PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bernhard Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bowman Rook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Taylor
vs
Rook

188 cm
21
190 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
190 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bernhard Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Bowman Rook!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Eddie Farnsworth and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rook is looking to clinch.

Rook closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rook misses with a hook from the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rook lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rook jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Taylor walks away with a smile on his face. Rook gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Taylor throws a hook to the side of Rook's head but Rook sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Bowman Rook seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rook tries to clinch there but Taylor circles away.
Taylor blocks a leg kick.

Rook clinches with his opponent.
Rook with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Taylor managing to block the knees to the body from Rook.
A knee to the head by Rook.

Rook turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Taylor tries to buck Rook off but Rook is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Rook.
Rook wants to control but Taylor is keeping him busy.
Taylor is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rook's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to control but Rook is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Bowman Rook.
Taylor keeps the fight on the outside.
Rook shoots in for a takedown but Taylor shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A slow jab from Rook misses its intended target.
Good standup being displayed there by Rook as he connects with a hook.
Rook throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Taylor's waist but Taylor gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rook off to one side.
Bernhard Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bowman Rook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rook closes the distance and clinches.
Taylor blocks an elbow strike from Rook.
Rook tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Taylor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rook misses with some punches.
Rook tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rook landing knees to the body.
Come on Taylor - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Taylor takes a knee to the side of the body.
Rook tries a body shot but Taylor blocks it.
Rook trying to land knees to the body.
Rook is trying to drag Taylor to the mat but Taylor just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor dodges an elbow strike from Rook.
Rook being controlled against the cage.
Rook tries a knee to the head but Taylor blocks it.
Rook is trying to pull guard but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Rook is trying to drag Taylor to the mat but Taylor just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A nice left hand lands by Rook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rook goes for a takedown attempt but Taylor pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Rook drives through and clinches with Taylor against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bowman Rook dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rook tries to land a front kick but Taylor steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Some bone on bone action there as Rook checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Taylor misses the shot to the body.
Taylor throws a shot from downtown. Rook moves away and avoids it.
A punch combination from Taylor misses.
Rook fails with a takedown attempt.
Rook looks to land a left hand but Taylor moved out of range nicely.

Taylor tries to keep at a distance but Rook has taken the fight into the clinch.
Taylor is trying to push Rook away but Rook has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rook tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Taylor managing to block the knees to the body from Rook.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Rook keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Taylor's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rook pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rook goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rook has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Taylor is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rook lands a knee to the head.
Rook struggles to land a body shot inside as Taylor controls his hands.
Rook tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rook tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bowman Rook seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Taylor looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Taylor managing to block the knees to the body from Rook.
Rook tries a knee to the head but Taylor blocks it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rook.
The referee calls for Taylor to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rook lands an elbow that stopped Taylor in his tracks for a moment.
A short right from Rook on the inside.
Taylor tries to break the clinch but Rook is controlling the position.
Taylor is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rook is keeping busy.
Rook throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rook tries to land knees in the clinch but Taylor avoids the damage to the body.
Rook creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rook misses with a knee to the head.
Taylor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rook lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rook has Taylor pressed against the cage, preventing Taylor from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rook is looking for a takedown.
Bernhard Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bowman Rook.

Taylor breaks from the clinch.
Taylor connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Taylor digs a good hook to Rook's body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rook looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rook tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rook tries to score a power double leg takedown but Taylor sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rook somewhat.

Rook looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Taylor!
Taylor is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor blocking the ground and pound.
Rook throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Rook tries to control but Taylor wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bowman Rook showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Taylor moves out of range of the strikes.
Rook fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rook moves in looking to clinch but Taylor pushes him off.
Rook closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Rook tries to close the distance and clinch up but Taylor swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A nice inside leg kick there by Rook. That's going to slow Taylor down.
Rook throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
The crowd cheers as Taylor lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rook doesn't seem phased though.
Taylor takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Taylor lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Taylor uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rook.
Rook wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rook looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rook pushes Taylor up against the cage in a clinch.
Taylor tries to circle away but Rook has him pinned against the cage.

Taylor breaks the clinch.
Taylor misses with a few strikes there.
Rook throws a low kick but it's checked well by Taylor.

Rook moves into the clinch.
Taylor swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rook lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Bernhard Taylor has been cut.
Rook prevents Taylor from breaking the clinch.
Taylor trying to stall but Rook improves his position.
Taylor is struggling to control the position.
Bernhard Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rook tries to pull guard but Taylor forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rook misses with a knee strike.
Taylor stalling in the clinch but Rook improves position.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Rook is controlling him.
A frustrated look appears on Taylor's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Taylor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Taylor wants to get back to striking at distance but Rook won't allow it.
Rook has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Taylor avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rook lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Taylor blocking some punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Knees to the body from Rook.
Taylor is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rook throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rook looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rook misses with an elbow over the top.
Rook throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rook lands a knee to the head.
Rook lands a good knee to the midsection. Taylor won't want to take too many of those.

Rook has clasped his hands together around Taylor's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Rook tries to advance position but instead Taylor slips a leg back in to half guard.
Rook trying to control the action but Taylor is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rook looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rook is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bowman Rook comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rook 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 John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bowman Rook!
Bowman Rook spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.