PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Cole Taggart (ranked 3859 p4p, 359 weight class) and Erick Clap (ranked 2934 p4p, 280 weight class). Clap is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Burn it to the ground. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Taggart
vs
Clap

169 cm
40
160 lbs
29 - 16 - 0

172 cm
31
155 lbs
18 - 12 - 2

World class boxer
Cardio machine

World class MT
Good gas tank

Mockstar Energy Drinks 160Q
Sully's Bar & Grill

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 29 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cole Taggart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 12 - 2, fighting out of New York, Erick Clap!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taggart lands a nice leg kick that just misses Clap's sensitive parts.

Taggart darts in and clinches Clap up against the ropes.
Clap stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Taggart fails to land.
Taggart blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Clap fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Taggart softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Clap is working Taggart over against the ropes.
Taggart can't find room to land a body shot as Clap controls the action.
Clap throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Clap tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Clap taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Clap misses with a short punch on the inside.
Taggart tries to throw a body punch but Clap avoids it by throwing Taggart back against the ropes.
Taggart is working Clap over against the ropes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clap keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Taggart's efforts to push away.
Nice body punch from Taggart - that landed with a thud.
Good body shot from Taggart.
Clap tries to land a knee to the head but Taggart blocks with his arms.
Taggart misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clap scores with a shoulder strike.
Clap is pushing Taggart up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Taggart misses with a punch to the body.
Taggart tries to work over Clap's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A hook to the body from Clap.
Clap lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Taggart.

Taggart pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Taggart throws a leg kick but Clap checks it.
Clap throws a push kick but Taggart slaps the foot to one side.
It looked like Taggart was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Taggart tries a head kick but it misses.
Clap throws out a counter right but Taggart avoids it with no problem.
Taggart defending well as Clap loads up on a big left hand.
Cole Taggart seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taggart is looking to chop away at Clap's legs.
Clap is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Taggart.

Taggart takes the fight into the clinch.
Clap blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clap scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Clap tries a body shot but Taggart blocks it.
Clap lands a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Clap works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Clap manages to break the clinch.
Clap throws a wild body kick that Taggart sees coming a mile off.
We've been informed that Clap has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Taggart with a hook.
Taggart throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Taggart throws a lazy uppercut
and Clap counters with a straight right hand.
Clap lands a front kick.
Clap lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Clap throws a big shot that misses.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Clap.
Taggart looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A shot to the body from Taggart misses
and Clap counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Taggart tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Clap was well out of range. Poor timing from Taggart.
Taggart walks forward, straight into a front kick from Clap.
Clap looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erick Clap dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Clap scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Taggart doesn't seem bothered though.
Clap checks a low kick from Taggart.
Clap connects with a good right hand that stumbles Taggart. Taggart circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Clap takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Taggart fails with an attempt to clinch.
Taggart tries to clinch up.
Clap is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Taggart throws a low kick, looking for Clap's leg but Clap calmly moves out of range.
Taggart on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Clap fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Clap throws a hook but Taggart avoids it easily.
Clap throws a low kick but Taggart moves out of range easily.
Clap blocks the body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clap explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Taggart throws a leg kick
and Clap counters with a nice leg kick.
Clap throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taggart chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Clap can pounce on him.
Taggart attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clap throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Taggart closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Clap trying to control the position but instead, Taggart has worked for underhooks and has pushed Clap into the ropes.
Clap throws a head punch that misses.

Taggart pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Clap throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Taggart throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Clap throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Clap scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Erick Clap seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Clap tries to score with a low kick but Taggart moves his leg out of the way.
Clap pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Clap pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Clap ducks under a wild hook from Taggart.
Clap throws out a powerful jab.
A swing and a miss from Clap.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Taggart.
A nice leg kick lands there from Taggart.
Taggart lands a nice looking kick to the body. Clap takes a step back to recover.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Taggart throws a series of punches but Clap avoids them all with ease.
Clap takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Taggart throws a low kick but Clap moves out of range easily.
Taggart on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Clap fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Taggart misses with a wild body shot.
Taggart blocks a head kick by Clap.
Taggart is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Taggart takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Clap cracks Taggart with a good jab.
Taggart walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Clap checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Clap lands a high kick!
A looping hook to the body misses from Clap. Taggart does a little dance to reset his feet.
Clap looks to throw the jab but Taggart is out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Clap lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Taggart has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Taggart and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Clap misses with a looping right.
Taggart is looking for a counter combo.
Clap throws the left hand but Taggart avoids the punch easily.
Taggart throws a low kick but it's checked well by Clap.
Taggart scores with a crisp jab that stopped Clap in his tracks.
A slapping leg kick lands for Taggart.
Taggart takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Taggart throws a hook to the side of Clap's head but Clap sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clap takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Clap lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Taggart misses with a hook
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
and Clap counters with a nice uppercut.
Clap misses the shot to the body.
Taggart lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A jab from Clap misses.
Taggart will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clap throws a sloppy body shot
and Taggart counters with a nice uppercut.
Clap throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Taggart sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Clap misses with a body kick.

Taggart clinches up against the ropes.
Taggart lands a nice uppercut.
Clap lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Taggart backwards.
Cole Taggart has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A shot in the inside from Clap.
A nice right hand lands inside from Clap.
Clap throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Clap tries to work over Taggart's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Clap lands a body shot.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Taggart as Clap tries to tie him up.
Clap misses with some punches.
Clap lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Taggart backwards.
Clap lands a hook that snaps the head of Taggart backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Taggart misses with a punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taggart can't break the clinch.
Clap digs a right hand into Taggart's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Taggart's gas tank.
Taggart blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Clap misses with a short punch on the inside.
Taggart scores with a shot to the side of Clap's head.
Clap struggles to land a body shot inside as Taggart controls his hands.
Clap lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Taggart.
Taggart swings wildly with an uppercut but Clap uses good head movement to avoid it.
Clap has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Clap is trying to stall.
Taggart blocking some punches.
Clap blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Taggart working aggressively here.
Taggart can't find room to land a body shot as Clap controls the action.
Clap lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Taggart backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Taggart.
Clap softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Taggart connects with a nasty looking knee right to Clap's face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erick Clap comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Clap has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erick Clap!
Erick Clap took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Conviction for their support in the buildup to the fight.