PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Udar Molota (ranked 3075 p4p, 3158 weight class) and Minato Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Molota
vs
Taylor

191 cm
25
204
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
19
200
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Udar Molota!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Minato Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Molota circles away from the clinch attempt.

Molota shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Molota knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Taylor on the ground.
Molota pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taylor is keeping the position for now.
Taylor wants to hit a sweep here but Molota passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Taylor there!
Molota takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taylor taking shots to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor working to try and regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Molota sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Taylor trying desperately to get to his feet.
Taylor is looking to get to half guard.
Molota content just to control the position here.
Molota is landing with some decent strikes but Taylor is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is desperately trying to improve his position but Molota has a good base and remains in mount.
Taylor wants to control but Molota is having none of it.
Taylor is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Molota lands with some strikes.
Molota takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Molota blocks Taylor's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Molota takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taylor sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Molota not doing much here.
Molota winds up and cracks Taylor with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Molota moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Taylor.
Taylor looks winded!
Molota tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Molota remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Molota decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Taylor throws a left and a right that both miss
and Molota counters with a straight right hand.

Molota drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Udar Molota dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Molota feints and as Taylor raises his hands in defense, Molota changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Molota controls the pace.
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.

Molota has gone for a leg lock! Taylor slips out almost immediately though and dives into Molota's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Molota has control of Taylor's left arm, preventing Taylor from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Molota pulls Taylor in to control the position.
Molota keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Molota is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Taylor can do to turn this around?
Taylor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Udar Molota overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Taylor throwing strikes from guard but Molota blocks nicely.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Molota holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two 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 preventing the sweep.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Taylor tries to score a power double leg takedown but Molota sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Taylor somewhat.

Molota shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Taylor napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Molota lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Taylor down.
Molota tries to move into full mount but can't pass Taylor's legs.
Taylor manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Taylor is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Molota is concentrating on defense, preventing Taylor from advancing position.
Molota wants to improve his position but Taylor is controlling well.

Molota manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Oooooh!!! Molota has knocked Taylor down with a huge combo! Molota steps away and waves a wobbly Taylor back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Taylor is rocked!
Molota throws a sloppy head kick and Taylor moves out of range easily.
Taylor is still on wobbly legs! Can Molota finish him?

Molota gets a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Molota keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Taylor's efforts to push away.
Taylor seems to have recovered his senses.

Molota lands a takedown into guard.
Taylor wants to stand but Molota is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Molota gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Taylor keeping full guard, as Molota tries to pass.
Molota is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Udar Molota dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Molota throws a leg kick that is checked

and Taylor counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Molota!

Molota throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Molota manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Taylor on his heels. He'll look to pass Taylor's guard now, I'm sure.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Taylor trying to strike off his back.
Molota stays in close to Taylor's body and controls the position.
Taylor is trying to keep Molota in close.
Taylor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Molota controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Taylor working a defensive guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Taylor fails with the takedown

and Molota counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Molota manages to break the clinch.
No luck for Taylor with that takedown attempt.

Molota bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molota scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Taylor to see if he's OK.
Molota grinds an elbow into Taylor's temple.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Taylor is trying to get back to half guard.
Molota working the ground and pound.
Taylor is looking for a sweep.
Taylor prevents Molota from improving position.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Molota lands some shots froms side control.
Taylor is trying to escape the position but Molota is controlling the position.

Molota stands up.
Taylor closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Molota closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Molota lands in his opponent's guard.
Molota sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to sweep here but Molota controlling him for the moment.

Molota gets to his feet - Taylor follows without any prompting.
A low kick from Taylor is predictable there
and Molota counters with a stiff right hand.
Taylor stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Molota.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taylor.
Minato Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Udar Molota is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Udar Molota has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Minato Taylor.

Molota shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Molota showed some decent athleticism there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Udar Molota showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Molota has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Udar Molota!