PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bertram Taylor (ranked 7142 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Zirkovic (ranked 6448 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Taylor
vs
Zirkovic

215 cm
18
193 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bertram Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andre Zirkovic!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zirkovic looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Taylor is fending him off so far but Zirkovic persists. Nope, Taylor circles away and we're back to standing.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Zirkovic shows good takedown defense.
Zirkovic has his takedown stuffed

and Taylor counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Taylor seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Taylor throwing shots but Zirkovic is blocking nicely.
Taylor landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Zirkovic is trying is best to control the position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zirkovic is looking to improve his position.
Zirkovic is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Zirkovic keeping hold of Taylor's head, controlling as best he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Zirkovic controlling the position well.
Taylor prevents Zirkovic from improving his position.
Taylor throwing shots but Zirkovic is blocking nicely.

That's two 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 seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Zirkovic has recovered full guard.
Taylor content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Zirkovic is trying to hold Taylor in close to prevent damage but Taylor has managed to pass into half guard.
Taylor 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.
Taylor missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Taylor seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Taylor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Zirkovic defending well though.
Taylor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Zirkovic is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zirkovic makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Zirkovic.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zirkovic trying to control the position.
Zirkovic looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Taylor postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Taylor changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Zirkovic tries to avoid it but Taylor manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Zirkovic to the ground. Zirkovic escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Taylor shoots in and gets a takedown into Zirkovic's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zirkovic working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taylor.
Taylor throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Taylor's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Taylor is breathing heavily.
Zirkovic striking off his back but it's not causing Taylor any problems.
Taylor with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zirkovic is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Taylor throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zirkovic works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zirkovic has Taylor pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Taylor drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zirkovic throws out a loose jab but Taylor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zirkovic tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taylor paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zirkovic will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taylor.
Zirkovic misses with an attempted mid kick.

Zirkovic throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Taylor was covering up waiting for the punch and Zirkovic finishes the takedown easily into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zirkovic slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Zirkovic is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to bench press Zirkovic off him but Zirkovic keeps the position.

Zirkovic is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Taylor knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Zirkovic fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Zirkovic laying and praying for a moment but Taylor takes advantage and regains half guard.
Taylor tries to roll over but Zirkovic keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Taylor flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Zirkovic wants to take a breather but Taylor is having none of it.

Zirkovic is looking for a kimura but Taylor is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Zirkovic to get the leverage.

Taylor is defending against the submission attempts here by Zirkovic.

Taylor looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to control but Zirkovic is keeping busy.
Zirkovic trying to mount his opponent but Taylor defends it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taylor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Taylor.
Zirkovic looking to pass the guard.

Taylor throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Zirkovic changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Taylor tries to avoid it but Zirkovic manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Taylor to the ground. Taylor escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Taylor with a lazy takedown attempt

and Zirkovic counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Zirkovic distracts Taylor with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Zirkovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Taylor has his foot on Zirkovic's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Zirkovic works his way back into a safe position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zirkovic tries to stand but Taylor is controlling from the bottom.
Taylor controls Zirkovic momentarily but Zirkovic frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Zirkovic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Zirkovic fails to land the takedown.
Zirkovic shoots in but no luck this time.
Zirkovic stuffs the takedown attempt from Taylor. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet.

Taylor shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Zirkovic's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zirkovic has momentary wrist control but Taylor slips an elbow through the middle.

Zirkovic escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Taylor gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Taylor really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taylor trying to move into half guard but instead Zirkovic has managed to sweep!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zirkovic throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Taylor works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Taylor is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bertram Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Taylor had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Zirkovic defends it easily.
Zirkovic pushing down on Taylor's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Taylor is defending against the submission attempts here by Zirkovic.
Zirkovic is looking to stall here but Taylor recovers full guard.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Zirkovic from controlling successfully.

Zirkovic got a little sloppy there for a moment and Taylor has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Zirkovic has managed to get both his arms back between Taylor's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Zirkovic from controlling successfully.
Taylor will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Taylor had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Zirkovic defends it easily.
Zirkovic wants to stand but Taylor is controlling his posture from full guard.
Zirkovic pushing down on Taylor's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

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.

Zirkovic in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Taylor tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Zirkovic!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Andre Zirkovic!