PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Toal Kean Cionaoith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeffrey Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kean Cionaoith
vs
Taylor

184 cm
21
173 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

180 cm
22
183 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Good elbows
Good gas tank

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Toal Kean Cionaoith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jeffrey Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Ryoma Takatsuka and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor throws a nice looking combination but Cionaoith bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Taylor is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cionaoith's half guard.
Cionaoith wants to get back to full guard.
Cionaoith knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Taylor on the ground.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Taylor lands a nice short elbow.
Taylor throwing shots but Cionaoith is blocking nicely.
Cionaoith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Taylor is thwarting Cionaoith's attempts to control the position.
Cionaoith keeps control of the position for the meantime.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor throwing shots but Cionaoith is blocking nicely.
Cionaoith wants to control but Taylor is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor seems to be looking for submissions.
Cionaoith's coaches at Cutthroat have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Taylor connects with a nice short shot to Cionaoith's temple.
Taylor is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cionaoith is trying to get back to full guard.
Taylor throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cionaoith keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Taylor has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cionaoith is not content to let Taylor control the position.
Taylor has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cylon Training Academy. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Cionaoith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Taylor.
Cionaoith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Taylor.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cionaoith trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Taylor looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Taylor is looking to take a break and control but Cionaoith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Taylor missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Taylor seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Cionaoith regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Taylor.
Taylor postures up in Cionaoith's guard and throws a big left but Cionaoith blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Taylor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor tries to free his leg and advance position but Cionaoith is retaining full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cionaoith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taylor.

Taylor drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Taylor jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Taylor with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Cionaoith digs a good hook to Taylor's body.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
As Taylor backs away, Cionaoith returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Taylor sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Taylor doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Taylor darts in looking for a takedown but Cionaoith gets double underhooks and turns Taylor into the cage.
Taylor throws a right hand that Cionaoith ducks under and follows up with a left that Cionaoith also avoids with ease.
Cionaoith is looking to land body kicks.
Cionaoith avoids a punch combination nicely.
Taylor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Taylor fails with the takedown.
Toal Kean Cionaoith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffrey Taylor.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor fails with the takedown
and Cionaoith counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Taylor thinking.
Cionaoith feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Taylor's calf.
Cionaoith lands a jab to Taylor's midsection.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cionaoith lands with a right hand.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.
Cionaoith getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Cionaoith cracks Taylor with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Taylor looks for a takedown but Cionaoith sprawls well.
Toal Kean Cionaoith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cionaoith lands a head kick. Taylor smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Taylor is rocked!
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 Toal Kean Cionaoith 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.

Taylor changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cionaoith looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Taylor sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Cionaoith is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Taylor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cionaoith keeps working.

Taylor swings around for an armbar but Cionaoith sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Taylor's guard.
Cionaoith is fighting to break Taylor's control of his arms but Taylor is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Cionaoith looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Cionaoith tries to free his leg and advance position but Taylor is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cionaoith 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cionaoith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Taylor swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Taylor wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Cionaoith controls from within his opponent's guard.
Cionaoith won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.
Cionaoith seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cionaoith has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Taylor dives in for a single leg takedown but Cionaoith sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Cionaoith throws a lazy right hand but Taylor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cionaoith is looking to wear down Taylor with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Cionaoith throws a push kick but Taylor slaps the foot to one side.
Taylor with the counter takedown but Cionaoith avoids it easily.
Toal Kean Cionaoith is winning the standup battle so far.
Cionaoith rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Taylor moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt
and Cionaoith counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Taylor thinking.
Cionaoith lands with a nice body kick.
Taylor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cionaoith lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A solid body kick from Cionaoith.
Cionaoith shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Cionaoith defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Taylor.
Toal Kean Cionaoith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffrey Taylor.
Cionaoith throws a leg kick

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cionaoith has hold of Taylor's hands but Taylor slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cionaoith has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Taylor is working away from the top position though.
Cionaoith is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Taylor scores with a couple of nice shots.
Taylor misses with a head shot. Cionaoith uses the momentum to regain guard.
Taylor throwing strikes but missing.
Cionaoith trying to keep a closed guard but Taylor is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor throwing strikes from guard but Cionaoith blocks nicely.
Taylor with a nice head shot there.
Taylor trying to control but Cionaoith is working from the bottom.
Cionaoith is controlling Taylor's posture.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taylor is stalling in the full guard.
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 Toal Kean Cionaoith will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cionaoith!
Cionaoith with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A jab from Cionaoith misses.
Cionaoith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taylor manages to avoid it.
Taylor shoots for a double leg takedown but Cionaoith sprawls well. He's pushed Taylor's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cionaoith but Cionaoith pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cionaoith goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cionaoith throws out a leg kick but Taylor moves out of range and Cionaoith only half commits.
Taylor fails to land the takedown.
Toal Kean Cionaoith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffrey Taylor.
Cionaoith throws a leg kick but Taylor sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor 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 postures up.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Cionaoith keeps moving.
Cionaoith keeping full guard, as Taylor tries to pass.
Taylor slips nicely into half guard.
Taylor is taking a breather. Cionaoith says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Taylor is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Cionaoith defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Taylor not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cionaoith is trying to get back to full guard.
Taylor thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cionaoith's head.
Taylor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cionaoith defending well though.
Cionaoith is controlling Taylor's trapped leg to prevent Taylor from advancing to side control.
Taylor looks to land a strike but Cionaoith avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Taylor passes Cionaoith's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cionaoith tries to roll over but Taylor keeps him under control.
Cionaoith trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Jeffrey Taylor has got the better of the ground game so far.

Taylor is trying to work for a kimura but Cionaoith is defending well.

Taylor is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Cionaoith trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Taylor missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Taylor wants to control but Cionaoith is keeping him busy.
Cionaoith keeping control of the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cionaoith misses with a body kick.
A combination from Cionaoith does no damage.
Taylor doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Cionaoith counters with a straight right hand.
Cionaoith looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cionaoith uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Taylor has time to react.

Taylor throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Cionaoith tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Taylor is in Cionaoith's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Cionaoith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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 Toal Kean Cionaoith.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cionaoith, 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27

The fight is ruled a majority draw!