PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Giuseppe Turturro (ranked 1590 p4p, 886 weight class) and Meldrick Taylor (ranked 235 p4p, 122 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Turturro
vs
Taylor

185 cm
27
184
11 - 8 - 0

185 cm
27
175
12 - 7 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction

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 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Giuseppe Turturro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 1, fighting out of New York, Meldrick Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Wagner Zegers and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Turturro lands with a hook. Taylor tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Taylor walks into a straight right hand from Turturro.
Nice cross by Taylor.
Taylor moves out of range as Turturro strikes.
Turturro lands a nice shot to the body.
Turturro checks a low kick from Taylor.
Turturro throws a shot to the body.
Taylor swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Turturro checks a leg kick nicely.
Taylor missing with a left hand there. Turturro was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Turturro throws a big shot that misses.
Turturro throws a right hand that misses
enabling Taylor to counter with a crisp jab.
Taylor walks into a left hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Turturro ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Turturro lands with a hook. Taylor tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Turturro connects with a crisp jab.
Turturro missing with a left hand there. Taylor was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Taylor throws a lazy right hand but Turturro sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A swing and a miss from Taylor.
Turturro looks to clinch
enabling Taylor to counter with a crisp jab.
A slow jab from Turturro misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor slips under a jab from Turturro.
Turturro has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Crassus in the buildup to the fight.
Taylor scores with a kick to the body.
Jab by Turturro.
Taylor misses with an uppercut.
Good exchange - Taylor coming out on top.
Taylor attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
A telegraphed right hand from Turturro misses the target.
Turturro tries to clinch there but Taylor circles away.
Turturro throws a looping overhand right but Taylor ducks down to avoid it.
Turturro lands with a good body shot.
Taylor is looking to land body kicks.
Taylor connects with the punch.
Turturro displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Taylor throws out the jab.
Taylor lands with a thumping leg kick.
Taylor ducks under a wild hook from Turturro.
Taylor staying out of range there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Turturro lands a nice shot to the body.
Nice cross by Turturro.
Turturro tries to clinch but Taylor moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Taylor finds it's target.
Taylor throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Taylor looks to score with a jab to the body but Turturro is just out of range.
Taylor slips a jab from Turturro.
Taylor replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Turturro blocks it well.
Taylor has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Turturro jabs Taylor to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Taylor slips a straight right by Turturro.
Taylor throws a wild body kick that Turturro sees coming a mile off.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Taylor fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Nice jab there from Turturro.
Turturro scores with a jab to the body.
Turturro swings for the body but Taylor moves out of range.
Taylor steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Turturro.
Taylor with a hook.
Taylor throws a leg kick but Turturro sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Taylor shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Taylor looks to score with a jab to the body but Turturro is just out of range.
Turturro lands a slapping body shot.
Taylor misses with a kick to the body.
Turturro keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turturro takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Turturro connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Taylor misses with a body shot

and Turturro counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Turturro.
Taylor lands an uppercut.
Turturro fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nice body punch from Taylor - that landed with a thud.
Turturro lands a left hand.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Taylor throws an overhand right that lands on Turturro's shoulder, as Turturro tries to avoid the shot.
Turturro is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Taylor.
Taylor throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Turturro uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Taylor.
Taylor throws a wild body kick that Turturro sees coming a mile off.
Turturro fails to land with a series of punches.
Turturro with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Turturro is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Turturro misses with a right hand
and Taylor cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Turturro takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Turturro misses with a hook.
Taylor moves out of range of the strikes.
Taylor swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Turturro takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Taylor takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Turturro throws a jab when Taylor was well out of range.
Turturro throws a body punch but Taylor moves out of range.
Taylor with a nice cross.
Taylor avoids the body shot from Turturro.
Taylor misses with a low kick.
Turturro takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Turturro misses with a straight left.
Taylor scores with a kick to the body.
Taylor loads up on a big right hand but Turturro slips the punch.
Taylor throws a hook to the side of Turturro's head but Turturro sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A slow jab from Taylor misses its intended target.
Turturro drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Turturro looks to land a right hand but Taylor moved out of range.

Turturro clinches with his opponent.
Taylor has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Taylor.
Taylor misses with a hook from the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Meldrick Taylor will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Taylor blocks a jab.
Taylor misses with a straight right.
Nice jab there from Taylor.
Turturro lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Turturro.
Taylor displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Turturro throws out the jab.
Taylor swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Turturro punishes Taylor's body with a nice straight punch.
Turturro throws a looping overhand right but Taylor ducks down to avoid it.
Taylor throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Taylor missing with a left hand there. Turturro was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Turturro misses with a wild body shot.
Turturro has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Turturro lands a nice hook to Taylor's body. Taylor takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Turturro looks to land a right hand but Taylor moved out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Turturro blocks a low kick nicely.
As Taylor tries to get set, Turturro tries to push him back and clinch up but Taylor manages to avoid the attempt.
Taylor has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Turturro finds it's way round the side to connect with Taylor's head.
Taylor throws out a loose jab but Turturro uses good head movement to avoid it.
Taylor slips a straight right by Turturro.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Turturro scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Turturro throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Taylor counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Turturro finds it's way round the side to connect with Taylor's head.
Taylor lands a slapping body shot.
Taylor takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Turturro connects with a jab.
Turturro defending well as Taylor loads up on a big left hand.
Taylor throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Taylor lands a slapping body shot.
Turturro connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Taylor momentarily.
Taylor stuns Turturro with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Taylor pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Turturro thuds a left hand into Taylor's body.
Taylor misses with an uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A slow jab from Turturro misses its intended target.
Turturro throws a shot from downtown. Taylor moves away and avoids it.
Taylor doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Turturro scores with a nice right hand.
Turturro avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Taylor walks into a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Turturro misses.
Taylor swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Turturro works Taylor's body with a nice hook.
Turturro throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Turturro throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Taylor throws out a counter right but Turturro avoids it with no problem.
Turturro throws the left hand but Taylor avoids the punch easily.

Turturro closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Taylor blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A hook to the body from Turturro.
Turturro throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Taylors head.
Taylor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Turturro pushes Taylor back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Turturro drags the fight down to the ground.
Turturro looking to hit a scissor sweep but Taylor is one step ahead there.
Turturro is controlling Taylor's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Turturro looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Taylor passes into side control.
Turturro is trying to control Taylor's posture but Taylor avoids it.
Turturro is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four 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.
Turturro can't do much from the bottom here.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Turturro holding on.
Turturro is looking to regain half guard here but Taylor keeps moving and retains side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Giuseppe Turturro dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Taylor throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Turturro is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Turturro on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Turturro misses with a hook. Taylor ducked under it nicely.
Taylor counters with a body kick.
Turturro throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Taylor on the side of the head.
Turturro moves out of range of the body kick.
Turturro throws a shot from downtown. Taylor moves away and avoids it.
Taylor staying out of range there.
The fighters circling - Taylor throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Turturro throwing a counter right hand but Taylor manages to avoid it.
Taylor connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Turturro moves into range and connects with a jab.
Taylor moves away from the strike by Turturro.
Turturro uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Taylor.
Taylor looks to land a body kick but Turturro moved away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Turturro keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Turturro swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Taylor.
Turturro swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Taylor misses the shot to the body.
Turturro walks forward, straight into a front kick from Taylor.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Turturro steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Taylor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Taylor waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Turturro.

Turturro clinches up with Taylor and pushes him back against the cage.
Turturro swings wildly with an uppercut but Taylor uses good head movement to avoid it.

Turturro jumps guard and drags Taylor to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Turturro is trying to hold Taylor in close to prevent damage but Taylor has managed to pass into half guard.
Taylor really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Turturro. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Turturro is looking for a sweep. Taylor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turturro trying to control but Taylor postures up.
Turturro is trying to get back to full guard.
Turturro slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Turturro pulls Taylor in to control the position.

Taylor is posturing up here but Turturro has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Taylor tries to roll out but it's too tight and Taylor has to tap! Slick submission there by Turturro!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Giuseppe Turturro!
Giuseppe Turturro 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.