PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeffrey Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Alves
vs
Taylor

175 cm
29
180 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

180 cm
26
183 lbs
5 - 5 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Good elbows
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thiago Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jeffrey Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Alves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch but Taylor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Alves swings for the body but Taylor moves out of range.
Alves fails with an attempt to clinch.
Alves pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Taylor with the counter takedown but Alves avoids it easily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Alves. That's going to slow Taylor down.
Alves is looking to clinch but Taylor is avoiding it.
And Taylor tries to counter it with a takedown but Alves pushes his down on his head and steps out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves fails with an attempt to clinch.
Taylor with the counter takedown but Alves avoids it easily.
Alves tries to clinch but Taylor moves out of range.
A low kick from Alves misses

and Taylor counters with a takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Alves sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Alves is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Taylor postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Alves is trying to get back to half guard.
Alves holding on.
Alves is looking for a sweep.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Alves's coaches at Bruize Brothaz have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.

Taylor working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Alves wants to control but Taylor postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Taylor is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alves dodges the ground and pound from Taylor.

Taylor looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Alves takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Alves has one of Taylor's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
Taylor is looking to take a break and control but Alves is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alves can't do much from the bottom here.
Alves tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Alves is trying to control Taylor's posture but Taylor avoids it.
Alves gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Taylor has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Taylor is nestled in close to Alves, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
We've been informed that Taylor has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Taylor is thwarting Alves's attempts to control the position.
Taylor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Alves defending well though.
Alves is looking for a sweep. Taylor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Alves knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Taylor on the ground.

Taylor seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Alves has recovered full guard.
Taylor postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Taylor trying to control but Alves is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Taylor looking to pass the guard.
Alves wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeffrey Taylor dominated that round.
That's time! Alves's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Alves tries to clinch up but Taylor circles away and keeps his distance.
Alves doesn't manage to clinch there - Taylor circles away.
Thiago Alves is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alves closes the distance but Taylor moves to the side

and Taylor counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Alves looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alves seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Alves pulls Taylor in close to his closed guard and prevents Taylor from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Alves looking to hit a scissor sweep but Taylor is one step ahead there.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Taylor is trying hard to land a takedown here. Alves sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Alves tries to clinch up but Taylor circles away and keeps his distance.
Taylor tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Alves misses with an attempted mid kick.
Taylor looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves thows a leg kick but Taylor checks it

and Taylor counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Taylor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Taylor not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Taylor is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Alves sees it coming and defends easily.
Alves keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Alves has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Taylor is working away from the top position though.
Taylor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Alves keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Alves tries to roll over but Taylor keeps him under control.
Taylor works his way into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves is looking to reverse the position.
Alves gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Alves is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Taylor's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Taylor's back!
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Taylor tries to break free.
Alves is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Taylor tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves controls the action.
Alves trying to control momentarily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
What can Taylor do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Alves is not going to allow Taylor to sit and survive in this position.
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 Thiago Alves will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Alves moves into the clinch.
Alves stops a takedown attempt from Taylor.
Alves lands a nice elbow.
Alves tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Taylor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Alves misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right handed body shot lands from Alves.
Taylor tries to score a body lock takedown but Alves shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Taylor is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Alves gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Thiago Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffrey Taylor.
Alves missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor prevents a body shot from Alves.
Alves misses with a short punch on the inside.
Taylor is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Alves pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Alves misses with the head strike.
Taylor is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Alves is defending well.
Alves lands with a light punch inside.
Alves looking to throw knees to the head but Taylor is blocking nicely.
Alves slows down the pace here.

Taylor has clasped his hands together around Alves's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Alves can't do much from the bottom here.
Taylor scoring with punches and elbows.
Alves parries the strikes from Taylor easily there. Taylor is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Alves to escape.

Taylor is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Alves knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Alves can't do much from the bottom here.
Taylor working the ground and pound from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor working the ground and pound but Alves is defending the strikes.
Taylor just content to control the position.
Alves gets back to half guard.
Taylor looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Alves is trying to stand up here but Taylor is controlling him well.
Well, if Taylor is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Alves trying to control but Taylor postures up.
Alves manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Taylor loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Alves is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Alves keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Alves being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Alves fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Taylor is out of range.
Alves throws a leg kick

and Taylor counters with a single leg into guard. Alves didn't expect that.

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 Thiago Alves.
I think Alves 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Alves!
Thiago Alves decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.