PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taylor Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rjh Hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rjh Hall has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Velasquez
vs
Hall

182 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Taylor Velasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rjh Hall!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Eliza Hachem and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Velasquez tries a head kick but it misses.

Hall gets a clinch.

Hall pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Hall fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Velasquez to the ground. Hall is now in Velasquez's guard.
Velasquez seems keen to control Hall's posture.
Hall throwing strikes from guard but Velasquez blocks nicely.
Velasquez pulls Hall in close to his closed guard and prevents Hall from doing any damage or advancing position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velasquez keeping moving, preventing Hall from controlling successfully.

Hall stands up and waves to Velasquez to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hall instigates a clinch.
Velasquez dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Hall tries to circle away but Velasquez has him pinned against the cage.

Hall pulls guard successfully.
Velasquez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Velasquez is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Hall has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Velasquez is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Hall.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hall can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall is trying to get back to half guard.
Hall bucks up and tries to throw Velasquez off but instead Velasquez has got his back!
Hall tries to break free.
Velasquez scores with punches from the back.
Hall is in bad spot here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall trying to get back to his feet but Velasquez is in full control for now.

Velasquez patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Hall really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Velasquez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Hall defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Velasquez's arms.
Velasquez is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Velasquez gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Velasquez gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Velasquez apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Velasquez avoids the body shot from Hall.

Velasquez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Hall is trying to defend but Velasquez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hall wants to get back to full guard.
Hall tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Velasquez has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Hall is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Velasquez is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hall can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Hall tries to reverse the position but Velasquez maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hall misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Velasquez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hall swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Hall closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Velasquez is pushing Hall up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The referee is keeping an eye on Hall - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hall drags the fight down to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hall 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hall has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Velasquez is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Hall has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Velasquez regains guard immediately.
Velasquez is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Hall must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Velasquez has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Velasquez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hall is one step ahead there.
Velasquez wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Hall shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Velasquez's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez pulls Hall in close to his closed guard and prevents Hall from doing any damage or advancing position.
Hall trying to move into half guard but instead Velasquez has managed to sweep!

Hall has his foot on Velasquez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Velasquez works his way back into a safe position though.

Velasquez stands and steps away. Hall gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Velasquez throws a head kick but Hall moves out of range.
Hall lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Hall closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Velasquez quickly recovers to half guard.

Velasquez has one foot on Hall's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Taylor Velasquez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hall is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hall throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Velasquez looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Hall avoids the head kick by Velasquez.

Hall closes the distance and pushes Velasquez back into the cage.
Hall is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Velasquez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hall avoids it.

Velasquez is fighting off a takedown attempt but Hall is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Velasquez to the mat. Velasquez regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Velasquez controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rjh Hall showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hall shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Hall was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
You can see the frustration on Velasquez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hall wants to control but Velasquez is keeping him busy.
Velasquez tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Hall stands up and beckons Velasquez to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hall forces Velasquez back against the cage and clinches.

Hall gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall is looking to take a break and control but Velasquez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Velasquez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Velasquez is pulling down on Hall's head. It's preventing any offense from Hall, at least for the moment.
Hall trying to control but Velasquez is working from the bottom.
Velasquez pulls Hall in to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Velasquez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Velasquez seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Velasquez is on top in guard.

Velasquez stands up over Hall, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Hall trying to control the position.
Hall working a defensive guard but Velasquez manages to pass into side control anyway.
Hall looks to move to half guard but instead Velasquez has passed into mount! Damn!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez has control of Hall's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Hall regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Hall wants to hold on but Velasquez pushes him away.
Hall really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Velasquez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hall wants to hold on but Velasquez pushes him away.
Velasquez landing punches.
Velasquez punishing his opponent with strikes.

Velasquez is working for a guillotine from mount but Hall frees his head quite easily.
Velasquez dominating with strikes here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hall is bucking up trying to escape but Velasquez cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Hall tries to hold on but Velasquez pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taylor Velasquez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Velasquez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taylor Velasquez!