PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between David Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abu Azaitar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). David Taylor has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Taylor
vs
Azaitar

184 cm
23
181 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
KO power

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, David Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abu Azaitar!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Daniel Franklin and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taylor looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Azaitar!
Azaitar is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Taylor asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Taylor trying to control the position but Azaitar is working away.
Azaitar wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Azaitar is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Check out the look on Taylor's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Azaitar is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Taylor is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azaitar looks winded!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Taylor stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Taylor throws a low kick but it's checked well by Azaitar.

Azaitar gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Taylor working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Azaitar's head.
Taylor slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Azaitar is looking to stand back up but Taylor counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Azaitar.
Taylor is looking to advance position but Azaitar won't allow it.
Taylor seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Azaitar does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azaitar is trying to stand back up but Taylor is controlling him
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taylor trying to control from half guard but Azaitar is working away.
Taylor stops Azaitar from getting back to his feet.
Taylor not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Azaitar is trying to stand.
Taylor lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Taylor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Azaitar is not content to let Taylor control the position.
Azaitar wants to get back to his feet.
Azaitar felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Azaitar is defending well.
Azaitar is refusing to be controlled, as Taylor sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Azaitar tries to keep at a distance but Taylor has taken the fight into the clinch.
Taylor lands a hook to the side of the head.
Taylor goes for a takedown in the clinch but Azaitar prevents it.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Azaitar just stands there and leans against the cage.

Taylor lands a takedown into guard.
Azaitar is looking to stand up but Taylor isn't so interested in that idea.

Taylor thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Taylor with a flurry of punches that miss.
Azaitar keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Azaitar, up you get!
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Azaitar clinches up against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Azaitar pulls guard successfully.
Azaitar keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor prevents Azaitar from getting back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor looking to pass the guard.
Taylor won't allow Azaitar to get back to his feet.
Azaitar keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Taylor dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Azaitar rushes Taylor and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Taylor as Azaitar tries to tie him up.
Azaitar prevents the takedown attempt.
Taylor dodges an elbow strike from Azaitar.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Azaitar has closed the distance and engaged Taylor in a clinch.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike from Azaitar.
Azaitar pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike from Azaitar.
Azaitar pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Azaitar breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Azaitar clinches.
Taylor is looking to break free of the clinch but Azaitar has double underhooks.
Taylor avoids the elbow strike from Azaitar, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azaitar wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor looking for a takedown.
Azaitar looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Taylor jumps into guard, dragging Azaitar to the mat.

Azaitar got a little sloppy there for a moment and Taylor has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Azaitar has managed to get both his arms back between Taylor's legs - danger averted.
Taylor on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Taylor tries to get out of the position.
Taylor controlling the position.
Taylor being controlled here, momentarily.
Taylor is trying to control the position but Azaitar postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Taylor is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Azaitar is controlling him.

David Taylor has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Taylor is trying hard to land a takedown here. Azaitar sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor dives in and grabs Azaitar's left leg, looking for a takedown. Azaitar pushes down on Taylor's head and hops out.

Azaitar moves into the clinch.
Taylor is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Azaitar gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Azaitar throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Azaitar won't allow it.
Azaitar throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Taylor wants to stall.
Azaitar throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azaitar throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Azaitar throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Azaitar wants a takedown but no success here.
Azaitar pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Taylor avoids the elbow strike from Azaitar, against the cage.
Taylor dodges an elbow strike from Azaitar.
Azaitar tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Taylor avoids it.

Taylor breaks the clinch.

Azaitar rushes Taylor and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Azaitar manages to get underhooks.
Azaitar pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Azaitar throws an elbow that misses.

Azaitar has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Taylor is trying to keep an underhook but Azaitar manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Taylor looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to roll over but Azaitar keeps him under control.
Taylor punching from the bottom.
Taylor looks like he's trying to stand up.
Taylor is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abu Azaitar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Azaitar darts in and clinches Taylor up against the cage.
Taylor misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Azaitar throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Taylor dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Taylor scores with a nice hook to the head.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike.
Azaitar throws an elbow but it misses.

Azaitar manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Taylor won't allow Azaitar to get back to his feet.
Taylor content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Azaitar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taylor wanted to stand there but Azaitar had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azaitar is looking to stand up but Taylor isn't so interested in that idea.
Azaitar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Taylor gets to his feet - Azaitar follows without any prompting.

Azaitar gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Azaitar pushes off an throws an elbow but Taylor leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Abu Azaitar seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Taylor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
David Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Azaitar closes the distance and pushes Taylor back into the cage.

Taylor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor shoots in but no luck this time.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Taylor.

Azaitar gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Taylor is trying is best to control the position here.
Taylor is looking to control Azaitar's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Taylor avoid being mounted?
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Azaitar prevents Taylor from improving his position.
Azaitar performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Azaitar looking to score a takedown here. Taylor is defending well but Azaitar drives through and ends up in Taylor's guard.
David Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Taylor is trying to keep Azaitar in close.
Taylor is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Taylor has an active guard here but Azaitar has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to improve his position but Azaitar is controlling well.
Taylor tries to kick Azaitar off but Azaitar keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Azaitar trying to control the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abu Azaitar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Azaitar has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abu Azaitar!