PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jie Liu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yin Tao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liu comes to the cage accompanied by The Cinematic Orchestra ft. Roots Manuva - All Things To All Men. Tao has chosen Philip Bailey - Walking on the Chinese Wall as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Liu
vs
Tao

173 cm
31
162 lbs
27 - 11 - 1

175 cm
33
160 lbs
31 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KAISER
Heisenberg

Hellbent

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 27 - 11 - 1, fighting out of New York, Jie Liu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Yin Tao!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tao fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Liu manages to avoid it.
Tao delivers a nice body kick.
Tao checks a leg kick.
Liu 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.
Tao takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Tao misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Liu throws a low kick but Tao moves out of range easily.
Tao uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Liu.
Liu throws a wild body kick that Tao sees coming a mile off.
Tao scores with a nice body kick.
Liu ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Liu thumps Tao with a low kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Liu with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tao. Liu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tao is looking to clinch but Liu is avoiding it.
A leg kick checked by Liu.
Tao throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tao misses with a low kick.
Tao throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Liu's head.
Tao throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Tao misses with a wild body shot.
Nice cross by Tao.
Liu turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tao defending well as Liu loads up on a big left hand.
Tao scores with a hook to the body. Liu takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Tao looks to score with a jab to the body but Liu is just out of range.
Liu throws a push kick but Tao slaps the foot to one side.
The fighters circling - Liu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Liu throws a head kick but Tao moves out of range.
Tao takes one to the chin there.
Liu avoids a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tao slips under a jab from Liu.
Tao thows a body shot but no joy.
Tao thows a leg kick but Liu checks it

and Liu counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tao!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tao wants to get back to his feet but Liu drags him back down.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Liu looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Tao is avoiding damage well.
Liu fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Liu scoring with punches and elbows.
Tao on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Liu is trying to move to mount but Tao reverses beautifully and ends up in Liu's guard.
Liu manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tao manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu trying to control but Tao is working from the bottom.
Tao 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.
Liu trying to control the position from guard on top but Tao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Liu looking to sit in guard and control but Tao gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Liu looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tao is one step ahead there.
Liu is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tao stands and steps away. Liu gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Liu throws a head kick but Tao moves out of range.
Liu scores with a jab to the head.
Liu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tao circles away quickly and effectively.
Tao jabs at Liu's body.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Liu dodges the punch combination from Tao.
Tao looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tao throws a nice outside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tao shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jie Liu will probably get the nod.
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.

Tao smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
A nice inside leg kick there by Liu. That's going to slow Tao down.
Liu throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Liu throws a series of punches but Tao moves out of range.
Liu swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Tao stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tao wants it to stay on the feet.
Liu finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Tao throws a chopping leg kick but Liu manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Tao bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sloppy strikes from Liu. Those never looked like landing.
Liu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tao.
Liu walks into a straight right hand from Tao.
Tao fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Tao scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Tao's corner calls for a 1-2. Tao obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tao fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Liu shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tao misses with a body shot.
Tao 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 left lands for Tao.
Liu takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Liu takes a swing at Tao's ribcage but misses.
Tao tries to bum rush Liu with a series of wild strikes but Liu uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tao misses with a leg kick

and Liu counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Liu.
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!
Liu won't allow Tao to get back to his feet.
Liu working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Liu is looking to work some ground and pound but Tao has wrist control.
Tao wants to sweep here but Liu controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Liu trying to control the position from guard on top but Tao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tao wants to stand up but Liu is controlling him.
Tao utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tao wants to sweep but no luck.
Tao keeping moving, preventing Liu from controlling successfully.
Liu landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tao is trying to control the position but Liu postures up.
Liu won't allow Tao to get back to his feet.
Liu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tao works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Liu slips nicely into half guard.

Liu is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Tao is just riding it out for now. Liu eventually gives up the hold.
Liu wants to control but Tao is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liu slows the pace down in half guard.
Liu trying to control from half guard but Tao is working away.
Liu wants to pass to mount but Tao is defending the position.
Tao 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.
Tao wants to improve his position but Liu is controlling well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Liu winds up and cracks Tao with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Tao makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tao.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jie Liu dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

A solid leg kick lands there for Liu.
Tao tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Liu was well out of range. Poor timing from Tao.
Tao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Tao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tao looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tao lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Tao takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Liu throws a leg kick but Tao moved away.
Tao just misses with a punch to the body.
Tao uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Tao throws a hook but Liu avoids it easily.
Tao sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Tao is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Liu rather than just go for the knockout.
Liu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Yin Tao seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liu throws a leg kick but Tao checks it.
Yin Tao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tao takes a swing at Liu's ribcage but misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tao, right into the meat.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Tao.
Tao misses with a double jab.
A head kick misses from Liu.
Tao cracks the inside of Liu's front leg.
Tao throws a wild body kick that Liu sees coming a mile off.
Tao throws a shot from downtown. Liu moves away and avoids it.
Tao pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Liu blocks a jab.
Tao slaps away a takedown attempt from Liu, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Liu jabs Tao right on the nose. Tao blinks but takes it well.
Yin Tao has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tao throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Liu throws a front kick aimed at Tao's knee but Tao avoids it well.
Tao staying out of range there.
Tao thumps Liu with a low kick.
Tao avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Tao throws a body kick that misses

and Liu counters with a single leg into guard. Tao didn't expect that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tao is looking to stand back up but Liu counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Tao.
Liu lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Liu is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Liu is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Tao doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Liu.
Jie Liu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu is looking to take a break and control but Tao is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tao is pressing down on Liu's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Liu looking to pass the guard.
Liu trying to control the position from guard on top but Tao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liu is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Tao looking to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Liu trying to control the position from guard on top but Tao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jie Liu just wasn't active enough.
Liu keeps the fight on the outside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tao stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Liu.
Tao throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jie Liu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Liu, 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jie Liu!
A victorious Jie Liu thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.