PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jax Taavola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Adams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jax Taavola had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Taavola
vs
Adams

185 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
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 Amsterdam, Jax Taavola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Adams!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Adams. No joy for Taavola on that attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Adams as Taavola shoots in.
Taavola throws a hook but Adams blocks it.
Adams fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Taavola scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Taavola not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Taavola prevents Adams from improving his position.
Taavola content to control rather than advance.
Taavola 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adams wants to get back to his feet.
Adams pushes Taavola off but Taavola dives into side control.
Adams manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Adams wants to get back to his feet.
Adams trying to control here.
Taavola seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Adams wants to get back to full guard.
Adams tries to kick Taavola off but Taavola keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Taavola is trying to control. Adams wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Taavola is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Adams sees it coming and defends easily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Taavola moves into the clinch.
Adams tries to break the clinch but Taavola is controlling the position.
Adams wants to get back to striking at distance but Taavola won't allow it.

Taavola breaks from the clinch.
Adams shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Taavola moves into the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Adams takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Adams misses with some punches.
Taavola tries to throw a body punch but Adams avoids it by throwing Taavola back against the cage.
Adams is looking to break free of the clinch but Taavola has double underhooks.

Taavola breaks from the clinch.
Adams misses with a takedown attempt

and Taavola counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Jax Taavola has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Adams.
Taavola is breathing heavily.
Taavola preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adams is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Taavola has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Taavola won't allow Adams to sweep him here.
Adams pulls Taavola in close to prevent any damage.

Taavola avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Adams is looking for a triangle but Taavola pushes his legs off easily.
Taavola throws a strike but Adams rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

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.
Adams wants to stand but Taavola is controlling his posture from full guard.
Adams trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Taavola not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Adams postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Taavola wants to sweep here but Adams controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jax Taavola dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Taavola stuffs the takedown attempt from Adams. Adams gets slowly back to his feet.
Adams circles away from the clinch attempt.

Taavola forces Adams back against the cage and clinches.

Taavola's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Taavola shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Adams pinned against the cage. Adams gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Taavola blocks the body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adams is looking to clinch.
Taavola tries for a takedown but Adams circles away easily
and Adams counters with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taavola stuffs the takedown attempt from Adams. Adams gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adams changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Taavola tries to avoid it but Adams manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Taavola to the ground. Taavola escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jax Taavola has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Adams.
Adams looks to clinch

and Taavola counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Taavola might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Adams has his feet on Taavola's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Adams looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Adams keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Adams shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Taavola but Taavola pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Adams throws a lazy head kick

and Taavola counters with a shoot takedown. Adams fights it but they end up in guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Adams kicks Taavola off and gets to his feet.
Taavola circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Adams gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Adams's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Taavola keeps the fight on the outside.
Adams tries to close the distance and clinch but Taavola swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Adams fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Taavola, pushing him back against the cage.
Adams stalling the fight.
Taavola tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Adams smiles and moves away.
Jax Taavola is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Adams fails in his attempt to clinch.

Adams decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Adams passes the guard and advances to mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Adams tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taavola is in all sorts of trouble here.
Taavola is squirming around, avoiding Adams's attempts to control the action.
Adams controlling from mount.
Taavola is looking to improve his position but Adams isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Adams takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Adams landing strikes from the mount.
A nice elbow there by Adams.
Adams looking to finish Taavola with some ground and pound. This is bad for Taavola!
Adams lands with some strikes.
Adams unloading with bombs!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taavola in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Adams landing strikes from the mount.
Adams scoring with strikes but Taavola is staying in there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Adams showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Adams closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Taavola to the mat! Taavola manages to get full guard.
Adams has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Taavola is proving hard to escape from.
Adams has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Adams works a leg free and moves into half guard.
It looks like Adams is going to stand back up.
Adams lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Adams wants to stand up but Taavola has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taavola is looking to get back to full guard here but Adams has managed to pass to side control instead.
Adams lands a nice shot to the head.
Taavola tries to hold on but Adams pushes him away.
Taavola is squirming around, avoiding Adams's attempts to control the action.
Adams lands a heavy elbow.
Taavola is bucking up trying to escape but Adams cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Adams controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taavola working to try and regain half guard.
Taavola takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Adams scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Taavola?
Adams landing strikes from the mount and Taavola is in trouble!
Taavola is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Adams in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Adams controlling the pace for now.
Adams scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Taavola?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taavola can't escape the position.
Adams pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Adams fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Taavola tries to lock up and control but Adams gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Taavola takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Adams trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Adams controlling from mount.
Adams postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Taavola looks a forlorn figure.
Adams lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Taavola hang on?
Adams with the ground and pound from mount.
Adams can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Taavola is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Adams comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Adams 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Adams!