PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ej Tap (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Octavio Paixao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tap comes to the cage accompanied by Pop Lock and Drop It. Paixao has chosen "Death by Blonde" by Devotchka as his entrance music. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Tap
vs
Paixao

170 cm
30
180 lbs
15 - 13 - 0

177 cm
26
180 lbs
14 - 13 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ej Tap!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Octavio Paixao!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paixao tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tap was well out of range. Poor timing from Paixao.
Paixao's corner calls for a 1-2. Paixao obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
A clash of legs there as Tap blocks the low kick.
Paixao swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Paixao takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Paixao tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tap paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Paixao throws an overhand right that lands on Tap's shoulder, as Tap tries to avoid the shot.
Paixao fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Tap.
Paixao throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tap misses with an uppercut. Paixao saw that one coming.
Paixao rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Tap counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Tap connects with a nice looking jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Paixao looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tap moves out of range of the leg kick from Paixao.
Paixao throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tap sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tap bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Paixao walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Tap checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Paixao throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Tap slips under a jab from Paixao.
Paixao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Tap has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Paixao finds it's way round the side to connect with Tap's head.
Paixao on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tap throws a right hand that Paixao ducks under and follows up with a left that Paixao also avoids with ease.
Tap pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tap steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Paixao. That one must have hurt.
Paixao misses with an uppercut
and Tap cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Paixao throws a jab but it's blocked by Tap.
Paixao misses with a lunging right hand
and Tap counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Paixao misses with a wild combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tap. Paixao does a little dance to reset his feet.
Paixao throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tap throws a lazy right hand but Paixao sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Paixao goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Tap lands a body shot.

Tap gets the takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Paixao's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Paixao regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paixao wants to get back to full guard.
Tap throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tap not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tap throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tap working Paixao over with strikes.
Paixao gets back to full guard.
Tap passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Paixao is not content to let Tap control the position.
Paixao tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tap scoring with punches and elbows.
Tap tries to advance to mount but can't.
Tap working the ground and pound but Paixao is defending the strikes.
Paixao wants to control but Tap postures up.

Tap tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tap has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tap throws an elbow but Paixao slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
An elbow from Tap crashes against the mat.
Paixao is trying to control Tap's posture but Tap avoids it.
Tap wants to lay and pray for a moment but Paixao keeps working.
Tap wants to control for a moment but Paixao uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Tap looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ej Tap dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Paixao tries to score with a low kick but Tap moves his leg out of the way.
Paixao throws a head kick but Tap moves out of range.
Paixao looks to score with a jab to the body but Tap is just out of range.
Paixao swings widly with a right hand
and Tap counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Tap slips under a jab.
Tap shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Paixao counters with a leg kick.
Paixao misses with an uppercut.
Paixao misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Paixao lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tap circles away quickly and effectively.
Octavio Paixao seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tap lands with a straight right. Paixao didn't see that one coming.
Tap digs a good hook to Paixao's body.
Tap fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Paixao avoids it really well and circles away.
Paixao keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ej Tap. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paixao lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Paixao. Tap does a little dance to reset his feet.
Paixao closes the distance but Tap moves to the side
and Tap counters with a nice uppercut.
Octavio Paixao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tap moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Paixao stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Tap chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Paixao can pounce on him.
Paixao tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Tap checks the leg kick nicely there.
Paixao slips under a jab.
Tap on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Tap keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tap lands a jab-cross combination.

Tap dives in and scores a takedown into Paixao's guard.

Paixao is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tap defends well.
Tap throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paixao controls Tap momentarily but Tap frees himself.
Paixao looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tap accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tap wants to control from the top but Paixao keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tap accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tap preventing the sweep.
Tap is working Paixao over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Tap scoring with some ground and pound.
Tap is looking to advance position but Paixao has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Tap is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Paixao raining down hammerfists from mount.
Tap is trying to escape the mount.
Paixao wants to control the pace but Tap is squirming around nicely.
Paixao throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Tap can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paixao raining down hammerfists from mount.

It looks like Ej Tap has been cut.
Paixao throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Tap in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Tap can't escape the position.
Paixao dominating with strikes here.
Paixao lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Paixao cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Paixao lands a big elbow.
Tap working to try and regain half guard.
Paixao putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Paixao unloading with bombs!
Paixao has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Tap's face.
Tap sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Octavio Paixao showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ej Tap's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Tap is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Paixao.
Paixao misses with a body shot.
A lazy left from Paixao finds it's target.
That kick from Paixao tenderised Tap's leg. Tap is trying to keep his angry face on.
Tap is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Paixao misses with a head kick.
Tap slips a jab and a cross from Paixao.
Paixao takes a swing at Tap's ribcage but misses.
Paixao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Paixao swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Tap counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Paixao swings widly with a right hand

and Tap decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Paixao's guard.
Tap throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Paixao works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tap throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Paixao works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tap chips away with some ground and pound.
Tap preventing the sweep.
Tap showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paixao trying to keep a closed guard but Tap is proving a slippery customer.
Tap lands a couple of elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tap connects with a couple of short punches.
Tap trying to control the position from guard on top but Paixao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tap showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Paixao 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.
Paixao trying to control the position.
Paixao looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tap is one step ahead there.
Tap throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Paixao works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tap trying to control but Paixao is working from the bottom.
Tap 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.
Paixao working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tap.
Tap won't allow Paixao to sweep him here.
Paixao managing to control the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Octavio Paixao wasn't active enough on the ground.

Tap closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Paixao did well to prevent Tap getting side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tap is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Paixao is just riding it out for now. Tap eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paixao is looking to improve his position.

Tap is trying to work for a kimura but Paixao is defending well.
Paixao is looking for a sweep. Tap is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ej Tap showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Tap has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ej Tap!