PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dean Moxley (ranked 24716 p4p, 517 weight class) and Rex Taylor (ranked 7294 p4p, 476 weight class). Moxley's entrance music is Highway to Hell. A fine choice. Rex Taylor has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Moxley
vs
Taylor

190 cm
18
250 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
260 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dean Moxley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rex Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Eddie Farnsworth and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor shoots in looking for a takedown. Moxley tries to sprawl out of it but Taylor keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Moxley manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A head kick misses from Moxley.
Taylor swings for the body but Moxley moves out of range.
Taylor just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromMoxley.

Taylor moves into the clinch successfully.
Moxley is looking to break free of the clinch but Taylor has double underhooks.

Taylor gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Moxley makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Taylor will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Moxley clinches up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Knees in the clinch landing for Moxley.

Moxley manages to break the clinch.

Moxley shoots in and gets a takedown into Taylor's guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Moxley's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Taylor looking for a guillotine here but Moxley defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moxley wanted to stand there but Taylor had control of the position.
Moxley could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Taylor is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Moxley is aware though and is defending well.
Taylor looks winded!
Moxley with a flurry of punches that miss.
Taylor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Moxley.
Moxley sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Moxley throws a big right hand that misses.
Moxley trying to stand up but can't free himself from Taylor's guard.

That's two 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.
Moxley makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Moxley decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Moxley shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Taylor manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Moxley trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taylor utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Moxley from controlling successfully.
Taylor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moxley landing with the ground and pound.
Moxley chips away with some ground and pound.
Moxley postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Taylor working a defensive guard here.
Moxley trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Moxley stands up from Taylor's guard - Moxley perhaps looking for a knockout.

Moxley gets the takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moxley with the ground and pound but Taylor regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

Moxley postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Taylor to stand up.
Moxley fails with a takedown attempt.
Moxley closes the distance and clinches up with Taylor, looking for a takedown. Moxley pushes Taylor against the cage but Taylor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Taylor is looking for the big counter here.
Taylor scores with a hook to the body. Moxley takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Moxley tries to clinch but Taylor is having none of it.
Moxley falls off balance throwing a combination

and Taylor counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Taylor.
Moxley has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taylor sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Taylor decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Moxley dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Taylor connects with a high kick.
Moxley avoids the head kick by Taylor.
Moxley keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Taylor wants to clinch up but Moxley keeps it at a distance.

Moxley gets tackled into the cage by Taylor. Taylor maintains the clinch.
Taylor blocks an uppercut.
Moxley wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Taylor controlling the action here for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor is working for takedown but Moxley is calmly controlling the position for now.
Taylor has Moxley pressed against the cage, preventing Moxley from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moxley tries to pull guard but Taylor forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Moxley is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Taylor is defending well.

Moxley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Moxley throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Taylor was covering up waiting for the punch and Moxley finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Taylor pushes Moxley off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Taylor is breathing heavily.
Moxley shoots in for a takedown but Taylor shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Moxley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor throws a right and a left that Moxley avoids nicely.
Taylor dives in and grabs Moxley's left leg, looking for a takedown. Moxley pushes down on Taylor's head and hops out.

Taylor dives in and scores a takedown into Moxley's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Moxley wants to sweep but no luck.
Moxley doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Taylor must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor trying to control but Moxley is working from the bottom.

Moxley has his foot on Taylor's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Taylor works his way back into a safe position though.
Moxley is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Taylor wants to get back to full guard.
Moxley is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Taylor throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Taylor regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Moxley.
Moxley trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor 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.

Taylor is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Moxley works over Taylor with some ground and pound from guard.
Moxley wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
Moxley won't allow Taylor to get back to his feet.
Taylor is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Moxley's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Taylor not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Moxley stands and steps away. Taylor gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Taylor fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Moxley is looking to counter with head kicks.
Moxley fails with a takedown attempt.
Taylor shoots and misses
and Moxley counters with an outside leg kick.
Moxley tries for a takedown but Taylor sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Moxley fails with a takedown attempt.
Taylor throws a big counter head kick but Moxley avoids it with no problem.
Taylor moves in looking to clinch but Moxley pushes him off.
Moxley is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rex Taylor will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Moxley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Taylor tries to sprawl but Moxley drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Taylor pushes Moxley off and gets back to his feet.
Moxley moves in looking to clinch but Taylor pushes him off.

Moxley is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Taylor's half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Moxley is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Taylor sees it coming and defends easily.
Taylor trying to hold on to Moxley's head to control him but Moxley postures up.
Taylor is looking to escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Moxley seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Taylor does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moxley working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Moxley wants to work for an arm triangle but Taylor is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Moxley throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Taylor to regain full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Taylor might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Moxley haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Moxley stands up from Taylor's guard - Moxley perhaps looking for a knockout.
Moxley shoots in but Taylor avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Taylor closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Moxley's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moxley wants to stand but Taylor is controlling the position.
Taylor content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Taylor decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Moxley, up you get!

Taylor closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Taylor displaying some good clinch control by pressing Moxley up against the cage.

Moxley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Taylor darts in and clinches Moxley up against the cage.

Taylor breaks from the clinch.
Rex Taylor seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Moxley closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Taylor throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Moxley shoots in for a double leg but Taylor sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Taylor wants to counter the offense by Moxley and move into the clinch position.
Nice takedown defense from Taylor. No joy for Moxley on that attempt.
Taylor flicks out a counter leg kick but Moxley steps away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Moxley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Moxley fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Taylor shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Moxley napping and manages to drive through into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taylor tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Moxley manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Moxley wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor content to control rather than advance.
Moxley wants to improve his position but Taylor is controlling well.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Moxley is defending well.
Taylor takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rex Taylor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Taylor 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

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