PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Artia Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Franklin Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
Worner

150 cm
24
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
135 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight 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, Artia Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Franklin Worner!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taylor gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Taylor is pulling down on Worner's head to control his posture.
Worner wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
Worner with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Taylor managing to control the position.

Taylor looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Worner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Taylor swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Worner trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Worner being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Worner goes for a double leg but Taylor avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Taylor continues to drive forward.
Worner is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Taylor gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Worner breaks from the clinch.

Worner scores with a takedown into Taylor's guard.

Taylor kicks Worner off and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor works Worner's body with a nice hook.
Taylor stuffs the takedown attempt from Worner. Worner gets slowly back to his feet.
Artia Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Franklin Worner.
Worner tries a head kick but it misses.
Taylor scores with a kick to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Taylor stuffs the takedown.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Worner sprawls well. Worner wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet.
Taylor could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Taylor shoots in looking for a takedown. Worner tries to sprawl out of it but Taylor keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Worner manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Worner shoots in looking for a takedown but Taylor manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Worner's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor closes this distance looking for a takedown but Worner circles away.

Worner shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Taylor trying to control the position.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.
Worner tries to free his leg and advance position but Taylor is retaining full guard.

Taylor is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Worner trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Worner really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taylor. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Franklin Worner was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Taylor stuffs the takedown attempt from Worner. Worner gets slowly back to his feet.
No luck for Taylor with that takedown attempt.
Worner pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taylor fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Worner shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters are battling for position here. Taylor manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franklin Worner 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 misses with a double jab

and Worner counters with a shoot takedown. Taylor fights it but they end up in guard.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Taylor is on top in guard.

Worner has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Taylor can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Taylor prevents Worner from getting back to his feet.
Taylor stands and throws Worner's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Taylor staying calm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A control attempt from Worner but he's now mounted!
Taylor throwing strikes here but Worner is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner tries to reverse the position but Taylor maintains control.
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.
Worner is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Taylor throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Taylor is working for a guillotine from mount but Worner frees his head quite easily.
Taylor content just to control the position here.

Taylor looking to secure an arm triangle but Worner defends it well.
Worner is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Worner has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Taylor avoids the attempt from Worner to control.
Worner is squirming around, avoiding Taylor's attempts to control the action.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
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 Artia Taylor will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Worner shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Taylor sprawls well. Taylor wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Worner gets slowly back to his feet.
A combination from Taylor does no damage.
Taylor lands a high kick!
Worner's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Worner duly obliges.
Taylor will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Worner scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Taylor doesn't seem bothered though.
Worner defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Taylor.
Worner throws a low kick but Taylor avoids it.
Worner tries for a takedown but Taylor sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A right-left combo lands from Taylor.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Worner closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Worner lands in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Worner wants to stand but Taylor has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Taylor had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Worner defends it easily.

Worner has gone for a leg lock! Taylor slips out almost immediately though and dives into Worner's guard.

Worner has his foot on Taylor's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Taylor works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Taylor passes Worner's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Taylor stops Worner from getting back to his feet.
Taylor trying to control from half guard but Worner is working away.
Taylor slows the pace down in half guard.
Taylor is trying to control the action in half guard but Worner is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner is trying to get back to full guard.
Taylor throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Taylor not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Worner looking for submissions off his back.
Worner wants to get back to his feet.
Worner is looking for a sweep. Taylor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Worner defending well though.
Taylor looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Worner is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Taylor jumps into side control!
Franklin Worner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Taylor advances nicely into full mount.
Worner tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Taylor working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Worner tries to get back to half guard but can't.

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 Artia Taylor.
I think Taylor 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Franklin Worner!