PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shawn Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vito Starkard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Taylor might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to This Fire Burns . Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
Starkard

190 cm
25
240 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

196 cm
20
242 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Namunamu Clothing

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Shawn Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vito Starkard!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Starkard with that takedown attempt.
Taylor misses with a kick to the body.
Taylor scores with a three punch combo!

Starkard has taken the fight to the clinch.
Starkard tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Starkard tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Taylor just stands there and leans against the cage.
Shawn Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vito Starkard.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Starkard manages to get underhooks.
Taylor prevents a takedown attempt there.

Taylor decides to pull guard.
Taylor looking to control.
Starkard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Taylor trying to strike off his back.
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!
Starkard with a flurry of punches that miss.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Starkard!
Taylor landing shots from mount.
Starkard avoids a series of strikes thrown by Taylor.
Taylor tries to control but Starkard wriggling away.
Taylor 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.
Taylor landing shots from mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Starkard can do anything to dispel that myth.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Starkard is looking to improve his position but Taylor isn't that keen on the idea.
Starkard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taylor. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Taylor tries to control but Starkard wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starkard regains half guard.
Taylor is thwarting Starkard's attempts to control the position.
Taylor throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Starkard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Starkard is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Taylor pulls his head out easily.
Starkard is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor drops an elbow to the side of Starkard's head.
Taylor tries to stand and escape but Starkard is controlling the position.
Taylor is thwarting Starkard's attempts to control the position.
Taylor winds up and cracks Starkard with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Taylor wants to get back to his feet.
Starkard has hold of Taylor's hands but Taylor slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Starkard wants to get back to full guard.
Taylor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Starkard keeps working.
Starkard moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Starkard is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taylor is in close to Starkard's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Starkard keeps moving.

Starkard looking for subs off his back but Taylor has passed one foot through into half guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Taylor's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starkard tries to get to full guard but Taylor has control of the leg.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Starkard is refusing to be controlled, as Taylor sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Taylor dominated that round.
That's time! Taylor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Starkard pushes Taylor up against the cage in a clinch.

Starkard jumps into guard, dragging Taylor to the mat.
Shawn Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Taylor is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Taylor slips nicely into half guard.
Starkard trying to control here.
Taylor is looking to take a break and control but Starkard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Taylor is thwarting Starkard's attempts to control the position.
Taylor wants to take a breather but Starkard is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Starkard wants to improve his position but Taylor is controlling well.
Taylor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Starkard defending well though.
Starkard is not content to let Taylor control the position.
Starkard desperately trying to maintain half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck for Taylor with that takedown attempt.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Starkard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Starkard moves out of range of the leg kick from Taylor.
Taylor tries to clinch but Starkard is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Starkard gets a clinch.

Starkard manages to break the clinch.
Taylor looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A left and a right from Taylor both land. Nice combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Starkard tries to clinch
enabling Taylor to counter with a crisp jab.

Starkard 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.
Taylor trying to control the position.
Taylor has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.
Taylor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Starkard.
Taylor wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Taylor wants to control the position but Starkard says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Starkard is keen to just control but Taylor is a slippery customer.
Starkard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Taylor defending well though.
Starkard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Taylor's head.
Taylor keeping control of the position.
Taylor trying to control here.
Ground and pound from Starkard.
Starkard missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Taylor trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to control Starkard's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Taylor avoid being mounted?
Starkard seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Taylor does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Taylor tries to get to full guard but Starkard has control of the leg.
Starkard looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Taylor wants to control but Starkard passes into side.
Taylor stops Starkard from passing to mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Starkard wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taylor keeps working.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Starkard is trying to ground and pound but Taylor uses the momentary lack of control by Starkard to regain half guard.
Taylor is pressing down on Starkard's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
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 Shawn Taylor will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Starkard tries to clinch but Taylor moves away
and Taylor counters with a left and a right that stings Starkard.
Starkard swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.
Taylor stalks Starkard and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Starkard's face. Starkard staggers backwards, shaken.
Starkard misses with a combination
and Taylor counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Taylor!

Starkard drives through and clinches with Taylor against the cage.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Starkard is controlling him.

Starkard successfully pulls guard.

Taylor decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Starkard, up you get!

Taylor gets tackled into the cage by Starkard. Starkard maintains the clinch.
Starkard tries to land knees in the clinch but Taylor avoids the damage to the body.

Starkard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Starkard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Starkard wants to clinch up but Taylor keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor cracks Starkard with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt - Starkard sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Taylor lands a nice looking body shot.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Taylor lands a nice hook to Starkard's body. Starkard takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Taylor lands with a nice combination. Starkard backs away looking to recover.

Starkard gets tackled into the cage by Taylor. Taylor maintains the clinch.
Starkard is looking for a takedown.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Starkard holds him up against the cage and eventually Taylor drops back down to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Starkard avoids the elbow strike from Taylor, against the cage.
Starkard fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Taylor is looking to break free of the clinch but Starkard has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Starkard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Starkard as Taylor shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shawn Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor leaves Starkard with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A cross from Taylor lands.
Taylor rushes Starkard with punches - Starkard moves straight backwards instead of circling and gets clipped by the second strike... and the third... and the fourth! Oh, Starkard goes down! Taylor follows up with more strikes and the ref steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Shawn Taylor!
During a confident post fight interview, Shawn Taylor thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.