PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rodney Moore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Moore comes to the cage accompanied by I Stand Alone - Godsmack. This should be a great matchup!

Moore
vs
Taylor

172 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rodney Moore!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mike Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Steven Brown and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taylor drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Taylor trying to control the position but Moore is working away.

Taylor working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Taylor landing strikes.
Moore is looking to regain half guard here but Taylor keeps moving and retains side control.
Moore gets back to half guard.

Taylor postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Moore to stand up.
Moore moves out of range as Taylor throws a body kick.
Mike Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Taylor gets a takedown into half guard.
Taylor lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moore is trying to control but Taylor manages to pass to mount!

Taylor goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Moore is on top in guard.
Moore wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
Taylor working a defensive guard here.
Taylor looks gassed!

Moore postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Taylor is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Moore, into his guard.
Taylor wants to stand but Moore is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Moore keeps moving.
Moore is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Moore is really struggling to control Taylor but he's trying to hold on to the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Moore is on top in guard.
Moore wanted to stand there but Taylor had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moore looking to pass the guard.

Moore thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Moore slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom here.
Moore is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Taylor is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Moore has just dragged him back down to the mat.

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.

Moore wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Taylor, who protects the arm well.
Taylor is trying to control Moore's posture but Moore avoids it.
Taylor sneaks back into half guard.
Taylor trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Taylor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Taylor.
Taylor wants to stand up but Moore is controlling him.
Moore tries to free his leg and advance position but Taylor is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Taylor 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.

Taylor is looking to clinch but Moore is avoiding it.
Taylor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Horrible takedown by Taylor or perhaps it was just good defense by Moore which made him look bad.
Moore fails with the takedown.

Taylor darts in and clinches Moore up against the cage.

Taylor breaks from the clinch.

Taylor shoots in and bounces Moore off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Taylor avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Taylor content to stall in guard here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Moore swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Moore is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Moore is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Moore looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Moore working for a triangle but Taylor defends it easily.

Moore throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Moore is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Moore seems keen to control Taylor's posture.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Moore is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Moore 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 drops back looking for a leg! Moore is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Moore manages to kick Taylor off! Taylor jumps back into Moore's guard.
Moore keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor trying to stand up but can't free himself from Moore's guard.
Taylor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Moore swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Moore is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Moore keeps moving.
Taylor lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Taylor.
Moore stops Taylor from passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor advances to mount.
Taylor trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Taylor is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Moore can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Moore is looking to improve his position but Taylor isn't that keen on the idea.
Taylor takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Moore sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Moore gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rodney Moore will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Moore gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Taylor counters by moving into the clinch.

Taylor jumps into guard, dragging Moore to the mat.
Taylor is trying to keep Moore in close.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Taylor is on top in guard.
Moore keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.

Moore throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Taylor scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taylor postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Moore, up you get!
Taylor has his takedown stuffed

and Moore counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Moore is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Taylor has managed to free his arm - good work.
Taylor is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Taylor is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Moore wants to control but Taylor is keeping him busy.
Taylor wants to control but Moore is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Moore wants to pass the guard but Taylor is defending well.
Rodney Moore overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Taylor wants to control but Moore is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Moore shoots in and drives through. Taylor sprawls well.

Moore tries to keep at a distance but Taylor has taken the fight into the clinch.
Taylor is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Moore pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Moore goes for a takedown attempt but Taylor pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodney Moore. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Moore darts in trying to clinch

and Taylor counters by clinching up.
Taylor goes for a takedown attempt but Moore pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Moore changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Taylor looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Taylor gets back to half guard.
Taylor trying to hold on to Moore's head to control him but Moore postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moore wants to stand but Taylor has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Taylor missing with punches from the bottom.
Taylor manages to get to full guard.

Moore decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A decent looking cross lands there for Moore.
Moore scores with a sloppy right hand. Taylor should have avoided that one.
Taylor with a lazy takedown attempt

and Moore counters with a takedown into side control.

Moore is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Taylor is trying to escape and Moore transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Taylor is forced to tap! Nice work there by Moore! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rodney Moore!