone is defending well.
Wilkensone is trying to control Taylor's posture but Taylor avoids it.

That's two 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.
Wilkensone is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Taylor in side control lands a decent elbow.
Taylor creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Taylor working the ground and pound.
Taylor content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Wilkensone has escaped the position, nice work there.
Taylor wants to control but Wilkensone is keeping him busy.
Taylor is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Wilkensone is looking to reverse the position.

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.

Taylor tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Taylor has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Taylor has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Wilkensone has his takedown stuffed

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Taylor blocks the strikes from Wilkensone.
Taylor drops an elbow to the side of Wilkensone's head.
Jamaal Wilkensone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Herald Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Taylor sitting and controlling from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Herald Taylor showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Taylor has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:26
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

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