PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Stevenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stevenson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Lose Yourself. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stevenson
vs
Taylor

175 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
24
150 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joe Stevenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Edson Gomes and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stevenson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Taylor tries to bench press Stevenson off him but Stevenson keeps the position.
Stevenson lands a few punches from side control.

Stevenson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Taylor, who protects the arm well.
Stevenson cracks Taylor with a big right hand but Taylor just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Taylor is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Stevenson working the ground and pound.
Stevenson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Taylor is avoiding damage well.
Taylor is trying to buck Stevenson off.
Stevenson in side control lands a decent elbow.
Taylor tries to escape but Stevenson is in control.
Taylor is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Stevenson is keen to just control but Taylor is a slippery customer.
Taylor is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson prevents Taylor from standing back up.
Taylor is looking to get back to full guard here but Stevenson has managed to pass to side control instead.
Taylor working to try and regain half guard.
Taylor tries to lock up and control but Stevenson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Stevenson cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Stevenson raining down shots from the mount!

Stevenson looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Taylor is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stevenson landing punches.
Taylor is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Stevenson is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Stevenson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Taylor can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Stevenson looking to finish Taylor with some ground and pound. This is bad for Taylor!
Stevenson landing strikes from the mount and Taylor is in trouble!
Taylor is looking to get to half guard.
Taylor looks gassed!
Taylor is trying to stand.
BOOM! Stevenson connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Taylor sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Taylor is trying to stand back up but Stevenson is controlling him
Stevenson lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson slows the pace down in half guard.
Stevenson lands strikes from half guard.
Taylor wants to get back to his feet.
Stevenson lands strikes from half guard.
Stevenson lands strikes from half guard.
Taylor is looking to get back to full guard here but Stevenson has managed to pass to side control instead.
Stevenson punishing his opponent with strikes.
Stevenson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Taylor hang on?
Taylor is wriggling around trying to escape.
Stevenson cracks Taylor with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Stevenson connects with a massive shot to the dome!
A nice elbow there by Stevenson.
Stevenson lands a big elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor is looking to improve his position but Stevenson isn't that keen on the idea.
Stevenson lands a nice shot to the head.
Taylor really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Stevenson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Stevenson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Taylor can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Taylor is trying desperately to improve position.
Stevenson scoring with strikes but Taylor is staying in there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Stevenson dominated that round.
That's time! Stevenson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Stevenson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Taylor is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Stevenson's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Taylor is looking to escape.
Taylor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Taylor.
Stevenson trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stevenson is controlling him.
Stevenson scoring with some ground and pound.
Stevenson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Stevenson stands up over Taylor, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Stevenson from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Taylor lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Stevenson!

Taylor is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

Stevenson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Stevenson lands in his opponent's guard.
Stevenson postures up and lands a big shot to Taylor's brow.
Stevenson trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.

Taylor has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Stevenson off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Joe Stevenson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Stevenson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Taylor tries to clinch but Stevenson is having none of it.
Taylor tries to clinch there but Stevenson circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stevenson.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stevenson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Stevenson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taylor tries to clinch but Stevenson moves out of range.
Stevenson shoots for a takedown but Taylor saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Taylor is looking to clinch.
Stevenson misses with a double jab.
Stevenson shoots in for a double leg but Taylor sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Stevenson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor lands a high kick!
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Taylor in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stevenson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Taylor has Stevenson up against the cage in a clinch.
Taylor throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stevenson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Stevenson wants a takedown.
Taylor tries a knee to the head but Stevenson blocks it.
Taylor stalling against the cage.
Stevenson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Taylor gets underhooks to prevent Stevenson's takedown attempt.
Taylor connects with a knee to the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Taylor continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

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.
Stevenson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Taylor landing knees to the head.
Stevenson wants a takedown.
Stevenson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Taylor prevents it.
Taylor connects with a knee to the head.
Taylor gets underhooks to prevent Stevenson's takedown attempt.
Taylor landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Taylor with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Taylor with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Stevenson avoiding damage as Taylor throws knees to the body.
Taylor misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stevenson.
Taylor tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Taylor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Stevenson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Stevenson throws a right hand that Taylor ducks under and follows up with a left that Taylor also avoids with ease.
Stevenson fails with a takedown attempt.

Stevenson tries to keep at a distance but Taylor has taken the fight into the clinch.
Stevenson tries to score a body lock takedown but Taylor shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
The referee calls for Taylor to work.
Taylor lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A knee to the head by Taylor.
Taylor landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Taylor with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taylor misses with a punch on the inside.
Taylor wants to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to land a knee to the head but Stevenson blocks with his arms.
Taylor throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stevenson blocks it with crossed arms.
Taylor with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Stevenson has Taylor pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Stevenson pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Taylor tumbling to the mat - Stevenson dives into Taylor's guard.
Stevenson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stevenson stands up over Taylor, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Stevenson wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.

Taylor is looking for a triangle but Stevenson pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taylor pushes Stevenson off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Taylor stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Stevenson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Taylor fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stevenson shoots in but Taylor avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Taylor tries to clinch but Stevenson moves out of range.

Stevenson scores with a takedown into Taylor's guard.
Stevenson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Stevenson from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Taylor manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stevenson manages to get himself to full guard.
Stevenson is trying to control the position but Taylor postures up.

Taylor decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Stevenson, up you get!
Stevenson shoots for a takedown but Taylor saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Stevenson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Stevenson from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to sweep but no luck.
Stevenson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stevenson looking to pass the guard.

Taylor has his feet on Stevenson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Stevenson looks for a takedown but Taylor sprawls well.

Taylor moves into the clinch.
The referee calls for Taylor to work.
Taylor connects with a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alex Taylor.
I think Taylor 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

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