PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Habib Putins (ranked 6645 p4p, 24719 weight class) and Steve Taylor (ranked 679 p4p, 752 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Putins
vs
Taylor

220 cm
30
184
8 - 12 - 0

190 cm
23
186
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

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 8 - 12 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Habib Putins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Steve Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Hugh Johnson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Putins shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Taylor napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Taylor tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Putins wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Taylor keeps trying to improve his position.
Putins lands a few punches from side control.
Putins content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Putins gets to mount! Taylor was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Putins in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Putins sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is squirming around, avoiding Putins's attempts to control the action.
Taylor working to try and regain half guard.
Taylor regains half guard.
Putins wants to pass the guard but Taylor is defending well.

Putins is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Taylor defends it well.
Taylor really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Putins. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Putins in particular looking to stall.
Taylor trying to hold on to Putins's head to control him but Putins postures up.
Taylor is looking for a sweep. Putins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nice strikes from Putins there.
Taylor is in trouble now - Putins has advanced to mount!
Putins wants to control the pace but Taylor is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putins 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.
Taylor's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Taylor is trying to escape the mount.
Putins in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Putins lands a heavy elbow.
Putins avoids the attempt from Taylor to control.
Taylor really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Putins controlling the pace for now.
Putins seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Taylor for as long as he can get away with.
Taylor is looking to get to half guard.
Taylor in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taylor wants to control but Putins is having none of it.
Taylor reaches up to try and control the position but Putins seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Taylor rolls and tries to escape and now Putins has his back!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Habib Putins dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Taylor manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Putins on his heels. He'll look to pass Putins's guard now, I'm sure.
Taylor stopping the sweep attempt from Putins.
Taylor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Putins swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Putins has Taylor pulled in close to control his posture.
Putins is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Taylor can do to turn this around?
Taylor wants to control from the top but Putins keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Putins holds on and takes a little breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor trying to control but Putins is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor looking to sit in guard and control but Putins gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Taylor looking for subs off his back but Putins has passed one foot through into half guard.
Putins takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Putins seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Taylor does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Putins slips a nice elbow through Taylor's hands, connecting with Taylor's forehead.
Putins is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking for a sweep. Putins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Taylor misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Taylor is staying active underneath Putins, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Putins controlling the action here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putins dives in for a single leg takedown but Taylor sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Taylor is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Putins really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Putins jumps guard and drags Taylor to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Taylor pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Putins is keeping the position for now.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Putins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Putins wants to sweep but no luck.

Taylor drops back, looking for a kneebar! Putins looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Putins looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Putins!

Putins trying to control the action but Taylor is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking for a sweep.
Putins wants to control but Taylor is keeping him busy.
Taylor wants to control but Putins postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Putins grinds an elbow into Taylor's temple.
Taylor is not content to let Putins control the position.
Putins will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Taylor wants to control but Putins postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Habib Putins dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Putins looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Taylor!
Putins wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taylor keeps working.
Taylor looks to move to half guard but instead Putins has passed into mount! Damn!
Putins sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor is looking to improve his position but Putins isn't that keen on the idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Putins moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Taylor has worked his arm free - good work by Taylor!
Putins wants to control but Taylor is keeping him busy.
Taylor is trying to get back to half guard.
Putins trying to control the position but Taylor is working away.

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.
Taylor tries to improve position but can't.

Putins is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Taylor is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Taylor holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Taylor tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Putins wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Habib Putins overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Check out the look on Putins's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Putins is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Taylor has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putins lands a decent elbow from side control.

Putins decides to stand back up. Putins steps back and let's Taylor get back to his feet.
Putins avoids a kick to the body.

Putins shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Taylor napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Putins is chipping away with strikes.

Putins is working to tighten his grip on Taylor's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Taylor has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Putins is really squeezing tight and eventually Taylor passes out! Putins breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Habib Putins!