PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Carl Cade (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tat Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor has chosen Im on my Level as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cade
vs
Taylor

170 cm
24
150 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

175 cm
24
155 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Carl Cade!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tat Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Anthony Taglia and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Cade misses.
Cade connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Cade misses with the combination.
Taylor throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Taylor looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Cade swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.
Taylor checks the leg kick.
Taylor fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Cade checks it well.
A telegraphed right hand from Cade misses the target.
Cade is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Taylor.
Cade throws a hook but Taylor blocks it.
Cade avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Cade circles away and keeps his distance.
Tat Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Cade circles away from the clinch attempt.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Taylor.
Taylor is looking to clinch but Cade is avoiding it.
Cade blocks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor fails in his attempt to clinch.
Taylor tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Cade counters with a nice body kick.
Taylor wants to clinch.
Taylor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cade manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cade.
Cade swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.
Cade tries to work over Taylor's front leg with a kick but Taylor checks it.
Cade misses with a head kick.
Cade throws out a loose jab but Taylor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cade wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Taylor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Taylor tries to clinch there but Cade circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to clinch but Cade is avoiding it.
Cade has a takedown stuffed.
Taylor uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cade.
Taylor attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Cade circles away from the clinch attempt
enabling Cade to counter with a crisp jab.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.

Taylor darts in and clinches Cade up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cade has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Taylor after a bit of a struggle.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Taylor tests Cade's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Taylor tries to clinch up
and Cade counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cade connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Taylor's hands.

Taylor gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Cade tries to score a body lock takedown but Taylor shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carl Cade. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cade has him pressed against the cage.
Cade can't get the takedown.
Cade tries for a takedown but Taylor manages to get underhooks.
Taylor gets through Cade's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Taylor tries to land knees in the clinch but Cade avoids the damage to the body.
Taylor tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cade's elbow.
Cade can't break the clinch.
Taylor is pressed up against the cage. Cade has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Taylor down to the mat. Taylor avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cade swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Taylor wants to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Taylor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cade swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor thows a body shot but no joy.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cade misses with an uppercut.
Taylor closes the distance but Cade moves to the side
and Cade counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cade keeps the fight on the outside.
Cade throws a poor cross that misses
and Taylor counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Taylor tries to clinch but Cade moves away
and Cade counters with a nice low kick that buckles Taylor's knee momentarily.
Taylor tries to clinch up
and Cade counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Taylor thinking.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Taylor attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cade.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tat Taylor will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cade circles away from the clinch attempt
and Cade counters with a two punch combo.
Cade keeps the fight on the outside.
Cade misses with a takedown attempt - Taylor sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Taylor darts in trying to clinch
and Cade counters with a left and a right that stings Taylor.
Some wild striking there from Cade.
Taylor moves in looking to clinch but Cade pushes him off.
Carl Cade is winning the standup battle so far.
Taylor dodges the punch combination from Cade.
Taylor misses with a series of wild punches.
Cade scores with a jab. Taylor acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Cade pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Cade counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Taylor wants to stand and escape but Cade is having none of it.
Cade postures up.
Cade working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Cade trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.

Cade decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taylor stuffs the takedown attempt from Cade. Cade gets slowly back to his feet.
Taylor throws a leg kick
and Cade counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tat Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to clinch
and Cade counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Taylor 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.
A big left from Cade misses.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cade paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Taylor tries to clinch there but Cade circles away.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Taylor closes the distance but Cade moves to the side
and Cade counters with a nice uppercut.
Cade will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Taylor is looking to clinch.
Cade throws a combination. Taylor tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Taylor moves in looking to clinch but Cade pushes him off.
Taylor throws a leg kick but Cade sees it coming and moves out of range.
Taylor ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor feints and then cracks Cade's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Cade down.
Taylor wants to clinch but Cade slips to the side

and Cade counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cade wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
Taylor is trying to control the position but Cade postures up.

Cade 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 Cade, into his guard.
Taylor tries to stand but Cade is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
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!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Carl Cade wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Cade tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Taylor is able to avoid easily.
Taylor throws a series of punches but Cade avoids them all with ease.
Taylor throws a wild body kick that Cade sees coming a mile off.
A jab from Cade does it's job there.
Tat Taylor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
No joy there for Cade, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Taylor wants to clinch but Cade slips to the side
and Cade counters with a two punch combo.
Cade circles away from the clinch attempt.
A head kick misses from Cade.
Taylor darts in trying to clinch
and Cade connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carl Cade dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cade paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Taylor darts in trying to clinch
letting Cade counter with a right hand.
Taylor closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cade counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Cade swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor wants to clinch up but Cade keeps it at a distance.
Taylor tries to clinch but Cade moves out of range.
That kick from Taylor tenderised Cade's leg. Cade is trying to keep his angry face on.
Taylor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Taylor tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cade counters with a good low kick that Taylor was not able to check.
Taylor wants to clinch
enabling Cade to counter with a crisp jab.
Cade stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Taylor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor moves in looking to clinch but Cade pushes him off.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Cade circles away and keeps his distance.
Cade looks to land a right hand but Taylor moved out of range.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
A head kick misses from Cade.

Cade drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cade loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Taylor is controlling Cade's posture.
Cade wants to pass the guard but Taylor is keeping the position.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Cade from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cade forces his way into half guard.

Cade seems to be looking for submissions.

Cade looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Cade is looking to take a break and control but Taylor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taylor makes his way to full guard, as Cade worked for a kimura.
Taylor wants to sweep here but Cade controlling him for the moment.
Cade wants to pass the guard but Taylor is keeping the position.

Cade has gone for a leg lock! Taylor slips out almost immediately though and dives into Cade's guard.
Taylor wants to stand and escape but instead Cade has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
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.

Taylor working for a triangle but Cade defends it easily.
Cade is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Taylor manages to escape and get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Carl Cade showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cade 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carl Cade!
In his post fight interview, Carl Cade started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.