PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hayden Taylor (ranked 3101 p4p, 4794 weight class) and Sage Kopel (ranked 432 p4p, 549 weight class). Hayden Taylor has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Taylor
vs
Kopel

200 cm
23
215
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
26
200
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hayden Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sage Kopel!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Russell Pearce and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kopel slaps away a takedown attempt from Taylor, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kopel looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Taylor avoids the head kick by Kopel.
Taylor tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kopel swivels and escapes.
Kopel throws a lazy head kick

and Taylor counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Kopel!
Taylor working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Taylor decides to stand up, so the ref orders Kopel to his feet.

Taylor closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kopel is trying to improve his position.
Taylor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kopel keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kopel is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Taylor trying to control the position but Kopel is working away.

Taylor is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kopel is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The referee asks Taylor politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Taylor prefers to stall for the moment though.

Taylor decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Kopel gets caught napping as Taylor dives in and scores a takedown. Kopel manages to retain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taylor decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Taylor tries to clinch but Kopel is having none of it.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Kopel sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hayden Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Kopel on the side of the head.

Taylor closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Taylor lands in his opponent's guard.

Kopel pushes Taylor off and scrambles back to his feet.
Kopel has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Horrible takedown attempt by Taylor or perhaps it was just good defense by Kopel, which made it look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Taylor enables Kopel to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Taylor manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Kopel postures up.

Taylor escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kopel gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Taylor looking for a guillotine here but Kopel defends easily.
Taylor on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Taylor tries to get out of the position.
Taylor controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kopel doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kopel manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Taylor looking to control.

Taylor looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
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.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Hayden Taylor will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Taylor closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Kopel to the mat! Kopel manages to get full guard.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Kopel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kopel keeping full guard, as Taylor tries to pass.
Kopel wants to sweep here but Taylor controlling him for the moment.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Kopel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Kopel is keeping the position.
Taylor with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kopel is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to free his leg and advance position but Kopel is retaining full guard.
Taylor is looking to advance position but Kopel has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Taylor wants to control but Kopel is having none of it.
Taylor regains half guard.
Taylor knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kopel on the ground.
Taylor is pressing down on Kopel's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Taylor is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kopel defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kopel wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.

Taylor looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Taylor escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kopel gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Taylor trying to keep a closed guard but Kopel is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor 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 is pressing down on Kopel's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kopel is holding on for now.
Taylor perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Kopel is defending well.

Taylor seems to be working for a kimura but Kopel defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Taylor content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Taylor wants to control but Kopel is keeping him busy.
Taylor tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kopel knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Taylor shoots in and gets a takedown into Kopel's guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hayden Taylor dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Taylor fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kopel to the ground. Taylor is now in Kopel's guard.
Taylor tries to free his leg and advance position but Kopel is retaining full guard.
Taylor wants to get up but he can't break Kopel's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Taylor is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kopel can do to turn this around?
Taylor postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

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

Taylor shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kopel's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Kopel keeps moving.
Taylor slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor slips nicely into half guard.
Kopel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Taylor is working away from the top position though.
Taylor passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kopel!
Taylor looking to ground and pound but Kopel is blocking nicely.
Taylor can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kopel is looking to escape.
Kopel tries to hold on but Taylor postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kopel really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Taylor can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kopel is looking to escape.
Kopel stops Taylor from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Taylor trying to control but Kopel is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kopel is desperately trying to improve his position but Taylor has a good base and remains in mount.
Kopel is still trying to improve position.

Taylor stands up from mount. Strange move.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kopel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hayden Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Taylor fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kopel, pushing him back against the cage.

Kopel pulls guard effortlessly.
Taylor pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kopel is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Kopel keeps moving.
Taylor throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taylor has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kopel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taylor.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Kopel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Taylor feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hayden Taylor showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Taylor, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:28

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