PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jermaine Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sammy Sosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sammy Sosa will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Taylor
vs
Sosa

150 cm
22
139 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
22
130 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers standup

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jermaine Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sammy Sosa!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taylor gets caught flat footed, as Sosa shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sosa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sosa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taylor. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sosa prevents Taylor from getting back to his feet.
Sosa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sosa prevents Taylor from getting back to his feet.

Taylor pushes Sosa off and gets back to his feet.
Sosa throws a head kick that misses.
Sosa doesn't manage to clinch there - Taylor circles away.
Sosa has a takedown stuffed.
Sosa shoots in but no luck this time.
Sammy Sosa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor throws a series of punches but Sosa moves out of range.
Sosa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Jermaine Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sammy Sosa.
Sosa lands a jab-cross combination.
Taylor throws a combination that misses
and Sosa counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Sosa is looking to clinch but Taylor is avoiding it.
Sosa tries to close the distance and clinch but Taylor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sosa shoots in and drives through. Taylor sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor misses with a combination
and Sosa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sosa wants to clinch up but Taylor keeps it at a distance.
Sosa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Sosa changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Taylor looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sosa looks gassed!
Taylor tries to escape but Sosa is in control.
Sosa has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Taylor!
Sosa pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Taylor wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sosa lands a big shot there that rocks Taylor but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Sosa landing strikes from the mount and Taylor is in trouble!
Taylor could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sosa looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sosa won't let Taylor get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Sosa has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Taylor's face.
You get the feeling that Taylor really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Taylor trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Sosa landing strikes from the mount and Taylor is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sosa pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Taylor taking shots to the head.

Sosa is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Taylor can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Sosa working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Taylor wants to try and get back to his feet.
Taylor tries to buck Sosa off but Sosa takes his back!

Taylor preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Sosa.
Taylor might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Taylor has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sosa swings for the body but Taylor moves out of range.
Sosa tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Taylor swivels and escapes.
Sosa shoots in but no luck this time.
Sosa shoots in for a double leg but Taylor sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Jermaine Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sammy Sosa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination
and Sosa counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Taylor thinking.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor misses with the combination.
Jermaine Taylor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sosa shoots for a double leg takedown but Taylor sprawls well. He's pushed Sosa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sosa slips a jab and a cross from Taylor.
Taylor misses with a double jab.

Sosa closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Sosa is trying to get an arm triangle but Taylor is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to get back to his feet.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sosa shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Taylor pinned against the cage. Taylor gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Taylor swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Sosa counters with a left and a right that stings Taylor.
Sosa scores with a one two! Taylor had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sosa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Taylor as he jumps to the side.
Taylor throws a combination that misses
and Sosa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's four 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 throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sosa counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Sosa stands and steps away. Taylor gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Sosa fails with the takedown.
Taylor throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sosa counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sosa.
Sosa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taylor is keeping the position for now.
Taylor preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Taylor has his feet on Sosa's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Sosa closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sammy Sosa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Sosa looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sosa wants to clinch up but Taylor keeps it at a distance.
Sosa misses with a double jab.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination

so Sosa counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sosa lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Sosa from controlling successfully.

Taylor pushes Sosa off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Sosa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sosa throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sosa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Taylor tries to avoid it but Sosa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Taylor to the ground. Taylor escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sosa is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Taylor throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sosa counters with a nice double leg into side control. Taylor won't be happy with that.

Sosa decides to stand back up. Sosa steps back and let's Taylor get back to his feet.
Sosa tries to clinch but Taylor is having none of it.
Sosa fails with the takedown.
Jermaine Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sammy Sosa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sosa tries to clinch there but Taylor circles away.
Sosa shoots for a double leg takedown but Taylor sprawls well. He's pushed Sosa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sosa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Taylor tries to avoid it but Sosa 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 looks to land a combination but Sosa avoids it well.
Sosa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sosa closes the distance and clinches up with Taylor, looking for a takedown. Sosa pushes Taylor against the cage but Taylor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sosa shoots in looking for a takedown. Taylor tries to sprawl out of it but Sosa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Taylor manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Taylor keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sosa shoots in for a takedown but Taylor shows good takedown defense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sosa slips a jab and a cross from Taylor.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sosa.
Sammy Sosa has got the better of the ground game so far.
A lull in the action here as Sosa stalls from top position.
Taylor is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Sosa is controlling him well.
Sosa scoring with punches from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sammy Sosa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sosa winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Suge Night scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sammy Sosa!