PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between jesus lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

lopez
vs
Taylor

200 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 Las Vegas, jesus lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
lopez wants to clinch up but Taylor keeps it at a distance.

lopez shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Taylor's guard.
lopez prevents Taylor from getting back to his feet.
lopez stopping the sweep attempt from Taylor.
Taylor is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.
lopez is fighting to break Taylor's control of his arms but Taylor is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Taylor really doesn't want to stay on the ground with lopez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Taylor looking for submissions from the bottom but instead lopez passes into side control.
Taylor manages to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
lopez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
lopez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
lopez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
lopez trying to pass the guard but Taylor defending well.
Taylor trying to control here.
lopez trying to control from half guard but Taylor is working away.
Taylor wants to control but lopez is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

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

Taylor closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Taylor controlling the pace.
lopez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Taylor's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Taylor's back!
Taylor trying to control the hands but lopez breaks the grip.
lopez looking to hold on to the position here but Taylor rolls and ends up regaining guard.
Taylor pulls lopez in close to prevent any damage.
lopez stops Taylor from standing up.
Taylor looks gassed!
lopez passes Taylor's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
lopez is trying to control. Taylor wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Taylor trying to control here.
lopez thows a huge punch but Taylor dodges it nicely.
Taylor tries to roll over but lopez keeps him under control.
Taylor is trying to maintain the position but lopez is very close to passing his half guard.
lopez works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
lopez trying to control the position but Taylor is working away.
Taylor is looking for a sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
lopez cracks the inside of Taylor's front leg.
lopez tries to clinch but Taylor is having none of it.
lopez misses with a low kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Taylor looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
lopez trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tom Taylor will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Taylor rushes lopez and presses him up against the cage.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Taylor blocks a head kick by lopez.
lopez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Taylor counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Taylor landing with the ground and pound.
Taylor wants to control from the top but lopez keeps moving.

Taylor gets to his feet - lopez follows without any prompting.

Taylor shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor controlling the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
lopez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Taylor perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Let's hope that Taylor has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
lopez trying to control here.

That's two 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.
Taylor takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Taylor works his way into full mount!
Taylor trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taylor takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
lopez tries to reverse the position but Taylor maintains control.
lopez wants to control but Taylor is having none of it.
Taylor manages to capitalize on a mistake by lopez to take his back!
lopez trying to control but not successfully.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Taylor controlling the positon.
Tom Taylor has got the better of the ground game 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Tom Taylor just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Taylor has taken the fight to the clinch.

Taylor gets control of lopez's arms and successfully pulls guard. Taylor will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Taylor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in lopez's guard.

Taylor gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
lopez looks to clinch

and Taylor counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Taylor swings around for an armbar but lopez sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Taylor's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Taylor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Taylor shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches lopez napping and manages to drive through into side control!
You can see the frustration on lopez's face as Taylor controls the position.

Taylor wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by lopez, who protects the arm well.
lopez is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Taylor's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
lopez won't allow Taylor to pass to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
lopez misses with some strikes from the bottom.
lopez is refusing to be controlled, as Taylor sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
lopez wants to control but Taylor is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Taylor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. lopez defending well though.

Taylor wants to work for an arm triangle but lopez is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Good leg kick by lopez there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
lopez tries to clinch up

and Taylor counters with a takedown into side control.
lopez manages to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to advance position but lopez won't allow it.
lopez regains full guard. Nicely done.
lopez will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Taylor won't allow lopez to get back to his feet.
Taylor content to stall in guard here.
Taylor prevents lopez from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Taylor works a leg free and moves into half guard.
lopez wants to get back to full guard.
Taylor is pressing down on lopez's thigh, looking to free his foot. lopez is holding on for now.
lopez trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor is trying to control. lopez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Taylor gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Taylor working lopez over with knees to the body.
lopez throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

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.
Taylor displaying some good clinch control by pressing lopez up against the cage.

lopez has Taylor pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. lopez pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Taylor tumbling to the mat - lopez dives into Taylor's guard.

lopez gets to his feet - Taylor follows without any prompting.
Taylor stuns lopez with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
lopez tries to close the distance and clinch but Taylor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
lopez doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Taylor counters with a big head kick but lopez shrugs it off.
jesus lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tom Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
lopez throws and low kick but Taylor moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Taylor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 26:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 26:30

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