PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rex Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shane Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes to the cage accompanied by Sum 41 - There's No Solution. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Johnson
vs
Taylor

180 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
19
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rex Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shane Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnson gets caught flat footed, as Taylor shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet but Taylor is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Johnson looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Taylor puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Johnson is defending well.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Taylor stalling.
Johnson is trying to stand up here but Taylor is controlling him well.
Johnson tries to roll over but Taylor keeps him under control.
Johnson pushes Taylor off but Taylor dives into side control.
Taylor throws an elbow but Johnson slips to the side and avoids it well.
Taylor tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Johnson looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Taylor throws a right hand that Johnson ducks under and follows up with a left that Johnson also avoids with ease.
Taylor fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt - Johnson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Taylor swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Johnson throws a sloppy body shot
and Taylor counters with a two punch combo.
Taylor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Taylor shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Taylor keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rex Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shane Taylor.
Taylor is trying hard to land a takedown here. Johnson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Taylor misses with a wild combination.
Rex Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Taylor fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor blocks a low kick nicely.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Taylor.
Johnson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Taylor throws a leg kick
and Johnson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Taylor throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Taylor blocks a head kick by Johnson.
Taylor fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Johnson avoids it really well and circles away.
Taylor looks gassed!
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taylor doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Johnson.

Taylor has taken the fight to the clinch.
Johnson wants to break the clinch but can't.
A short body shot lands from Taylor as the two fighters clinch.
Taylor has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Taylor changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Johnson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Johnson looks for the body kick but Taylor saw that one coming.
Johnson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Taylor counters by clinching up.
Taylor is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Johnson gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Taylor tries to circle away but Johnson has him pinned against the cage.
Taylor is working Johnson over against the cage.
Taylor has Johnson pressed against the cage, preventing Johnson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor keeps control of Johnson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Taylor has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Johnson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Taylor lands a shot to the body.

Taylor manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
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 seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Taylor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson wants to get back to full guard.

Taylor stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Johnson throws a right and a left that Taylor avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Taylor dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Taylor misses with a double jab.
Taylor shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Johnson pinned against the cage. Johnson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Taylor dodges the punch combination from Johnson.
Johnson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taylor.
Rex Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Taylor takes the fight into the clinch.
Taylor is stalling here.
Johnson tries to circle away but Taylor has him pinned against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Taylor manages to break the clinch.

Taylor closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Johnson smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
Taylor displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Taylor takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rex Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shane Taylor.
Taylor looks for the body kick but Johnson saw that one coming.
Taylor shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Taylor slips a jab from Johnson.
Johnson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Taylor moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.
Stalling in the clinch from Taylor.

Taylor drags the fight down to the ground.

Taylor has his feet on Johnson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Taylor is breathing heavily.
Taylor closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. Taylor pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Taylor counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Johnson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Johnson but Johnson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Taylor has a takedown stuffed.
Johnson misses with a body kick.
A punch combination from Johnson misses.
Taylor tries to land a front kick but Johnson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Taylor blocks a head kick by Johnson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Taylor counters with a stiff right hand.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Taylor closes the distance and clinches.
Taylor has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Taylor looking for a takedown.
Taylor fails to pull guard.
Johnson wants to get back to striking at distance but Taylor won't allow it.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Taylor keeps him there for the moment.

Taylor manages to pull guard.
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.
Johnson is trying to stand up here but Taylor is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Taylor is working away from the top position though.
Well, if Taylor is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Taylor connects with a nice short shot to Johnson's temple.
Taylor content to control rather than advance.
Johnson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Taylor slips nicely into half guard.
Johnson looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Taylor 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Taylor gets a clinch.
Taylor looking for a takedown.
Taylor wants a takedown.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Taylor is controlling him.
Taylor has Johnson pressed against the cage, preventing Johnson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Johnson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Taylor is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Taylor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Johnson walks away with a smile on his face. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rex Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shane Taylor.
Johnson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Johnson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Taylor moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.
Taylor keeps control of Johnson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor wants to break the clinch but can't.
Johnson tries to break the clinch but Taylor is controlling the position.

Taylor lands a takedown into guard.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Taylor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Taylor stays in close to Johnson's body and controls the position.
Taylor looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Johnson wanted to stand there but Taylor had control of the position.
Johnson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Taylor on the ground.
Taylor is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taylor is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Taylor has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Johnson wants to stand but Taylor is controlling his posture from full guard.

Johnson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Johnson ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Johnson stuns Taylor with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looks to land a combination. Taylor sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Johnson connects with a single shot there.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Taylor moves out of range easily.
Johnson throws a looping overhand right but Taylor ducks down to avoid it.
Taylor swings for the body but Johnson moves out of range.
No joy there for Johnson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rex Johnson is winning the standup battle so far.
Johnson misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice sprawl there from Johnson as Taylor shoots in.
Johnson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Taylor fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Taylor shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Taylor controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looks like he's trying to stand up.
Taylor with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Taylor is taking a breather. Johnson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Rex Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shane Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Taylor decides to stand and escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Shane Taylor.
I've got Taylor winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

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