PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jackson Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juri Arpa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is New York - Empire state of mind. Jackson Taylor had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Taylor
vs
Arpa

198 cm
28
266 lbs
16 - 10 - 1

208 cm
25
280 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

CEC Nutrition Q159

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Jackson Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juri Arpa!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arpa throws a head kick that misses.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt
and Arpa counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Arpa closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like Jackson Taylor has been cut.
Taylor ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Arpa moves away.
Taylor blocks a head kick by Arpa.
A low kick from Arpa is predictable there

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into side control. Arpa won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Taylor is looking to take a break and control but Arpa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Taylor wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Arpa, who protects the arm well.
Arpa looks to move to half guard but instead Taylor has passed into mount! Damn!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arpa is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Taylor moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Arpa has worked his arm free - good work by Arpa!
Arpa wants to get back to his feet but Taylor drags him back down.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Taylor looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Taylor is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Arpa's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arpa is not content to let Taylor control the position.
Taylor taking a breather here.
Taylor trying to control the position but Arpa is working away.

Taylor working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arpa is trying to get back to half guard.
Arpa wants to get back to his feet but Taylor drags him back down.
Arpa trying to remain calm as Taylor controls from the top position.
Taylor tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Taylor working the ground and pound but Arpa is defending the strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arpa isn't going anywhere.

Arpa explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Juri Arpa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Taylor with a nice cross.
Taylor stuns Arpa with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Arpa throws a chopping leg kick but Taylor manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
A head kick misses from Arpa.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor cracks Arpa with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A looping hook to the body misses from Taylor. Arpa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Arpa jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Taylor misses with an uppercut
and Arpa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jackson Taylor will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jackson Taylor's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Arpa misses with a few strikes there.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Arpa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Juri Arpa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor misses with a straight right.
Arpa lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Taylor dives in and scores a takedown into Arpa's guard.
Arpa keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Jackson Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Arpa manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Arpa throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Taylor throws a low kick but Arpa moves out of range easily.
Arpa cracks Taylor with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Arpa throws a head kick that half lands.
Arpa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Arpa misses with a double jab
and Taylor counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor checks the leg kick.

Taylor looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Taylor lands a couple of digs.
Taylor missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Taylor pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Arpa is keeping the position for now.
Taylor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arpa keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Arpa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Taylor passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Taylor has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Arpa!
Taylor misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
BOOM! Taylor connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Taylor lands a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor looking to control but Arpa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Arpa takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Poor strikes thrown by Taylor there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Taylor looking to control and managing it successfully.
Arpa is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Arpa is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Taylor looking to finish with strikes here!
Arpa is trying to escape the mount.
Arpa holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Taylor tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Poor strikes thrown by Taylor there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor looking to ground and pound but Arpa is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Taylor dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jackson Taylor's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Arpa leaves Taylor with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Taylor swings for the body but Arpa moves out of range.
Taylor misses with a lunging right hand
and Taylor takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Taylor fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Arpa is out of range.
Taylor misses with a straight right.
Taylor throws the left hand but Arpa avoids the punch easily.
Arpa scores with a nice head shot.
Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Arpa.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Arpa. Taylor shrugs it off though.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taylor throws a leg kick but Arpa sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Arpa throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Taylor connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Taylor takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Arpa feints a jab promting Taylor to slip. Arpa then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Taylor slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arpa motions for Taylor to come forward. Arpa throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Arpa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Taylor.
Arpa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taylor throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Arpa sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Arpa misses with a head kick.
Taylor tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Arpa was well out of range. Poor timing from Taylor.
Arpa moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Taylor uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Arpa.
Arpa fakes the leg kick and cracks Taylor in the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Arpa.
Arpa takes one to the chin there.
Taylor shoots in looking for a takedown. Arpa tries to sprawl out of it but Taylor keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Arpa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Arpa has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Arpa fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Taylor on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arpa misses with an attempted mid kick.
Taylor slips under a jab.
Arpa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Arpa drops his hands momentarily and Taylor takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Arpa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Juri Arpa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nice cross by Arpa.
Juri Arpa seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Arpa throws a body kick that misses.
Arpa rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Taylor moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Taylor wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Arpa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taylor manages to avoid it.
Taylor scoring well with a low kick there.
Taylor is looking to clinch but Arpa is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Taylor throws a low kick but it's checked well by Arpa.
Arpa keeps the fight on the outside.
Taylor staying out of range there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Arpa. Taylor does a little dance to reset his feet.
Arpa swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Taylor tried to score with a low kick but Arpa checks it.
Taylor drops his hands momentarily and Arpa takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Arpa misses with the combination.
Taylor changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Arpa tries to avoid it but Taylor manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Arpa to the ground. Arpa escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jackson Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor throws out a leg kick but Arpa moves out of range and Taylor only half commits.
Taylor has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Arpa.
A looping hook to the body misses from Arpa. Taylor does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Taylor misses.
Juri Arpa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arpa fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Taylor is out of range.
Arpa connects with a right hand. Taylor shakes it off.
No luck for Taylor with that takedown attempt.
Taylor thows a left - swing and a miss!
Taylor thows a body shot but no joy.
The fighters circling - Taylor throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Arpa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Arpa misses with a head kick.
Arpa defending well as Taylor loads up on a big left hand.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A bone on bone clash there as Taylor blocks the leg kick.
Arpa throws a head kick but Taylor moves out of range.
Taylor misses with a two punch combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juri Arpa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Taylor 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jackson Taylor!
An out of breath Jackson Taylor thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.