PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Maricio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sid Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Taylor

183 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

181 cm
19
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Maricio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sid Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Taylor doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.
Taylor tries a head kick but it misses.
Taylor wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Taylor moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Taylor tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Taylor to the ground. Taylor escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor lands with an uppercut that bounces Gracie off the cage and back into rage.

It looks like Maricio Gracie has been cut.
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Taylor.
Taylor tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Taylor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.
Taylor goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Taylor closes the distance and pushes Gracie back into the cage.
Taylor unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gracie lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Taylor tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Taylor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gracie sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taylor tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.

Taylor decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Taylor seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Taylor escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Taylor works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Taylor gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.
Taylor gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Gracie looking to stall.

Taylor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Taylor tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.
Taylor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.

Taylor closes the distance and clinches.
Taylor crunches a lovely knee into Gracie's ribcage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor lands an elbow inside that Gracie shrugs off.
Knees in the clinch landing for Taylor.
Taylor scores a nice knee to the body.

Taylor lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Gracie is defending well.
Taylor really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nice strikes from Taylor there.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Taylor tries to stand but can't do so whilst Gracie controls his leg.
Gracie is trying to stand back up but Taylor is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor stands up and beckons Gracie to join him on the feet.

Gracie gets caught flat footed, as Taylor shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Taylor stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Taylor is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Taylor stands up from Gracie's guard - Taylor perhaps looking for a knockout.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sid Taylor dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Maricio Gracie's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor tries to clinch up.

Taylor gets a clinch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taylor landing knees to the head.
Taylor tries to land knees in the clinch but Gracie avoids the damage to the body.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A left lands for Taylor.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Taylor sprawls well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Taylor. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
Taylor connects with a high kick.
Maricio Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.

Taylor closes the distance and clinches.
Come on Taylor - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Taylor looking to throw knees to the head but Gracie is blocking nicely.
Taylor effectively controlling the action here.
Taylor fails to pull guard.
Taylor throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Taylor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Taylor tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Taylor closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Gracie pulls guard effortlessly.
Taylor controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Taylor wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.

Taylor gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Taylor moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
Taylor wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Taylor lands a high kick!
Taylor is looking to clinch.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Taylor wants to clinch.
Taylor tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Taylor takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Taylor has Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Taylor throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gracie blocks it with crossed arms.
Gracie has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Taylor is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maricio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taylor has Gracie pressed against the cage.

Taylor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Taylor has his takedown stuffed

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Taylor's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sid Taylor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Maricio Gracie's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Taylor moves into the clinch.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Gracie holds him up against the cage and eventually Taylor drops back down to his feet.
Gracie stalling in the clinch but Taylor improves position.
Taylor just leaning against Gracie, taking a breather.

Taylor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor tries to clinch

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.
Taylor struggling a bit here.
Gracie advances to full mount.
Gracie avoids the attempt from Taylor to control.
Taylor is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie get's back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taylor tries to clinch but Gracie moves away

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Taylor won't be happy with that.
Taylor manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gracie's best efforts.
Gracie wants to pass to mount but Taylor is defending the position.
Taylor tries to kick Gracie off but Gracie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Gracie wants to control but Taylor is keeping him busy.
Gracie works his way into side control.
Taylor tries to bench press Gracie off him but Gracie keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie working away.
Gracie trying to control the action but Taylor is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Taylor wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Taylor fights it but they end up in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gracie stays in close to Taylor's body and controls the position.
Gracie won't allow Taylor to get back to his feet.
Taylor keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Taylor is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gracie is pushing down on Taylor's leg trying to pass to half guard. Taylor is fighting to maintain full guard but Gracie has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gracie wants to control but Taylor is keeping him busy.
Taylor is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Taylor avoid being mounted?

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Taylor with a poor takedown

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Taylor fights it but they end up in guard.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Taylor wants to stand but Gracie is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is pushing down on Taylor's leg trying to pass to half guard. Taylor is fighting to maintain full guard but Gracie has managed to sneak the leg through.

Gracie decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Taylor tries to clinch up

and Gracie counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Taylor lands an elbow just above Gracie 's eye.
Taylor is stalling here.
Taylor misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gracie.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gracie pulls guard effortlessly.

Gracie 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.
Maricio Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sid Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maricio Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Taylor has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sid Taylor!