PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Mitsusuke Harada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cole Taggart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Harada
vs
Taggart

160 cm
21
143 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

169 cm
22
160 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

World class boxer
Cardio machine

Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mitsusuke Harada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cole Taggart!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Saam Ante and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harada misses with a series of wild punches.
Harada goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Harada throws a nice inside leg kick.
Taggart throws an off balance right hand
and Harada counters with a leg kick.
A left lands for Taggart.
Harada throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Taggart has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Taggart throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Taggart swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Taggart throws a sloppy head kick and Harada moves out of range easily.
Harada checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Taggart throws a solid leg kick but Harada takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Taggart.
Mitsusuke Harada seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Taggart.
Taggart jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Harada throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Taggart scores with a nice right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A shot to the body from Taggart misses
and Harada counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Taggart is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Harada misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harada rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Taggart moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Taggart throws a front kick aimed at Harada's knee but Harada avoids it well.
Taggart misses with a wild body shot.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Taggart.
Taggart throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Harada with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Taggart to score with a decent uppercut.
Harada showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Taggart.
Some wild striking there from Harada.
Harada avoids a kick to the body.
A head kick misses from Harada.
Harada misses with an attempted mid kick.
Taggart finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Harada defending well as Taggart loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taggart takes a kick to the side of the head.
Harada lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Taggart throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Harada misses with a hook
and Taggart counters with a stiff right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taggart misses with a hook
and Harada counters with a low kick, right behind Taggart 's knee.
Harada looks to land a body kick but Taggart moved away.
Taggart throws a looping overhand right but Harada ducks down to avoid it.
Taggart tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Harada is able to avoid easily.
Harada is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Taggart misses with a hook. Harada ducked under it nicely.
Harada misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Taggart thows a left - swing and a miss!
Harada throws a head kick that misses.
Taggart slips a jab from Harada.
Harada wants to slow Taggart down by chopping away at his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harada is looking to slow Taggart down with leg kicks.
Taggart scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Taggart tries to clinch but Harada moves out of range.
Harada throws a leg kick
and Taggart counters with a nice uppercut.
Harada throws a head kick that misses.
Harada uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Taggart.
Harada throws a leg kick which misses Taggart's front leg but catches the back leg as Taggart tries to avoid it.
Taggart throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Harada tries a head kick but it misses.
Harada throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Harada lands with a thumping leg kick.
Taggart drops his hands momentarily and Harada takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Taggart scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Good work by Taggart as he checks the leg kick.
Taggart throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taggart misses with a lunging right hand
and Harada counters with a head kick.
Harada slips a jab from Taggart.
Taggart ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Taggart swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Harada staying out of range there.
Taggart swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Taggart looks for the body kick but Harada saw that one coming.
A head kick by Harada misses
and Taggart counters with a nice uppercut.
Harada connects with a body shot that sends Taggart's belly button to the back.
Taggart throws a body punch but Harada moves out of range.
Harada scores with a crisp jab that stopped Taggart in his tracks.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Taggart throws a good cross that connects.
Taggart swings for the body but Harada moves out of range.
Harada throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cole Taggart dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Harada misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Taggart connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Harada's hands.

Taggart moves into range and clinches up with Harada.
Taggart lands with a light punch inside.
Taggart has a couple of punches blocked by Harada.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Harada.
Harada lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Taggart swings wildly with an uppercut but Harada uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harada blocking some punches.
Taggart has a couple of punches blocked by Harada.
Harada has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Harada lands a shot to the body.
I was talking to Harada's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Taggart taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Harada wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Harada tries to circle away but Taggart has him pinned against the ropes.
Taggart misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taggart fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Harada escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harada connects with a looping right hand.
Nice defenses there by Harada.
Harada buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Harada displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Taggart throws out the jab.
Taggart fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Taggart moves into range and connects with a jab.
Taggart misses with a hook
and Taggart takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Harada ducks under a wild hook from Taggart.
Nice straight punches there by Taggart. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Taggart.
Cole Taggart seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Taggart scoring well with a low kick there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice defenses there by Harada.
Harada looks to land a body kick but Taggart moved away.
Taggart looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taggart takes a kick to the side of the head.
Taggart fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Harada checks it well.
Taggart pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Harada looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A punch combination from Harada misses.
Taggart misses with a double jab.
Taggart throws a series of punches but Harada moves out of range.
Taggart's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Harada throws a low kick, looking for Taggart's leg but Taggart calmly moves out of range.
Taggart misses with a hook.
Taggart takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Taggart avoids the body shot from Harada.
Harada checks a low kick from Taggart.
An inside leg kick lands from Taggart.
Taggart darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Taggart avoids the head kick by Harada.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taggart avoids a punch combination nicely.
Harada throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Taggart on the side of the head.
Taggart misses with a kick to the body.
Taggart tries to clinch there but Harada circles away.
Mitsusuke Harada is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Harada wants to land a leg kick but Taggart is out of range.

Taggart moves into the clinch successfully.
Taggart lands an uppercut.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Taggart misses with a short punch on the inside.
Harada wants to break free but Taggart has control.
Taggart tries to work over Harada's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Harada's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Taggart attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Harada fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Taggart is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harada misses with a head kick.
Harada 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.
Taggart throws a leg kick
and Harada counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Taggart is lucky that one didn't land flush.
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!
Taggart scores with a jab to the head.
Taggart buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Harada throws a leg kick which misses Taggart's front leg but catches the back leg as Taggart tries to avoid it.
Taggart throws a leg kick that misses.
Taggart checks the leg kick nicely there.
Harada misses with a hook.
Harada moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Taggart throws an overhand right that lands on Harada's shoulder, as Harada tries to avoid the shot.
Harada misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Taggart. Harada does a little dance to reset his feet.
Taggart lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cole Taggart showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Harada throws a hook but Taggart blocks it.
Taggart throws a body punch but Harada moves out of range.
Taggart takes a swing at Harada's ribcage but misses.
Harada steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Taggart.
Harada throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Harada tries a head kick but it misses.
Harada throws a series of punches but Taggart avoids them all with ease.
Taggart lands the left hand.
Taggart takes a swing at Harada's ribcage but misses.
Harada moves out of range as Taggart strikes.
Taggart scores with a jab.
Taggart misses with a leg kick.
Harada lands a really nice looking cross but Taggart seems unphased.
Taggart throws a head kick but Harada moves out of range.
Harada misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taggart takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Harada checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Harada throws a head kick but Taggart moves out of range.
Taggart throws a shot from downtown. Harada moves away and avoids it.
Nice body punch from Harada.
A solid leg kick lands there for Harada.
Harada takes a swing at Taggart's ribcage but misses.
Taggart looks to score with a jab to the body but Harada is just out of range.
Harada lands a leg kick that knocks Taggart off balance momentarily.
Taggart connects with an inside leg kick.
Harada staying out of range there.
Taggart swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A bone on bone clash there as Harada blocks the leg kick.
Harada is looking to chop away at Taggart's legs.
Mitsusuke Harada has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A leg kick checked by Harada.
Taggart lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Harada throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Taggart.
Harada takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taggart takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Harada throws a leg kick but Taggart moved away.
Harada tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Taggart pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taggart swinging wildly here.
Harada keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Taggart.
Harada throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Harada scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harada lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Harada pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Harada pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Harada scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Cole Taggart is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Harada walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A shot to the body from Harada misses
letting Taggart counter with a right hand.
Taggart scores with a head kick.

Taggart clinches up with Harada and pushes him back against the ropes.
Harada blocking some punches.

Harada escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harada connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Taggart lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
An inside leg kick from Harada misses.
Harada throws a low kick, looking for Taggart's leg but Taggart calmly moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harada takes one on the button.
Harada takes one to the chin there.
Harada throws a head kick but Taggart moves out of range.
Taggart throws a nice looking combination but Harada bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taggart uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Harada.
Harada lands a front kick.
Taggart tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Harada was well out of range. Poor timing from Taggart.
Taggart looks to score with a jab to the body but Harada is just out of range.
Taggart tries a low kick but Harada avoids it.
Taggart looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taggart misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Harada takes a jab right on the kisser.
Harada pivots, looking for a leg kick but Taggart is out of range and Harada settles back down.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cole Taggart.
Well Taggart has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 27:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cole Taggart!
A relieved looking Cole Taggart thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.