PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Winter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samuel Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Winter
vs
Taylor

175 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ricky Winter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Samuel Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Winston Howard and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taylor gets a clinch.
Winter wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Winter after a bit of a struggle.
Taylor lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Ricky Winter has been cut.
Taylor slowing the pace effectively.
Taylor jumps guard but Winter stands there with Taylor around his waist. Taylor gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Taylor jumps into guard, dragging Winter to the mat.
Winter throwing strikes from guard but Taylor blocks nicely.
Winter would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Winter being controlled here momentarily.
Winter content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winter trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

We're going to have a standup here because Ricky Winter wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Taylor is trying hard to land a takedown here. Winter sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ricky Winter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samuel Taylor.
Winter lands a body shot.
Taylor closes this distance looking for a takedown but Winter circles away.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Winter shows good takedown defense.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Winter.
Winter swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.
Winter shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Taylor eats them both and turns towards Winter to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Taylor looks gassed!
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt - Winter sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Winter misses with the combination.
Winter lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Winter scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Winter changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Taylor blocks a head kick by Winter.
Winter rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Taylor moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Winter fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A punch combination from Winter misses.
Winter's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Winter duly obliges.
Winter throws a right hand that Taylor ducks under and follows up with a left that Taylor also avoids with ease.
Winter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Taylor circles away quickly and effectively.
Winter scores with a one two! Taylor had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winter swinging wildly here.
Winter scores with a nice body kick.
Winter throws a right and a left that both miss.
Winter throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Ricky Winter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sloppy strikes from Winter. Those never looked like landing.
Winter's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Winter duly obliges.
Taylor avoids a punch combination nicely.
Winter throws a right hand that Taylor ducks under and follows up with a left that Taylor also avoids with ease.
Some wild striking there from Winter.
Taylor on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winter dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Winter with a nice cross.
Winter fails to land with a series of punches.
Winter rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Taylor moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Taylor clinches with his opponent.
Winter blocking some punches.
Winter is trying to force a seperation but Taylor has the dominant position.
Winter tries to break the clinch but Taylor is controlling the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Taylor has Winter pressed against the cage, preventing Winter from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Taylor tries to stall but Winter uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
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!

Winter breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Winter dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ricky Winter's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A nice combination there by Winter.
Winter misses with a wild combination.
Winter throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Winter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Taylor circles away quickly and effectively.
Winter slaps away a takedown attempt from Taylor, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Winter misses with a few strikes there.
Winter feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Taylors jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Winter does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Winter misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ricky Winter is winning the standup battle so far.
Winter throws a series of punches but Taylor avoids them all with ease.
Winter looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Taylor clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winter working hard to break the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Taylor breaks the clinch.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.
Winter throws a nice looking combination but Taylor bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Taylor moves out of range as Winter throws a body kick.
Taylor swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Winter swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Winter slaps away a takedown attempt from Taylor, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ricky Winter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samuel Taylor.
Taylor shoots in for a double leg but Winter sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Winter goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Winter lands a jab-cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Winter swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Winter throws a nice looking combination but Taylor bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Winter misses with a two punch combination.
Winter throws a right and a left that both miss.
Winter fails to land with a series of punches.
Ricky Winter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Winter fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Winter throws a series of punches but Taylor avoids them all with ease.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Winter.
Winter misses with a kick to the body.
Winter is looking to wear down Taylor with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Winter shows good takedown defense.
Taylor dives in and grabs Winter's left leg, looking for a takedown. Winter pushes down on Taylor's head and hops out.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Taylor dodges the punch combination from Winter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor looks to clinch
and Winter counters with a one-two to the body.
Winter lands with an overhand left.
Winter dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Winter lands a nice hook to Taylor's body. Taylor takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Winter stuffs the takedown.
Taylor wants to clinch up but Winter keeps it at a distance.
Winter goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Winter throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Taylor.
Winter avoids the body shot from Taylor.
Winter throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Taylor looking to score a takedown here. Winter is defending well but Taylor drives through and ends up in Winter's guard.
Taylor forces his way into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winter is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Winter is working hard here to advance position.
Taylor content to control rather than advance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Winter pushes Taylor off looking to stand but Taylor dives back in and keeps control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Winter dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ricky Winter's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Winter fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Taylor on the side of the head.
Nice sprawl there from Winter as Taylor shoots in.
Taylor takes one to the side of the head.

Taylor darts in and clinches Winter up against the cage.
Taylor keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Winter's efforts to push away.
Winter wants to stall.
Taylor has Winter pressed against the cage, preventing Winter from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Winter is trying to break the clinch but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Winter after a bit of a struggle.
Taylor has Winter pressed against the cage, preventing Winter from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Taylor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winter misses with a hook to the ribs.
Taylor unloads a knee to the mid-section. Winter lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Winter forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ricky Winter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samuel Taylor.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Winter.
Taylor looking for a takedown.
Taylor wants to get back to striking at distance but Winter won't allow it.
Winter wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Winter wants to get back to striking at distance but Taylor won't allow it.
Winter wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Winter stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Winter can't break the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Taylor.
Taylor wants a takedown.
Winter lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Taylor keeps control of Winter as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Taylor is trying to push Winter away but Winter has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Winter wants to break free but Taylor has control.
Winter can't break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winter has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Winter is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Taylor changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Winter fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Winter throws a one two combo.
Ricky Winter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Winter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Taylor circles away quickly and effectively.
Winter stalks Taylor and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Taylor's face. Taylor staggers backwards, shaken.
Winter throws a series of punches but Taylor moves out of range.
Winter throws a series of punches but Taylor moves out of range.
Winter scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A punch combination from Winter misses.
Winter swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Taylor counters with a nice low kick that buckles Winter's knee momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor dodges the punch combination from Winter.
Winter misses with a few strikes there.
Horrible takedown by Taylor or perhaps it was just good defense by Winter which made him look bad.
Winter stuffs the takedown.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Winter thuds a left hand into Taylor's body.
Horrible takedown by Taylor or perhaps it was just good defense by Winter which made him look bad.
Taylor has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor shoots in looking for a takedown but Winter manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Taylor's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Samuel Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ricky Winter is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Winter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Taylor circles away quickly and effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Winter showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Winter, 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Winter!
A very excited looking Ricky Winter rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.