PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ookami Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alvarez comes to the cage accompanied by Raised Fist - Words and Phrases. Ookami Taylor will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Alvarez
vs
Taylor

178 cm
24
180 lbs
6 - 12 - 0

170 cm
23
185 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 6 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antonio Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ookami Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor fails in his attempt to clinch.
Taylor misses with a double jab.
Alvarez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Alvarez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Taylor has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Alvarez is working away from the top position though.
Alvarez slips a nice elbow through Taylor's hands, connecting with Taylor's forehead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alvarez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Taylor tries to get to full guard but Alvarez has control of the leg.
Alvarez controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Taylor wants to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Antonio Alvarez just wasn't active enough.
Alvarez fails with a takedown attempt.

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.
Alvarez is looking to land body kicks.
Alvarez wants to clinch but Taylor slips to the side
and Taylor counters with a two punch combo.
Alvarez fails with the takedown
and Taylor counters with a straight right hand.
Good shot there by Taylor.

Alvarez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Alvarez sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Taylor is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Alvarez misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Taylor is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Alvarez gets to mount! Taylor was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez controlling the position easily from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Taylor is trying to escape the mount.
Taylor is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Alvarez controlling his opponent.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Alvarez 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.

Alvarez misses with a takedown attempt - Taylor sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Alvarez doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Taylor decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Alvarez's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Taylor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Taylor throws and elbow that misses. Alvarez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Taylor's guard. Nice move by Alvarez!
Alvarez controlling from the top position.
Alvarez throwing strikes from guard but Taylor blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez controls from within his opponent's guard.
Taylor 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.
Alvarez won't allow Taylor to get back to his feet.
Alvarez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Alvarez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Taylor looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Taylor looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Taylor!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Alvarez struggling a bit here.
Alvarez parries the strikes from Taylor easily there. Taylor is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Alvarez to escape.
Taylor is looking to take a break and control but Alvarez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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 creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Alvarez sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Alvarez is trying to control Taylor's posture but Taylor avoids it.
Alvarez is looking to regain half guard here but Taylor keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Taylor throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Taylor advances to full mount.
Taylor scoring with strikes but Alvarez is staying in there.
Alvarez is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Alvarez wants to control but Taylor is having none of it.
Alvarez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Taylor.
Taylor looking to finish with strikes here!
Alvarez can't escape the position.

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 landing strikes, looking to finish!
Alvarez tries to reverse the position but Taylor maintains control.
Taylor misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Alvarez tries to reverse the position but Taylor maintains control.
Taylor throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Antonio Alvarez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Taylor pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Alvarez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Taylor fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ookami Taylor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Alvarez doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Alvarez has control of Taylor's left arm, preventing Taylor from doing any damage.

Taylor is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Alvarez is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Alvarez has escaped and now he's on top!
Taylor preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Taylor trying to keep a closed guard but Alvarez is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez stops Taylor from standing up.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Taylor is keeping the position.
Taylor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alvarez trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Alvarez stopping the sweep attempt from Taylor.
Taylor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Alvarez has closed the distance and engaged Taylor in a clinch.
Alvarez is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Taylor gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Alvarez cracks Taylor with a nice body shot.
Taylor has a couple of punches blocked by Alvarez.
Taylor working hard to break the clinch.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Alvarez won't allow it.

Alvarez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez avoids a punch combination nicely.

Alvarez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Taylor has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Alvarez striking off his back but it's not causing Taylor any problems.
Taylor stopping the sweep attempt from Alvarez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez seems keen to control Taylor's posture.

Taylor drops back, looking for a kneebar! Alvarez looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Alvarez looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Alvarez!
Taylor avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Alvarez.
Alvarez just content to control the position.
Taylor struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Alvarez is staying tight to Taylor's torso, preventing him from escaping.

Alvarez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Alvarez is staying tight to Taylor's torso, preventing him from escaping.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ookami Taylor.
I think Taylor 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

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