PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between L Rhoe Tayona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Hammar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Hammar's choice of entrance music: STAIND. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rhoe Tayona
vs
Hammar

173 cm
18
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

179 cm
23
166 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, L Rhoe Tayona!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jack Hammar!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tayona looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hammar wants to get back to his feet but Tayona is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Hammar wriggles free and stands up.
Hammar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tayona moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nice uppercut lands for Hammar. That snapped Tayona's head back.

It looks like L Rhoe Tayona has been cut.
Tayona fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
L Rhoe Tayona seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Hammar.

Tayona closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Tayona knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hammar on the ground.

Hammar is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Tayona pulls his head out easily.
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. Tayona connects with a nice short shot to Hammar's temple.
Tayona drops an elbow to the side of Hammar's head.

Hammar looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammar wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tayona keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Tayona seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hammar does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tayona sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hammar defending well though.
Hammar tries to kick Tayona off but Tayona keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Tayona missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hammar lands a nice looking kick to the body. Tayona takes a step back to recover.
Tayona shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hammar as he jumps to the side.
Hammar lands with a kick to the temple. Tayona shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Hammar looks gassed!
Tayona looks for a takedown but Hammar sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for L Rhoe Tayona. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hammar misses with a head kick.
Hammar moves in looking to clinch but Tayona pushes him off.

Tayona shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Hammar looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tayona seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Tayona missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Hammar looking for submissions off his back.
Tayona not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hammar is trying to stand.
Tayona lands with a punch from half guard.
Tayona is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Tayona drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hammar manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tayona is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

Hammar is working for a kimura but Tayona is defending it quite comfortably.
Tayona is trying to maintain the position but Hammar is very close to passing his half guard.
Tayona is pressing down on Hammar's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Tayona striking off his back but it's not causing Hammar any problems.
Tayona wants to sweep here but Hammar controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tayona controls Hammar momentarily but Hammar frees himself.
Hammar preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tayona is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hammar sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hammar misses with a head kick.
Hammar tries a head kick but it misses.
Hammar tries a head kick but it misses.

Tayona changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hammar looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Tayona trying to control the position but Hammar is working away.
Hammar tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tayona scores with punches and elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that L Rhoe Tayona will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on L Rhoe Tayona's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tayona scores a takedown into full mount!
Tayona lands a nice shot to the head.
Hammar is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hammar trying desperately to get to his feet.
Hammar is working to get back to half guard.
Tayona with good strikes from the mount here!
Hammar wants to hold on but Tayona pushes him away.
Tayona landing strikes from the mount and Hammar is in trouble!
Tayona landing strikes from the mount.
Tayona controlling the position easily from mount.
Tayona seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Hammar for as long as he can get away with.
Hammar is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammar is looking to improve his position but Tayona isn't that keen on the idea.
Tayona cracks Hammar with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Tayona postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hammar looks a forlorn figure.
Hammar is working to get back to half guard.
Tayona scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hammar?
Tayona lands a heavy elbow.
Hammar is looking to get to half guard.
Hammar is squirming around, avoiding Tayona's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tayona scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hammar is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hammar is squirming around, avoiding Tayona's attempts to control the action.
The referee warns Hammar that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Tayona with good strikes from the mount here!
Hammar trying desperately to get to his feet.
Tayona lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hammar tries to hold on but Tayona pushes him away.
Tayona lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Hammar hang on?
Hammar tries to hold on but Tayona pushes him away.
Hammar is squirming around, avoiding Tayona's attempts to control the action.
Tayona controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammar really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hammar tries to lock up and control but Tayona gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tayona working Hammar over with strikes here.
Tayona looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tayona landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hammar keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Tayona working the ground and pound effectively.
L Rhoe Tayona overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four 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.
Tayona looking to finish Hammar with some ground and pound. This is bad for Hammar!
Tayona lands a big shot there that rocks Hammar but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Tayona landing strikes from the mount.
Hammar is trying to escape the mount.
The referee warns Hammar that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Tayona wants to control the pace but Hammar is squirming around nicely.
Tayona controlling the position easily from mount.
Tayona has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hammar's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

L Rhoe Tayona dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on L Rhoe Tayona's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Tayona shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Tayona was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Hammar can't escape the position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Tayona cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Tayona won't let Hammar get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Tayona with the ground and pound from mount.
Tayona tries to control but Hammar wriggling away.
Hammar wants to control but Tayona is having none of it.
Hammar in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Tayona looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Tayona raining down shots from the mount!
Hammar bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tayona looking for a sweep. Not yet Tayona, not yet.
Hammar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hammar wants to stand but Tayona has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Hammar has gone for a leg lock! Tayona slips out almost immediately though and dives into Hammar's guard.
Tayona has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hammar can't keep his opponent in guard - Tayona advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Hammar is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Tayona pulls his head out easily.
Tayona looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hammar with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Hammar won't allow Tayona to pass to mount.
Tayona uses his free foot to push down on Hammar's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Hammar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tayona prevents Hammar from getting the reversal.
Tayona pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Hammar really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hammar is trying to stand.
Tayona in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Tayona tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Hammar is trying desperately to improve position.
Tayona is landing with some decent strikes but Hammar is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Tayona scoring with strikes but Hammar is staying in there.
Tayona scoring with strikes but Hammar is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Tayona cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hammar is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Tayona cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hammar is trying desperately to improve position.
Tayona cracks Hammar with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Tayona with shots to the head and body - Hammar looks very uncomfortable down there.
Tayona with shots to the head and body - Hammar looks very uncomfortable down there.
Tayona lands a big elbow.
Tayona with the ground and pound from mount.
Tayona is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Tayona working Hammar over with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tayona lands a heavy elbow.
Tayona connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hammar is in a horrible position here. Tayona smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Tayona landing strikes from the mount.
Tayona unloading with bombs!
Hammar is desperately trying to improve his position but Tayona has a good base and remains in mount.
Tayona controlling the pace for now.
Hammar is in all sorts of trouble here.
Tayona lands a big elbow.
Hammar is trying desperately to improve position.
Jack Hammar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
You get the feeling that Hammar really doesn't like being in this position too much.

And that's the end of the fight!
L Rhoe Tayona showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tayona, 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:26
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... L Rhoe Tayona!