PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andy Pipkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mairbek Taisumov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taisumov is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Castle in the snow. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Pipkin
vs
Taisumov

190 cm
26
210 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

188 cm
26
213 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Andy Pipkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mairbek Taisumov!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, David Hoff and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taisumov misses with the combination.
Taisumov cracks Pipkin with a right hand to the side of the head.

Pipkin takes the fight into the clinch.
Taisumov wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Taisumov takes an elbow to the temple.
Pipkin lands a right hand.
Taisumov avoids a wild elbow strike from Pipkin.
Taisumov tries to break the clinch but Pipkin is controlling the position.
Taisumov takes an elbow to the forehead.
Taisumov is trying to force a seperation but Pipkin has the dominant position.
Pipkin creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Taisumov's defenses.
Pipkin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Taisumov decides to pull guard.
Taisumov wants to stand up but Pipkin is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pipkin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Pipkin taking a breather here.
Taisumov wants to get back to his feet but Pipkin drags him back down.
Taisumov trying to remain calm as Pipkin controls from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Taisumov wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Taisumov sneaks out the side door and pushes Pipkin away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Pipkin has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Taisumov digs a good body shot into Pipkin's ribs.
Taisumov lands with a hook. Pipkin tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Taisumov fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Taisumov throws a big shot that misses.
Taisumov connects with the punch.
Taisumov takes a swing at Pipkin's ribcage but misses.
Some wild striking there from Taisumov.
The fighters circling - Taisumov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Taisumov.
Pipkin throws a looping overhand right but Taisumov ducks down to avoid it.
Pipkin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Taisumov.
Pipkin blocks a jab.
Taisumov looks to land a right hand but Pipkin moved out of range.
Mairbek Taisumov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taisumov lands a right hook to the body.
Taisumov misses with a series of wild punches.
Pipkin throws a hook to the side of Taisumov's head but Taisumov sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Pipkin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pipkin swings wildly with an uppercut but Taisumov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pipkin gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Pipkin.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pipkin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Taisumov makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Taisumov takes an elbow to the forehead.
Pipkin gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Taisumov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pipkin ducks under a wild hook from Taisumov.
Taisumov throws a leg kick but Pipkin sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Pipkin pushes Taisumov up against the cage in a clinch.
Pipkin lands an elbow inside.
Taisumov has had enough of the clinch but Pipkin keeps him there for the moment.
Pipkin comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Taisumov avoids the elbow strike from Pipkin, against the cage.
Taisumov throws a punch but it's blocked by Pipkin.
Taisumov can't break the clinch.
Pipkin misses with an elbow strike.
Taisumov blocks the elbow strike.
Nice elbow from Pipkin.
Pipkin stalls.
Pipkin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Taisumov backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Andy Pipkin will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pipkin moves into the clinch.
A short uppercut from Pipkin.
Pipkin lands an elbow that stopped Taisumov in his tracks for a moment.
Taisumov is trying to force a seperation but Pipkin has the dominant position.
Taisumov lands with a left to the head.
Pipkin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Taisumov wants to get back to striking at distance but Pipkin won't allow it.
Pipkin lands an elbow inside that Taisumov shrugs off.
Pipkin lands a nice elbow.
Pipkin comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Pipkin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Taisumov tries to score a body lock takedown but Pipkin shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Pipkin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taisumov can't break the clinch.

Taisumov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pipkin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pipkin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taisumov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pipkin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taisumov throws out a loose jab but Pipkin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pipkin wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Pipkin. Those never looked like landing.
Taisumov is looking for the big counter here.
Pipkin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Taisumov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pipkin doesn't manage to clinch there - Taisumov circles away.
Taisumov is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Pipkin has closed the distance and engaged Taisumov in a clinch.
Pipkin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Taisumov has had enough of the clinch but Pipkin keeps him there for the moment.
Pipkin lands a hook that snaps the head of Taisumov backwards.
Pipkin lands an elbow that stopped Taisumov in his tracks for a moment.
Taisumov tries to break the clinch but Pipkin is controlling the position.
Pipkin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Taisumov can do to turn this around?
Pipkin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taisumov's elbow.
Pipkin can't find room to land a body shot as Taisumov controls the action.
Pipkin trying to control the position but instead, Taisumov has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pipkin into the cage.
Pipkin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Pipkin tries a body shot but Taisumov blocks it.
Taisumov is trying to push Pipkin away but Pipkin has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Taisumov tries to break free but Pipkin pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pipkin lands a left hand that snaps the head of Taisumov backwards.
Pipkin lands a nice elbow.
A right hook to the body lands for Pipkin.
Pipkin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Taisumov wants to break free but Pipkin has control.
Taisumov is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Taisumov wants to get back to striking at distance but Pipkin won't allow it.
Pipkin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Taisumov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pipkin has him pressed against the cage.
Andy Pipkin has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Pipkin creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Taisumov's defenses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pipkin is defending well against a takedown attempt.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pipkin.
Taisumov tries to pull guard but Pipkin won't allow it.
Andy Pipkin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mairbek Taisumov.
Pipkin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taisumov's elbow.
Taisumov throws a punch but it's blocked by Pipkin.
Taisumov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Pipkin creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Taisumov's defenses.
Pipkin working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Taisumov is trying to push Pipkin away but Pipkin has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Taisumov blocks the elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pipkin comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Taisumov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pipkin has him pressed against the cage.
Nice body punch from Pipkin - that landed with a thud.
Taisumov is breathing heavily.
Pipkin lands an elbow inside that Taisumov shrugs off.
Pipkin keeps control of Taisumov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Pipkin working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Pipkin lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Pipkin gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Taisumov throws a punch but it's blocked by Pipkin.
Pipkin lands a damaging elbow.
Pipkin lands an elbow just above Taisumov 's eye.
Taisumov is trying to force a seperation but Pipkin has the dominant position.
Pipkin is pushing Taisumov up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Pipkin struggles to land a body shot inside as Taisumov controls his hands.
Pipkin lands a nice elbow.
Nice elbow from Pipkin.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A right hook to the body lands for Pipkin.
Pipkin comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Mairbek Taisumov has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pipkin lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Taisumov is rocked!
Pipkin throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Pipkin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Pipkin lands a nice elbow.
Pipkin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Taisumov is still on wobbly legs! Can Pipkin finish him?
Pipkin lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Good body shot from Pipkin.
Taisumov seems to have recovered his senses.
Taisumov takes an elbow to the forehead.
Pipkin struggles to land a body shot inside as Taisumov controls his hands.
Pipkin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taisumov's elbow.
Nice elbow from Pipkin.
Nice elbow from Pipkin.
Pipkin lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Pipkin lands an elbow just above Taisumov 's eye.
Pipkin gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pipkin lands an elbow that stopped Taisumov in his tracks for a moment.
Taisumov takes an elbow to the temple.
Pipkin keeps control of Taisumov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nice elbow from Pipkin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Pipkin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mairbek Taisumov's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Pipkin pushes Taisumov up against the cage in a clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Pipkin.
Taisumov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Pipkin has Taisumov pressed against the cage, preventing Taisumov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Pipkin creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Taisumov's defenses.
Pipkin lands an elbow inside.
Pipkin lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Taisumov takes an elbow to the temple.
Pipkin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Taisumov tries to break the clinch but Pipkin is controlling the position.

Pipkin lands a vicious elbow to the side of Taisumov's head that scrambles his senses and sends him wobbling down to the canvas! Pipkin tries to finish him with strikes but Taisumov still seems able to defend himself so Pipkin steps back and lets Taisumov get back to his feet - he wants no part of the ground game.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Pipkin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A frustrated look appears on Taisumov's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Taisumov is trying to push Pipkin away but Pipkin has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Pipkin lands with a short shot to the head.
Pipkin lands an elbow inside that Taisumov shrugs off.
Nice body punch from Pipkin - that landed with a thud.
Pipkin lands a damaging elbow.
Taisumov is looking to break free of the clinch but Pipkin has double underhooks.
Taisumov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pipkin tries to work over Taisumov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pipkin lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Pipkin comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Pipkin drops Taisumov with a massive uppercut from the clinch! Oh my word, Taisumov is out cold! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:17 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Andy Pipkin!
In his post fight interview, Andy Pipkin started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.