PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Luc Taker (ranked 3833 p4p, 3839 weight class) and Roman Hayes (ranked 241 p4p, 242 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.

Taker
vs
Hayes

225 cm
24
145
3 - 0 - 0

172 cm
24
145
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Luc Taker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Roman Hayes!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Micheangelo Fripello and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taker closes the distance and clinches.

Taker is trying to trip Hayes. He has hold of a leg but Hayes is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Taker persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Taker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Taker won't allow Hayes to sweep him here.
Taker is looking to pass into half guard but Hayes pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Hayes is in guard.

Hayes passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Taker is looking to reverse the position.
Taker being controlled for a moment.
Hayes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taker keeps working.
Taker really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taker struggling a bit here.
Taker tries to buck Hayes off but Hayes is having none of it.
Hayes trying to control the action but Taker is working from the bottom.
Taker is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hayes tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Taker trying his best to control but Hayes has mounted him.
Taker throwing hammer fists to the chest of Hayes. What's that going to do exactly?
Hayes with good strikes from the mount here!
Taker is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hayes throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Hayes won't let Taker get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hayes working the ground and pound effectively.
Hayes with good strikes from the mount here!
Hayes tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Taker tries to lock up and control but Hayes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Taker bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Taker trying to control the position from guard on top but Hayes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hayes is controlling Taker's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taker trying to control the position from guard on top but Hayes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hayes 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.
Hayes pulls Taker in to control the position.
Hayes trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hayes is looking to stand up but Taker isn't so interested in that idea.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Hayes dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hayes has taken the fight to the clinch.
Taker looking for a takedown.
Taker's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Hayes can't get the takedown.

Hayes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Taker uses from the top position.

Hayes has his foot on Taker's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Taker works his way back into a safe position though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hayes wants to get back to his feet but Taker is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Taker slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Taker would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taker not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Taker seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Hayes for as long as he can get away with.
Taker trying to control the position from guard on top but Hayes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hayes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hayes tries to clinch up but Taker circles away and keeps his distance.

Taker fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hayes, pushing him back against the cage.
Come on Hayes - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Hayes fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Hayes breaks from the clinch.

Hayes throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Taker tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Hayes is in Taker's guard.
Taker throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Hayes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hayes wants to stand and escape but instead Taker has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes wants to sweep here but Taker controlling him for the moment.
Hayes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Taker is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Taker looking to sit in guard and control but Hayes gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Taker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Taker controls Hayes momentarily but Hayes frees himself.
Hayes trying to control the position from guard on top but Taker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Roman Hayes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Taker looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hayes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hayes wants to pass the guard but Taker is keeping the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Hayes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Hayes darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Taker trying to hold on to Hayes's head to control him but Hayes postures up.

Taker is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hayes pulls his head out easily.
Taker wants to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hayes maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Taker could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Hayes has cracked it and Taker is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Hayes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Roman Hayes!