PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ray Reilly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tat Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Reilly
vs
Taylor

168 cm
28
155 lbs
12 - 6 - 2

175 cm
29
155 lbs
16 - 12 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)

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 12 - 6 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ray Reilly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tat Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Luis Engracia and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Reilly.
Reilly finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Taylor lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Nice takedown defense from Reilly. No joy for Taylor on that attempt.
Reilly connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Reilly throws a leg kick which misses Taylor's front leg but catches the back leg as Taylor tries to avoid it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Reilly.
Reilly scores with a spinning back kick!
Reilly just misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor moves out of range as Reilly strikes.
Taylor is looking for the big counter here.
Reilly looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Taylor lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Reilly circles away easily
and Reilly counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Reilly scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Taylor.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Reilly.
Taylor misses with the head strike.
Reilly lands a body shot.
Reilly blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Taylor misses with some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reilly struggles to land a body shot inside as Taylor controls his hands.
Reilly controlling the action here for a moment.
A head punch on the inside from Taylor fails to land.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Taylor.
Taylor swings wildly with an uppercut but Reilly uses good head movement to avoid it.
The referee calls for Reilly to work.
Reilly swings wildly with an uppercut but Taylor uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Taylor fails to land.
Reilly blocking some punches.
Taylor letting Reilly take a breather here.
Reilly misses with a punch to the body.
Taylor has a couple of punches blocked by Reilly.
Reilly swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Reilly.
Reilly will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Taylor up against the cage.
Taylor misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reilly tries to stall but Taylor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Taylor working aggressively here.
Reilly is working Taylor over against the cage.
Taylor swings wildly with an uppercut but Reilly uses good head movement to avoid it.
Reilly is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Reilly looking to stall.
Reilly throws a punch but it's blocked by Taylor.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reilly blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Taylor has a couple of punches blocked by Reilly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Reilly dominated that 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.

Taylor doesn't manage to clinch there - Reilly circles away.
Reilly swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Taylor counters with a two punch combo.

Taylor clinches up against the cage.
Reilly tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Reilly blocks an uppercut.
Reilly swings wildly with an uppercut but Taylor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Reilly is trying to force a seperation but Taylor has the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reilly is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Reilly dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Reilly is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Taylor is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor misses with some punches.
Taylor has a couple of punches blocked by Reilly.
Reilly looking to stall.
Reilly is trying to stall.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Ray Reilly.

Taylor gets tackled into the cage by Reilly. Reilly maintains the clinch.
Reilly can't find room to land a body shot as Taylor controls the action.
Taylor scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Taylor has Reilly pressed against the cage, preventing Reilly from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reilly wants to stall.
Reilly misses with the head strike.
Reilly effectively controlling the action here.
Taylor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Reilly holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Reilly misses with some punches.
Taylor tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Reilly has Taylor pressed against the cage.
Taylor misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reilly is looking to control Taylor's arms but Taylor gets an underhook and turns him. Now Reilly has his back to the cage.
Reilly misses with the head strike.
Reilly blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Reilly manages to break the clinch.
Taylor blocks a jab.
Taylor throws a counter combo.
Nice defenses there by Taylor.
Taylor is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Reilly swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ray Reilly is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Both fighters circling a little - Reilly finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Reilly throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Ray Reilly is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Reilly swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Reilly goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reilly dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Taylor. That did some damage!
A combination from Reilly does no damage.
As Reilly backs off Taylor throws a huge counter combo but Reilly manages to avoid it all.
Reilly looks to throw the jab but Taylor is out of range.
Taylor is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Reilly throws out a loose jab but Taylor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Reilly seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Reilly scores with a body shot.
Reilly throws a head kick that misses.
Taylor tries to clinch but Reilly moves out of range.
Reilly avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Reilly throws out the jab.

Reilly closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Taylor misses with a punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Reilly dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Reilly tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Taylor was well out of range. Poor timing from Reilly.
Taylor is looking for the big counter here.
Ray Reilly is winning the standup battle so far.
Taylor takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Reilly will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Reilly circles away from the clinch attempt.
Reilly scores with a head kick. Taylor tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Reilly clinches up with Taylor and pushes him back against the cage.
Reilly is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Taylor can do to turn this around?
Taylor has a couple of punches blocked by Reilly.
Taylor misses with some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Taylor fails to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reilly is trying to maintain a safe position but Taylor gets an underhook and turns Reilly into the cage.
Reilly throws a head punch that misses.
Reilly trying to control the position but instead, Taylor has worked for underhooks and has pushed Reilly into the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Taylor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reilly is looking to control Taylor's arms but Taylor gets an underhook and turns him. Now Reilly has his back to the cage.
Reilly's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Reilly swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Reilly is trying to stall.
Taylor swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Taylor lands with a right to the head.
Reilly blocks an uppercut.
Taylor misses with a punch on the inside.
Ray Reilly is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reilly misses with the head strike.
Reilly is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Reilly scores with a nice hook to the head.
Reilly lands a hook to the side of the head.
Tat Taylor seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Reilly.
Reilly swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Reilly stalls.
Reilly misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reilly looking to slow down the pace here.
Reilly blocks an uppercut.
Reilly wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Taylor throws a punch but it's blocked by Reilly.
Tat Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Reilly.
Reilly wants to stall.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Taylor.
Taylor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Reilly stalling in the clinch but Taylor improves position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Reilly is trying to break the clinch but Taylor is controlling him.
Reilly wants to break the clinch but can't.
Reilly is trying to maintain a safe position but Taylor gets an underhook and turns Reilly into the cage.
Taylor throws a punch but it's blocked by Reilly.
Reilly tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A short left from Taylor.
Reilly misses with a body punch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Taylor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Reilly looking to slow down the pace here.
Taylor lands with a short punch from the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ray Reilly.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Reilly, 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Reilly!