PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sid Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Houston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Bodies. Houston is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Born of a Broken Man. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Taylor
vs
Houston

181 cm
25
201 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

190 cm
28
190 lbs
17 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 14 - 9 - 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 17 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Austin Houston!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Daniel Franklin and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Houston has managed to clinch.
Houston tries to throw a body punch but Taylor avoids it by throwing Houston back against the cage.
Taylor lands a right hand that snaps the head of Houston backwards.
Houston tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Taylor lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Taylor pushes Houston back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Houston is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Taylor is defending well for now.
Houston misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Houston throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Houston with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A short right from Taylor on the inside.
Houston is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Taylor is defending well for now.
Houston pushes off an throws an elbow but Taylor leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Houston misses with a punch to the body.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Taylor shoots for a double leg takedown but Houston sprawls well. He's pushed Taylor's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Taylor gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Houston stuns Taylor with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Houston manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor wants to clinch.
Austin Houston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taylor throws a right hand that Houston ducks under and follows up with a left that Houston also avoids with ease.
Taylor changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Houston tries to avoid it but Taylor manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Houston to the ground. Houston escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Taylor wants to clinch.
Houston misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taylor.
Taylor uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Houston.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Houston lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Taylor has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Taylor and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Houston jabs at Taylor's body.
Houston ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Taylor moves away.
Houston keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Houston closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Taylor is trying to improve his position.
Houston working away.
Taylor is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Houston trying to control the position but Taylor is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
An elbow from Houston crashes against the mat.
Houston throws an elbow but Taylor slips to the side and avoids it well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taylor tries to improve position but can't.
Houston creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom here.
Taylor is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Taylor sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Houston wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taylor keeps working.
Houston working away.

Houston wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Taylor, who protects the arm well.
Houston postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Taylor prevents Houston from moving into mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Houston working away.
Houston is looking to take a break and control but Taylor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Taylor tries to bench press Houston off him but Houston keeps the position.
Taylor struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houston is working Taylor over with some ground and pound from side control.
Houston is looking to take a break and control but Taylor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Houston tries to advance to mount but can't.
Houston with the ground and pound but Taylor regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Houston throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Taylor keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Houston dominated that round.
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 staying out of range there.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Houston.
Taylor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Houston manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor is looking to chop away at Houston's legs.
Houston tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Houston steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Taylor.
Nice defenses there by Taylor.
Houston throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Houston displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Taylor throws out the jab.
Taylor takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Houston shoots in looking for a takedown. Taylor tries to sprawl out of it but Houston keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Taylor manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Houston closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor missing with a left hand there. Houston was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Houston is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Taylor rather than just go for the knockout.
Taylor takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Houston gets a clinch.
Houston tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Houston displaying some good clinch control by pressing Taylor up against the cage.
Taylor tries a knee to the head but Houston blocks it.
Come on Taylor - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Stalling in the clinch from Houston.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Houston.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor working aggressively here.
Houston is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Taylor is defending well for now.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Taylor as Houston tries to tie him up.
Houston tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Taylor avoids it.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Houston just misses with a elbow thrown towards Taylor's brow.
Houston's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
The referee calls for Taylor to work.
Houston tries to stall but Taylor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Houston with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Houston tries to land knees in the clinch but Taylor avoids the damage to the body.
The referee calls for Taylor to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Come on Houston - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Houston trying to stall but Taylor improves his position.
Taylor misses with a punch to the body.
Houston tries a knee to the head but Taylor blocks it.
Houston misses with a punch to the body.
Taylor looking to throw knees to the head but Houston is blocking nicely.
Houston slowing the pace effectively.
Houston tries to land knees in the clinch but Taylor avoids the damage to the body.
Houston can't find room to land a body shot as Taylor controls the action.
Houston trying to land knees to the body.
Houston tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Houston missing with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor blocking some punches.
Taylor is working Houston over against the cage.
Houston looking to slow down the pace here.
Taylor can't get the takedown.
Houston is looking to control Taylor's arms but Taylor gets an underhook and turns him. Now Houston has his back to the cage.

Taylor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Houston displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Taylor throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A left lands for Houston.
Taylor uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Houston.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
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!

Houston moves into the clinch successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Houston showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Taylor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Nice shot lands for Taylor.
Houston paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Taylor lands a nice looking body shot.
Houston looks to score with a jab to the body but Taylor is just out of range.
Taylor on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Houston fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Houston scores with a punch to the head.
Taylor throws a head kick that misses.
Houston slips under a jab from Taylor.
Jab by Taylor.
Taylor looks to land a right hand but Houston moved out of range.
A head kick misses from Taylor.
Houston has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Taylor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Houston stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Houston wants it to stay on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Houston clinches up with Taylor and pushes him back against the cage.
Houston lands a damaging elbow.
Houston scores a nice knee to the body.
Houston tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Taylor avoids it.
Houston has a couple of punches blocked by Taylor.
Houston stops a takedown attempt from Taylor.
Houston with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Taylor throws a head punch that misses.
Taylor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Houston throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Houston misses with a hook to the ribs.
Houston taking a breather.
Houston lands an elbow inside that Taylor shrugs off.
Taylor is pressed up against the cage. Houston has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Taylor down to the mat. Taylor avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Austin Houston seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor lands a nice shot to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Houston avoids the head kick by Taylor.
Houston throws a head kick that misses

so Taylor counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Taylor pushes down on Houston's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Houston trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Houston is looking to control Taylor's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Houston avoid being mounted?
Houston is looking to improve his position.
Houston wants to control but Taylor is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Austin Houston hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Houston slips under a jab.

Taylor takes the fight into the clinch.
Houston misses with an elbow over the top.
Houston misses with a knee strike.
Houston tries to land knees in the clinch but Taylor avoids the damage to the body.
Houston trying to stall but Taylor improves his position.
Houston tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Taylor avoids it.
Taylor goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Taylor tries to throw a body punch but Houston avoids it by throwing Taylor back against the cage.
Sid Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houston misses with a body punch.
Houston tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Houston looking to throw knees to the head but Taylor is blocking nicely.
Taylor lands with a right to the head.
Taylor tries a body shot but Houston blocks it.
Taylor missing with knees to the body.
Taylor tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Houston's elbow.
Austin Houston is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Houston taking a breather.

Taylor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor slips a jab from Houston.

Taylor closes the distance and pushes Houston back into the cage.
Houston blocking some punches.
Houston managing to block the knees to the body from Taylor.

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 Sid Taylor.
Well Houston has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Houston!