PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tom Taker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tslil Lavy (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.

Taker
vs
Lavy

160 cm
21
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good in bed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Taker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tslil Lavy!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Richard Clark and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lavy 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.

Lavy shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Lavy is thwarting Taker's attempts to control the position.
Lavy prevents Taker from improving his position.
Lavy trying to mount his opponent but Taker defends it.
Taker trying to control but Lavy postures up.
Taker is doing well to control the position and prevent Lavy from advancing to side control.
Taker is staying active underneath Lavy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Lavy manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Taker on his heels. He'll look to pass Taker's guard now, I'm sure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taker is pulling down on Lavy's head to control his posture.

Taker looking for a guillotine here but Lavy defends easily.

Taker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Taker might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Taker is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Lavy wants to control from the top but Taker keeps moving.

Taker has his foot on Lavy's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lavy works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taker trying to control the position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taker's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Taker has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lavy can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Taker wants to sweep here but Lavy controlling him for the moment.
Taker is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Taker keeping moving, preventing Lavy from controlling successfully.

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

Lavy gets a takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taker is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Lavy's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Lavy's back!
Lavy covers up after that shot from Taker.
Lavy trying to control the position but Taker manages to sink in the hooks.
Lavy covers up after that shot from Taker.
Taker throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Lavy!
Lavy tries to roll but Taker sticks to his back.
Taker punches Lavy on the ear.
Taker is working the ground and pound. Can Lavy escape?
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Taker.
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!
Taker lands a shot to the head.
Lavy looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taker trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Taker has the hooks in. Lavy is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Taker could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Taker patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Taker gets his hands free as Lavy looks to control.
Lavy looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Taker softening up his opponent with strikes here.

Taker has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Lavy has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taker scores with punches to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Taker dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Taker moves into the clinch.
Taker jumps guard but Lavy turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Taker jumps guard and drags Lavy to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Lavy must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Taker working a defensive guard here.
Taker wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Lavy trying to control the position from guard on top but Taker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taker is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Lavy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Taker has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

We're going to have a standup here because Tom Taker wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Lavy scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Taker 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lavy throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Lavy trying to control the action but Taker is working from the bottom.
Taker on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Taker tries to get out of the position.

Taker looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Lavy moves nicely into side control.
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Lavy sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Taker is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Lavy are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
You can see the frustration on Taker's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Taker regains half guard.
Tom Taker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Taker makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Lavy is breathing heavily.
Lavy closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Tom Taker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Lavy feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Taker is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Lavy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taker is controlling Lavy's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taker looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Taker working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lavy doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lavy manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Taker working a defensive guard here.
Taker preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lavy trying to control the position from guard on top but Taker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taker has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Lavy wants to stand but Taker has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Taker misses with a wild combination.
Taker tries a head kick but it misses.

Taker shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lavy's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taker trying to control but Lavy is working from the bottom.
Taker is looking to work some ground and pound but Lavy has wrist control.
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 Tom Taker 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!

Lavy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lavy throws a low kick but Taker moves out of range easily.
Taker pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lavy throws a right and a left that both miss.
Lavy is looking to clinch.
Lavy fails with an attempt to clinch.

Lavy bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Lavy in the domination position with Taker hanging on.
Taker sneaks back into half guard.
Taker is controlling Lavy's trapped leg to prevent Lavy from advancing to side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lavy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Taker looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taker preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Taker has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lavy is working away from the top position though.
Taker controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tom Taker wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Lavy throws a one two combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lavy throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Taker tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Lavy is in Taker's guard.
Taker has a closed guard, preventing Lavy from standing up.
Lavy trying to control but Taker is working from the bottom.
Taker has his hands on Lavy's head, controlling the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Lavy gets a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taker tries to pull guard but Lavy holds him up against the cage and eventually Taker drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lavy successfully pulls guard.
Taker working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Taker throws an elbow that misses. Lavy uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Taker's guard. Nice move by Lavy!
Taker has his hands on Lavy's head, controlling the position.
Lavy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Taker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lavy won't allow Taker to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taker pulls Lavy in to control the position.

Lavy avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Taker controls Lavy momentarily but Lavy frees himself.

Taker looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Taker has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lavy can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lavy is looking to stand up but Taker won't let him.
Tslil Lavy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tom Taker is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taker has his hands on Lavy's head, controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tom Taker.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Taker, 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 James Glass scores the fight 30:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Taker!