PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mufasa Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ewert Lauringer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Taylor
vs
Lauringer

190 cm
21
193 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

197 cm
25
203 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Black Belt Nutrition #=========||=========#

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mufasa Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ewert Lauringer!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Taylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Taylor feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Lauringer's calf.
Mufasa Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lauringer darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The fighters circling - Lauringer throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lauringer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lauringer misses with a two punch combination.
Lauringer scores with a nice right hand.
Lauringer throws a series of punches but Taylor avoids them all with ease.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Taylor is defended easily by Lauringer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab by Lauringer.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taylor.
Taylor needs to keep his hands up - Lauringer had a free shot at his head there.
Taylor tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lauringer swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mufasa Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lauringer works Taylor's body with a nice hook.
Lauringer misses with a straight right.
Taylor has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to clinch but Lauringer is avoiding it.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.
Ewert Lauringer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Taylor has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Taylor there as he acknowledges the shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Taylor throws a front kick that sends Lauringer stumbling back into the cage.
Lauringer stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Taylor.
A head kick misses from Taylor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lauringer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taylor manages to avoid it.
Lauringer on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Taylor shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lauringer manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lauringer controlling Taylor's posture.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Lauringer is keeping the position.
Taylor trying to control but Lauringer is working from the bottom.
Lauringer wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lauringer can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Lauringer is keeping the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ewert Lauringer hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Taylor shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lauringer pinned against the cage. Lauringer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
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!
A big right from Lauringer misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor tries to clinch but Lauringer moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ewert Lauringer 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.

Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Lauringer shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Lauringer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor misses with a head kick.
Lauringer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Taylor.
A punch combination from Lauringer misses.
Taylor on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Lauringer displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Taylor.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mufasa Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor lands with a kick to the temple. Lauringer shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lauringer scores with the left hand. Taylor knows he should have avoided that one.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lauringer. Taylor does a little dance to reset his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Taylor.
A swing and a miss from Lauringer.
Ewert Lauringer seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Taylor on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Lauringer lands a jab to Taylor's midsection.
Taylor lands with a kick to the temple. Lauringer shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lauringer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lauringer misses with a few strikes there.
Lauringer misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taylor.
Lauringer comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Lauringer misses with a wild body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Taylor moves into the clinch successfully.
Taylor throws an elbow that misses.
Taylor fails to pull guard.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Taylor.
Taylor tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lauringer smiles and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Taylor or perhaps it was just good defense by Lauringer which made him look bad.
Taylor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Lauringer manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lauringer blocks a head kick by Taylor.

Taylor closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lauringer to the mat! Lauringer manages to get full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Lauringer holds on and takes a little breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor landing with the ground and pound.
Taylor is working Lauringer over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Lauringer keeps moving.
Lauringer keeping full guard, as Taylor tries to pass.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Lauringer throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Taylor wants to control from the top but Lauringer keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mufasa Taylor will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Lauringer digs a good body shot into Taylor's ribs.
Nice sprawl there from Lauringer as Taylor shoots in.
Taylor misses with a head kick.
Lauringer digs a good body shot into Taylor's ribs.
Lauringer lands a right hook to the body.
Lauringer throws a right hand that Taylor ducks under and follows up with a left that Taylor also avoids with ease.
Lauringer swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.
Lauringer has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Nice sprawl there from Lauringer as Taylor shoots in.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Taylor there as he acknowledges the shot.
A head kick misses from Taylor.
Lauringer misses with a hook.
Taylor tries to clinch but Lauringer is having none of it.
Lauringer feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Taylors jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Lauringer swings for the body but Taylor moves out of range.
Taylor gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Lauringer.
Mufasa Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor tries to clinch but Lauringer moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lauringer leaves Taylor with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mufasa Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice defenses there by Taylor.
Nice uppercut there from Lauringer.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.
Taylor throws a head kick but Lauringer moves out of range.
Lauringer fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice takedown defense from Lauringer. No joy for Taylor on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lauringer looks to land a combination but Taylor avoids it well.
Taylor slips a straight right by Lauringer.
Taylor fails to land the takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice sprawl there from Lauringer as Taylor shoots in.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lauringer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Lauringer shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Some wild striking there from Lauringer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lauringer cracks Taylor with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Taylor shoots in for a double leg but Lauringer sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Taylor shoots in but Lauringer avoids the takedown attempt easily.
No luck for Taylor with that takedown attempt.
Taylor fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lauringer avoids it really well and circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lauringer misses with a few strikes there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ewert Lauringer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lauringer has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ewert Lauringer!