PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jadimbu Muliva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathan Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Muliva comes to the cage accompanied by In Flames - The Quiet Place. Taylor has chosen Back To School by Deftones as his entrance music. 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.

Muliva
vs
Taylor

178 cm
25
217 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

183 cm
28
217 lbs
15 - 8 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jadimbu Muliva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Nathan Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Dillan Fox and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Muliva feints and as Taylor raises his hands in defense, Muliva changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Taylor trying to keep a closed guard but Muliva is proving a slippery customer.

Muliva is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Muliva is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Muliva works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Muliva wants to take a breather but Taylor is having none of it.
Well, if Muliva is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Muliva is trying to control. Taylor wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to control but can't.
Muliva wants to pass to mount but Taylor is defending the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jadimbu Muliva.
Muliva takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Taylor tries to bum rush Muliva with a series of wild strikes but Muliva uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Muliva thows a body shot but no joy.
A combination from Muliva does no damage.
Muliva is trying hard to land a takedown here. Taylor sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Muliva scores with a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muliva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Taylor was well out of range. Poor timing from Muliva.
Muliva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Taylor but Taylor pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Muliva misses with a combination
and Taylor counters with a three punch combo that has Muliva backing up. Muliva nods at Taylor to acknowledge the strikes.
Muliva throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Taylor counters with a left and a right that stings Muliva.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Taylor finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Muliva closes this distance looking for a takedown but Taylor circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jadimbu Muliva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Muliva shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Taylor sprawls well. Taylor wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Muliva gets slowly back to his feet.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Taylor.
Muliva is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Muliva swings away with a body shot that misses
and Taylor counters with a left and a right that stings Muliva.
Taylor fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Taylor catches Muliva with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Muliva jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination

and Muliva counters with a shoot takedown. Taylor fights it but they end up in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Taylor wriggles free and stands up.
Taylor throws a combination that misses

and Muliva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is defending against the submission attempts here by Muliva.
Taylor trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor keeping control of the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Muliva seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathan Taylor dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Muliva falls off balance throwing a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Muliva misses the body punch
and Taylor counters with a left and a right that stings Muliva.
Taylor moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Taylor throws a left and a right that both miss

and Muliva counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Taylor!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Muliva looking to control but Taylor is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Taylor is in all sorts of trouble here.
Muliva controlling his opponent.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taylor holds on for dear life.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to improve his position but Muliva isn't that keen on the idea.
The referee warns Taylor that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Muliva controlling the position easily from mount.
Muliva working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Muliva trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Taylor is squirming around, avoiding Muliva's attempts to control the action.

Muliva goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Taylor is on top in guard.

Muliva looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Taylor must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Taylor stopping the sweep attempt from Muliva.
Taylor trying to control but Muliva is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muliva trying to control the position.

Muliva escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Taylor gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Taylor sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Muliva looking for a sweep. Not yet Muliva, not yet.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Muliva looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Taylor looking to pass the guard.

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.
Taylor trying to control but Muliva is working from the bottom.
Taylor really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Muliva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nathan Taylor.
Muliva throws a left and a right that both miss
and Taylor counters with a leg kick.
Muliva misses with a few strikes there.
Taylor dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Muliva. That did some damage!
A good leg kick by Taylor.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Muliva scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Muliva fails to land the takedown.
Muliva fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nathan Taylor will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Muliva throws a lazy uppercut
and Taylor counters with a nice uppercut.
Taylor misses with a jab, cross combination.
Muliva throws a sloppy body shot
and Taylor counters with a one-two to the body.
Muliva shoots in and drives through. Taylor sprawls well.
Muliva tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Muliva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Taylor counters with a series of strikes. Muliva will be more careful next time no doubt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taylor buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A punch combination from Taylor misses.
No joy there for Muliva, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Taylor stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Taylor wants it to stay on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muliva ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Muliva ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Taylor moves away.
Muliva throws a left and a right that both miss
and Taylor counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Muliva is looking to wear down Taylor with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Taylor throws a nice looking combination but Muliva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Muliva misses with a combination
and Taylor counters with an outside leg kick.
Taylor throws a head kick that misses.
Muliva misses with a takedown
and Taylor counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jadimbu Muliva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor throws a big shot that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor jabs Muliva to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A shot to the body from Muliva misses
and Taylor counters with a two punch combo.
An inside leg kick lands from Taylor.
Nathan Taylor seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A punch combination from Taylor misses.
Muliva is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Taylor misses with a few strikes there.
Taylor looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Muliva throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Taylor's waist but Taylor gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Muliva off to one side.
Taylor swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A chopping leg kick lands by Taylor.
Taylor misses with a two punch combination.
Jadimbu Muliva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Taylor both land. Nice combination.
Muliva dodges the punch combination from Taylor.
Muliva misses with a hook
and Taylor counters with a leg kick.
Muliva fails with the takedown.
Taylor looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No luck for Muliva with that takedown attempt.
Taylor fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Muliva.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Muliva's calf.
Muliva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Taylor avoids it really well and circles away.
Taylor throws a right hand that Muliva ducks under and follows up with a left that Muliva also avoids with ease.
Nathan Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Taylor throws a combination that misses
letting Muliva counter with a right hand.
Taylor throws a nice looking combination but Muliva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A big left from Muliva misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Muliva shoots in looking for a takedown but Taylor manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Muliva's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Muliva misses with a left hand
and Taylor counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nathan Taylor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Taylor winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 26:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 26:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 26:30

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