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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Julio Cesar Chavez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cole Taggart (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.
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| 183 cm
31
170 lbs
12 - 8 - 0 |
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169 cm
36
160 lbs
19 - 12 - 0 |
Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank |
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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
12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Julio Cesar Chavez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
19 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cole Taggart!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Sosuke Kotani and Hirohito Nitta.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chavez doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Taggart lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Chavez misses the body punch
and Taggart cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Chavez fails with a takedown attempt.
Taggart slaps away a takedown attempt from Chavez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Taggart tries a low kick but Chavez avoids it.
A quick step to the side and Chavez tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taggart tries to land a leg kick but Chavez saw it coming and moves away.
Taggart scores with a hook to the body. Chavez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Chavez looks to throw a body kick
and Taggart counters with a straight right hand.
Chavez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Taggart is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Taggart is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Chavez scoring with punches and elbows.
Taggart can't do much from the bottom here.
Taggart is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Chavez has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Taggart can't do much from the bottom here.
Taggart is trying to improve his position.
Chavez controls the position.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Taggart gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Taggart wants to improve his position but Chavez is controlling well.
Taggart has a hand on Chavez's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Chavez takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Taggart really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Chavez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Chavez avoids the attempt from Taggart to control.
Chavez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taggart keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Chavez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez controlling from the full mount.
Taggart is trying desperately to improve position.
Taggart tries to hold on but Chavez pushes him away.
Chavez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Chavez jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Taggart manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Taggart tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Chavez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chavez misses with the ground and pound.
Chavez working away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Taggart can do anything to dispel that myth.
Taggart is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Taggart is letting Chavez control him for a moment.
Taggart tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Chavez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chavez takes a little break here. Taggart wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Taggart struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Cole Taggart will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!
That kick from Taggart tenderised Chavez's leg. Chavez is trying to keep his angry face on.
Taggart stuffs the takedown attempt from Chavez. Chavez gets slowly back to his feet.
Chavez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Taggart as he jumps to the side.
Chavez stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Taggart.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taggart loads up on a big right hand but Chavez slips the punch.
Chavez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Taggart circles away.
And Taggart responds with a good body kick, but Chavez manages to step out the way in time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Julio Cesar Chavez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taggart cracks Chavez with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Taggart throws a head kick that Chavez semi-blocks.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Taggart.
Chavez ducks under a wild hook from Taggart.
Cole Taggart is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Chavez has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Chavez there as he acknowledges the shot.
Chavez moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Taggart pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Chavez checks a leg kick nicely.
Chavez throws a hook to the side of Taggart's head but Taggart sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Chavez closes the distance and clinches up with Taggart, looking for a takedown. Chavez pushes Taggart against the cage but Taggart circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Taggart flicks out a counter leg kick but Chavez steps away.
Taggart throws a chopping leg kick but Chavez manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Taggart looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A little feinted left hand from Chavez on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chavez misses with a hook
and Taggart counters with a good low kick that Chavez was not able to check.
Taggart has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Taggart misses with a body kick.
Chavez seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Chavez takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Chavez fails to land the takedown.
Taggart throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Chavez lands with a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Taggart throws a nice inside leg kick.
Chavez swings for the body but Taggart moves out of range.
Taggart swings for the body but Chavez moves out of range.
Taggart throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taggart keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A big left from Taggart misses.
Chavez appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Taggart blocks the body kick.
Taggart misses with a low kick as Chavez jumps back.
A counter left hand to the body from Chavez misses its target.
Chavez fails with a takedown attempt.
Taggart connects with a body shot.
Chavez moves out of range of the strikes.
Taggart throws a nice inside leg kick.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chavez ducks under a wild hook from Taggart.
Chavez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Taggart seems a little lost for a moment, as Chavez dominates the positioning.
Taggart is trying to get back to half guard.
Taggart explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Chavez bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Taggart's head.
Chavez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
A good leg kick by Taggart.
Cole Taggart seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A clash of legs there as Chavez blocks the low kick.
Taggart thows a left - swing and a miss!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Cole Taggart showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Taggart lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Chavez has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Chavez and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Chavez with a poor takedown
and Taggart counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Taggart tried to score with a low kick but Chavez checks it.
Chavez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Taggart defends well and Chavez ends up having to push Taggart into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Taggart connects with a body shot.
Chavez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Taggart as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Julio Cesar Chavez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chavez tries for a takedown but Taggart circles away easily
and Taggart counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Taggart, right into the meat.
Taggart throws a low kick but Chavez avoids it.
Chavez dodges the punch combination from Taggart.
Chavez swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Chavez with that takedown attempt.
Chavez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Taggart pinned against the cage. Taggart gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Chavez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Taggart as he jumps to the side.
Taggart misses with a head kick.
Taggart misses with an uppercut. Chavez saw that one coming.
A good leg kick by Taggart.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chavez looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Chavez shoots in for a takedown but Taggart shows good takedown defense.
Taggart throws a leg kick which misses Chavez's front leg but catches the back leg as Chavez tries to avoid it.
Chavez is looking to wear down Taggart with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Chavez shoots in looking for a takedown but Taggart manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Chavez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
A little jabbing left from Taggart on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Taggart looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Chavez throws an overhand right that lands on Taggart's shoulder, as Taggart tries to avoid the shot.
Taggart throws a leg kick but Chavez sees it coming and moves out of range.
Taggart lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Taggart dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Taggart throws a left and a right that both miss
and Chavez counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Taggart.
Taggart throws a leg kick but Chavez sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Taggart throws a leg kick but Chavez sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Chavez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Taggart.
Chavez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Taggart tries a quick counter leg kick but Chavez is wise to it.
Cole Taggart is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Taggart scores with a hook.
Chavez takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Taggart tries to score with a low kick but Chavez moves his leg out of the way.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chavez drops his hands momentarily and Taggart takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Taggart throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Chavez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cole Taggart seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Chavez shoots in and drives through. Taggart sprawls well.
Chavez takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Chavez defending well as Taggart loads up on a big left hand.
As Taggart looks to move away, Chavez throws a big counter combo but Taggart just gets out of the way.
Taggart throws out a leg kick but Chavez moves out of range and Taggart only half commits.
Chavez was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A low kick from Taggart is predictable there
and Chavez makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taggart scores with a nice strike.
Chavez is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Taggart misses with a kick to the body.
Julio Cesar Chavez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taggart lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
And that's the end of the fight!
Cole Taggart comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Taggart winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cole Taggart!
A determined Cole Taggart didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
42% |
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