PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jules Clement (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yin Tao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Clement comes to the cage accompanied by Ministère AMER - Sacrifice de Poulets. Tao has chosen Philip Bailey - Walking on the Chinese Wall as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Clement
vs
Tao

176 cm
30
157 lbs
17 - 10 - 0

175 cm
31
160 lbs
26 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KAISER Nutrition (160!/220$)
//buriedALIVE// Fight Gear

Reaper Combatwear

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 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jules Clement!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Yin Tao!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tao misses with a few strikes there.
Clement throws a leg kick which misses Tao's front leg but catches the back leg as Tao tries to avoid it.

Clement shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Clement showed some decent athleticism there.
We've been hearing good reports from Clement's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Tao tries to roll over but Clement keeps him under control.
Clement missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Clement thows a huge punch but Tao dodges it nicely.
Clement stalling away here and it's allowed Tao to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Clement pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tao is keeping the position for now.
Tao has momentary wrist control but Clement slips an elbow through the middle.
Tao keeping full guard, as Clement tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clement lands a couple of digs.
Clement is looking to advance position but Tao has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Clement tries to improve his position but instead Tao has taken his back!
Clement is in bad spot here.
Tao is not going to allow Clement to sit and survive in this position.
Clement has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Tao really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Clement.
Clement can't escape the position.
Tao controlling from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tao is not going to allow Clement to sit and survive in this position.
Clement wants to escape the position.
Tao biding his time, controlling Clement.
Clement manages to reverse the position and now he's in Tao's guard. Nice work there by Clement.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Clement throws a strike but Tao rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Tao gets to his feet. Clement looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Tao scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Clement doesn't seem bothered though.
Clement moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Tao scores with a spinning back kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tao avoids a punch combination nicely.
Clement throws a low kick but Tao avoids it.
Tao dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Clement thows a leg kick but Tao checks it
and Clement takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Clement slips a jab from Tao.
Jules Clement seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Clement shoots for a double leg takedown but Tao sprawls well. He's pushed Clement's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Clement throws a solid leg kick but Tao takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Clement.
Tao scores with a leg kick.
Clement takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Tao throws a body kick that misses.
Tao looks to land a body kick but Clement moved away.
Tao throws a leg kick that is checked

and Clement counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Tao's guard now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Clement's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Clement scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clement landing some decent shots from guard.
Clement looking to pass the guard.
Tao avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Clement trying to control the position from guard on top but Tao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tao is trying to keep Clement in close.
Clement lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Clement throws an elbow that misses. Tao uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Clement's guard. Nice move by Tao!

Clement looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jules Clement dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Clement catches Tao with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Clement throws a low kick, looking for Tao's leg but Tao calmly moves out of range.
Clement tests Tao's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Clement misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tao.
A slapping body kick lands there for Tao.
Tao scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Tao feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Clement's calf.
Tao fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Clement misses with a body kick.
Nice body kick there by Tao.
Nice straight punches there by Clement. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Clement.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Clement takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Clement waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Tao.
Tao shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tao looks for the body kick but Clement saw that one coming.
Tao throws a body kick that misses.
Tao works Clement's body with a nice hook.
Tao throws the kick towards the body but Clement avoids it.
Clement blocks a head kick by Tao.
Clement moves in looking to clinch but Tao pushes him off.
Clement checks the leg kick nicely there.
Clement buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Clement tried to score with a low kick but Tao checks it.
Clement moves out of range as Tao throws a body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Clement. That's going to slow Tao down.
Yin Tao seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Clement checks a leg kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Tao.
Clement misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Tao counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Tao uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Clement.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tao connects with a solid leg kick.
Tao dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Clement. That did some damage!
Yin Tao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Clement uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tao.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tao scores with a kick to the midsection.
Tao with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Clement to score with a decent uppercut.
Tao fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Clement manages to avoid it.
Clement misses with an attempted mid kick.
Clement avoids the body shot from Tao.
Tao loads up on a big right hand but Clement slips the punch.

Clement bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Tao is trying to improve his position.

Clement is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tao knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Tao tries to buck Clement off but Clement is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tao struggling a bit here.
Clement lands an elbow.
Tao wants to get back to his feet but Clement is dominant here and he's now got Tao's back!
Tao is really stuck here.
Clement has Tao flattened out and is raining down punches.
Tao is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Clement has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Tao has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Tao has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tao rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Clement is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Tao is looking to improve his position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Clement wants to free his trapped foot but Tao is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Yin Tao will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Tao lands with a nice body kick.
Tao dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Tao drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Tao misses with a body shot.
Tao blocks a head kick by Clement.
Clement moves out of range as Tao throws a body kick.
Clement tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tao counters with an outside leg kick.
Clement misses with a wild body shot.
Tao throws a push kick but Clement slaps the foot to one side.
Clement defending well as Tao loads up on a big left hand.
Good exchange - Clement coming out on top.
A slow jab from Clement misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tao displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Clement.
Clement is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tao sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nice jab there from Clement.
Tao throws a hook to the side of Clement's head but Clement sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Tao keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Clement misses the shot to the body.
Clement throws a leg kick but Tao sees it coming and moves out of range.
Tao misses the body punch

and Clement counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Clement trying to control but Tao is working from the bottom.
Tao is looking to stand up but Clement isn't so interested in that idea.
Clement throwing strikes from guard but Tao blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tao is trying to control the position but Clement postures up.
Clement trying to control the position from guard on top but Tao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Clement controls from within his opponent's guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tao misses with a low kick.
Clement swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Tao misses with a body shot.
Both fighters circling a little - Tao finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Clement lands a leg kick that knocks Tao off balance momentarily.
A chopping leg kick lands by Clement.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tao misses the jab.
Tao looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A clash of legs there as Tao blocks the low kick.
Clement shoots in looking for a takedown. Tao tries to sprawl out of it but Clement keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tao manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jules Clement. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Clement misses with a wild combination.
Clement does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Tao lands a right hook to the body.
Tao swings for the body but Clement moves out of range.
Tao pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Tao lands a nice shot to the body.
Tao scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Clement moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tao connects with a solid leg kick.
Clement doesn't manage to clinch there - Tao circles away.
Clement delivers a nice body kick.
Tao looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Clement blocks the body kick.
Clement tries to clinch up but Tao circles away and keeps his distance.
Tao is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Clement rather than just go for the knockout.
Clement throws a hook but Tao avoids it easily.
Clement throws a head kick but Tao moves out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tao scores with a kick to the body.
Tao throws out a leg kick but Clement moves out of range and Tao only half commits.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Clement, as that shot connected.
Tao scores with a kick to the midsection.
Tao throws a body punch but Clement moves out of range.
Clement throws a lazy body kick
and Tao counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jules Clement.
I think Clement has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Jules Clement!
Our winner, Jules Clement, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.