PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ookami Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeff Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jeff Howard has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ookami Taylor's chin.

Taylor
vs
Howard

170 cm
24
185 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

168 cm
28
182 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ookami Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jeff Howard!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard looks to clinch
and Taylor connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Howard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Howard wants to clinch
and Taylor counters with a stiff right hand.
Howard throws a series of punches but Taylor avoids them all with ease.
Howard misses with a hook
enabling Taylor to counter with a crisp jab.
Taylor scores with a jab. Howard acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Howard throws a right hand that Taylor ducks under and follows up with a left that Taylor also avoids with ease.
Howard throws a right hand that misses

and Taylor holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Taylor fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Howard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Howard throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Taylor throwing shots but Howard is blocking nicely.
Taylor missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Taylor passes to full mount!
Taylor lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Howard hang on?
Taylor landing strikes from the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard working to try and regain half guard.
Taylor landing strikes from the mount and Howard is in trouble!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howard is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Taylor landing strikes from the mount and Howard is in trouble!
Howard is trying desperately to improve position.
Taylor is landing with some decent strikes but Howard is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Taylor landing strikes, looking to finish!
Taylor landing strikes, looking to finish!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor breaks from Howard's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Taylor breaks from Howard's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Taylor looking to finish Howard with some ground and pound. This is bad for Howard!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Taylor raining down hammerfists from mount.
Howard is bucking up trying to escape but Taylor cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Howard looks gassed!
Taylor raining down shots from the mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Taylor with shots to the head and body - Howard looks very uncomfortable down there.
Taylor lands a heavy elbow.
BOOM! Taylor connects with a massive shot to the dome!
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.
Howard is bucking up trying to escape but Taylor cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Taylor could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
BOOM! Taylor connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Taylor is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Howard can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Taylor is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Howard to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Howard shrugs it off.
Howard is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Howard 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 is landing with some decent strikes but Howard is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Taylor landing strikes from the mount.
Howard wants to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor trying to control but Howard is having none of it.
Taylor lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Howard hang on?
Taylor with a couple of short strikes.
Taylor working Howard over with strikes here.
Taylor working Howard over with strikes here.
Howard takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Taylor scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Howard?
Taylor scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Howard?
Taylor with good strikes from the mount here!
Taylor with good strikes from the mount here!
Taylor with shots to the head and body - Howard looks very uncomfortable down 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 Howard's face.
Taylor looking to finish Howard with some ground and pound. This is bad for Howard!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor landing strikes from the mount and Howard is in trouble!
Taylor landing strikes from the mount.
Taylor with a couple of short strikes.
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!
Taylor lands a big elbow.
Taylor looking to finish Howard with some ground and pound. This is bad for Howard!
Taylor lands a big shot there that rocks Howard but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Taylor in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Taylor with a couple of short strikes.
Taylor with a couple of short strikes.
Howard is in a horrible position here. Taylor smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Taylor is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Howard can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Taylor lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Howard hang on?
Taylor with shots to the head and body - Howard looks very uncomfortable down there.
Howard is in a horrible position here. Taylor smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ookami Taylor dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Taylor fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Howard uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Taylor.
Howard lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Howard shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Taylor walks into a stiff left hand from Howard.
Howard throws a left and a right that both miss
and Taylor counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ookami Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor circles away from the clinch attempt.
Howard wants to clinch up but Taylor keeps it at a distance.
Taylor looks to land a combination but Howard avoids it well.
A combination from Howard does no damage.
Howard is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab from Howard.
Howard moves forwards but Taylor connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Taylor looks to land a combination but Howard avoids it well.
Howard misses with a left hand

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into side control. Howard won't be happy with that.
Taylor lands a few punches from side control.
Taylor lands a nice forearm strike.
Taylor misses with the ground and pound.
Taylor misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Howard managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Taylor.

Taylor is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Howard knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Taylor lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Howard knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Howard can't do much from the bottom here.
Taylor working the body and head with strikes.
Taylor misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Taylor is putting a hurting on Howard here, landing some big shots from side control.
Howard takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Taylor lands some shots froms side control.
Taylor controlling from side mount.
Howard is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor lands a few punches from side control.
Howard is working to avoid the ground and pound but Taylor connects with a decent elbow.
The ground and pound from Taylor seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Taylor throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Taylor lands some shots froms side control.
Taylor in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Taylor cracks Howard with a big elbow.
Taylor throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Taylor thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Taylor working away.
Taylor creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Howard sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Taylor lands a nice forearm strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Howard is working to avoid the ground and pound but Taylor connects with a decent elbow.
Howard taking a bit of punishment here - Taylor scoring with strikes.
Taylor misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Taylor scoring with punches and elbows.
Ookami Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
You can see the frustration on Howard's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Howard taking punishment in the form of punches.
Howard takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Taylor working the body and head with strikes.
Taylor lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Howard parries the strikes from Taylor easily there. Taylor is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Howard to escape.

Taylor is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Howard knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ookami Taylor dominated that second round.
That's time! Taylor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Howard throws a good cross that connects.

Taylor closes the distance and pushes Howard back into the cage.
Howard tries to break the clinch but Taylor is controlling the position.

Taylor is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Howard can't fight it off and eventually Taylor manages to take the fight to the floor. Howard looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Howard keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Howard working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taylor.
Taylor works over Howard with some ground and pound from guard.
Howard avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Howard working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taylor.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Howard managing to control the position.
Taylor working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Taylor throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Howard works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Taylor is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Howard can do to turn this around?
Howard has a closed guard, preventing Taylor from standing up.
Howard has momentary wrist control but Taylor slips an elbow through the middle.
Taylor throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Howard works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Howard wants to sweep here but Taylor controlling him for the moment.
Taylor missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Taylor throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Taylor scoring with some ground and pound.
Taylor working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Howard's head.
Howard looking to control.
Taylor in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Taylor postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Taylor connects with a couple of short punches.
Taylor throws a big right hand that misses.
Howard is looking to stand up but Taylor isn't so interested in that idea.
Jeff Howard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taylor keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Howard's head.
Taylor throwing strikes but missing.
Taylor working some strikes from top position.
Taylor trying to control but Howard is working from the bottom.
Taylor working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Howard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Taylor is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Taylor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Howard controls Taylor momentarily but Taylor frees himself.
Taylor chips away with some ground and pound.
Taylor with a nice head shot there.
Taylor scoring with punches to the head and body.
Taylor working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Howard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Taylor gets to his feet - Howard follows without any prompting.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Howard throws a series of punches but Taylor moves out of range.
Howard darts in trying to clinch

and Taylor counters by moving into the clinch.
Ookami Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Taylor ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Taylor no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Howard trying to move into half guard but instead Taylor has managed to sweep!
Howard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Taylor is controlling him.
Taylor showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ookami Taylor showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Taylor, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:26
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:26

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