PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Felipe Jones (ranked 4803 p4p, 4034 weight class) and Reylam Tagalog (ranked 0 p4p, 429 weight class). Jones has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Felipe Jones looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Jones
vs
Tagalog

183 cm
21
180
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Felipe Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Reylam Tagalog!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tagalog clinches with his opponent.

Tagalog has Jones pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Tagalog pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Jones tumbling to the mat - Tagalog dives into Jones's guard.
Tagalog slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Jones is breathing heavily.

Tagalog got a little sloppy there for a moment and Jones has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tagalog has managed to get both his arms back between Jones's legs - danger averted.
Tagalog stands and throws Jones's legs to the side, diving into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones prevents Tagalog from moving into mount.
Tagalog is looking to take a break and control but Jones is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tagalog stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Tagalog manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Jones on his heels. He'll look to pass Jones's guard now, I'm sure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tagalog is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tagalog lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Tagalog is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Tagalog must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Jones is working an open guard so Tagalog takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Tagalog throws a sloppy head kick and Jones moves out of range easily.

Tagalog closes the distance and clinches.

Tagalog's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Tagalog clinches up against the cage.

Tagalog pulls guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones preventing the sweep.
Tagalog pulls Jones in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tagalog 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.

Tagalog throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tagalog wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Tagalog is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Tagalog controls Jones momentarily but Jones frees himself.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Tagalog lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Jones backs up against the cage.

Tagalog closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Tagalog lands in his opponent's guard.
Tagalog wants to control from the top but Jones keeps moving.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reylam Tagalog dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Jones gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Tagalog 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.

Tagalog postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Jones is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Tagalog, into his guard.

Tagalog 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tagalog wants to improve his position but instead Jones has moved into half guard.

Tagalog makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tagalog throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Jones tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Tagalog is in Jones's guard.
Tagalog looking to pass the guard.
Tagalog slips nicely into half guard.
Tagalog trying to pass the guard but Jones defending well.
Tagalog is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Jones!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tagalog landing shots from mount.
Jones is trying desperately to improve position.
Jones is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Tagalog controlling his opponent.
Tagalog can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jones is looking to escape.
Tagalog lands a nice shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tagalog controlling the position easily from mount.
Reylam Tagalog has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tagalog raining down shots from the mount!

Tagalog gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Felipe Jones is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Tagalog gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tagalog stalls.
Tagalog tries to pull guard but Jones holds him up against the cage and eventually Tagalog drops back down to his feet.
Tagalog is working for takedown but Jones is calmly controlling the position for now.

Tagalog breaks from the clinch.

Tagalog shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Tagalog was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Tagalog just content to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reylam Tagalog showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Tagalog has closed the distance and engaged Jones in a clinch.
Tagalog drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tagalog can't get the takedown.

Tagalog turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Jones explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tagalog shoots in and gets a takedown into Jones's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jones looking for a sweep. Not yet Jones, not yet.
Tagalog distracts Jones with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tagalog postures up.
Tagalog won't allow Jones to sweep him here.

Tagalog stands up from Jones's guard - Tagalog perhaps looking for a knockout.
Tagalog throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Tagalog closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Jones did well to prevent Tagalog getting side control.
Jones is trying to maintain the position but Tagalog is very close to passing his half guard.
Tagalog really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jones. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Tagalog seems to be looking for submissions.
Jones wants to control but Tagalog is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tagalog has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tagalog looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Jones with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Tagalog keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Tagalog stands up and beckons Jones to join him on the feet.

Tagalog takes the fight into the clinch.

Tagalog breaks the clinch.

Tagalog decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones is staying active underneath Tagalog, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Jones has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tagalog is working away from the top position though.
Jones is trying to get back to full guard.
Tagalog looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Jones with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Tagalog takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four 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.
Jones throws a leg kick but Tagalog checks it.
Tagalog stuffs the takedown.

Tagalog has closed the distance and engaged Jones in a clinch.

Tagalog's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Tagalog pushes Jones up against the cage in a clinch.

Tagalog breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Horrible takedown attempt by Jones or perhaps it was just good defense by Tagalog, which made it look bad.

Tagalog changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Jones looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Felipe Jones has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Reylam Tagalog is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Jones throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reylam Tagalog comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tagalog 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reylam Tagalog!