PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jean Van Dam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sisi Taille (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sisi Taille has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Van Dam
vs
Taille

180 cm
18
166 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
160 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jean Van Dam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sisi Taille!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taille scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Van Dam closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Van Dam lands in his opponent's guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Van Dam stays in close to Taille's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taille is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Van Dam pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taille is keeping the position for now.
Taille controls Van Dam momentarily but Van Dam frees himself.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Sisi Taille hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Van Dam misses with a wild body shot.
Taille is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Dam closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Taille's guard.

Taille had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Van Dam defends it easily.

Van Dam postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Taille is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Van Dam, into his guard.
Taille working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Van Dam has Taille pulled in close to control his posture.
Van Dam wants to sweep here but Taille controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Dam keeping moving, preventing Taille from controlling successfully.
Taille is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Taille tries to free his leg and advance position but Van Dam is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A solid body kick from Taille.

Van Dam shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Taille pushes Van Dam off looking to stand but Van Dam dives back in and keeps control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taille wants to get back to full guard.
Van Dam throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Taille is trying to get back to full guard.
Van Dam looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Taille with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Taille is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Van Dam jumps into side control!
Van Dam working away.
Van Dam looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Taille is avoiding damage well.
Taille manages to work his way to half guard, despite Van Dam's best efforts.
Van Dam perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Van Dam seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Taille does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jean Van Dam wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Van Dam decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Taille is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Taille is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Van Dam scores with a couple of nice shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taille won't allow Van Dam to pass to mount.
Taille has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Van Dam is working away from the top position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Van Dam dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Van Dam looks to throw the jab but Taille is out of range.
Sisi Taille is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taille looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Van Dam gets the takedown into side control.
Van Dam in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Van Dam wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taille keeps working.
Van Dam is chipping away with strikes.
Taille tries to improve position but can't.
Van Dam in side control lands a decent elbow.
Van Dam wants to control but Taille is keeping him busy.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Van Dam in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taille wants to get back to his feet.
Taille is looking to reverse the position.
Van Dam lands an elbow.
Van Dam misses with the ground and pound.
Taille is being controlled here.
Van Dam wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taille keeps working.
Van Dam prevents Taille from escaping the position.
Van Dam landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Van Dam trying to control the action but Taille is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Dam scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Taille to see if he's OK.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Dam taking a breather here.
Van Dam cracks Taille with a big right hand but Taille just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Van Dam looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Taille is avoiding damage well.
Taille is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Taille can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taille is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The referee asks Van Dam politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Van Dam prefers to stall for the moment though.
Jean Van Dam overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Taille can't do much from the bottom here.
Taille tries to escape but Van Dam is in control.
Van Dam remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Taille struggling a bit here.

Van Dam thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taille is trying to control Van Dam's posture but Van Dam avoids it.
Van Dam trying to control the action but Taille is working from the bottom.
Van Dam cracks Taille with a big elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taille is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Van Dam's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Van Dam scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Van Dam 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Van Dam throws a big shot that misses.

Taille gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Van Dam to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Van Dam wants to control from the top but Taille keeps moving.
Van Dam trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Taille can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Van Dam controls the pace.
Van Dam postures up and lands a big shot to Taille's brow.
Van Dam landing some decent shots from guard.
Van Dam engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taille looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Van Dam wants to pass the guard but Taille is keeping the position.
Van Dam looking to sit in guard and control but Taille gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Van Dam seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Van Dam is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taille is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Van Dam trying to control the position here.
Taille wants to control from the top but Van Dam keeps moving.
Van Dam controlling Taille's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jean Van Dam just wasn't active enough.
Van Dam throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taille wants to clinch.
Taille fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Van Dam avoids it really well and circles away.
Taille misses with a head kick.
Taille is looking to clinch.
Taille misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Dam fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taille manages to avoid it.
Jean Van Dam is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Taille lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Taille tries to clinch but Van Dam is having none of it.
Van Dam thows a left - swing and a miss!
Taille moves in looking to clinch but Van Dam pushes him off.
Taille is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Taille shoots in for a takedown but Van Dam shows good takedown defense.
Van Dam throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Taille sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Van Dam throws a jab when Taille was well out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Dam fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taille manages to avoid it.
Taille shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Van Dam but Van Dam pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sisi Taille has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jean Van Dam has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sisi Taille.
Taille takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Van Dam throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jean Van Dam showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Van Dam, 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jean Van Dam!
Jean Van Dam tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.