PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evgeni Klebanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Klebanov is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Your Worst Nightmare. Ryan Taylor has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Taylor
vs
Klebanov

170 cm
19
167 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

168 cm
23
166 lbs
3 - 1 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ryan Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Evgeni Klebanov!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Illya Tyunina and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Klebanov dives in and grabs Taylor's left leg, looking for a takedown. Taylor pushes down on Klebanov's head and hops out.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Taylor, as that shot connected.
Klebanov takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
An inside leg kick lands from Klebanov.
Taylor lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Klebanov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Taylor blocks a low kick nicely.

Taylor gets a takedown into half guard.
Taylor looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Taylor is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor working the head and body with strikes.
Taylor seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Klebanov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taylor is thwarting Klebanov's attempts to control the position.
Taylor thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Klebanov's head.
Taylor working over Klebanov with some ground and pound. Klebanov looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Klebanov wants to control but Taylor is keeping busy.
Taylor thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Klebanov's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Klebanov is doing well to control the position and prevent Taylor from advancing to side control.
Ground and pound from Taylor.
Klebanov wants to improve his position but Taylor is controlling well.
Taylor missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Taylor is nestled in close to Klebanov, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor thows a huge punch but Klebanov dodges it nicely.
Klebanov holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Taylor is looking for a kimura here.
Klebanov is trying to control but can't.
Klebanov is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Taylor's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Taylor's back!
Klebanov is working the ground and pound. Can Taylor escape?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Taylor is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Taylor is holding onto Klebanov's left hand, preventing any choke attempts.
Klebanov missing with strikes.
Klebanov thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Klebanov wants to control but Taylor is keeping busy.
Taylor rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Taylor keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Taylor dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Taylor swings for the body but Klebanov moves out of range.
Taylor looks to land a right hand but Klebanov moved out of range.
Taylor misses with a few strikes there.
Klebanov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Taylor.
Taylor throws an overhand right that lands on Klebanov's shoulder, as Klebanov tries to avoid the shot.
Klebanov doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Taylor counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Klebanov tries for a takedown but Taylor circles away easily

and Taylor counters with a takedown into side control.
Taylor landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Klebanov sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Klebanov taking a bit of punishment here - Taylor scoring with strikes.
Taylor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Klebanov keeps working.
Taylor misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Taylor wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Klebanov, who protects the arm well.
Taylor creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Klebanov sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Klebanov tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Taylor easily slips into full mount!
Taylor landing punches.
Klebanov is desperately trying to improve his position but Taylor has a good base and remains in mount.
Klebanov blocking the ground and pound.
Taylor looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Klebanov is looking to improve his position but Taylor isn't that keen on the idea.
Taylor fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov tries to reverse the position but Taylor maintains control.
Taylor is landing with some decent strikes but Klebanov is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Klebanov keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Klebanov is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Klebanov is breathing heavily.
Taylor working the ground and pound effectively.
Taylor tries to control but Klebanov wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov working to try and regain half guard.
Taylor looking to finish with strikes here!
Klebanov tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Klebanov takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Taylor working the ground and pound effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Taylor dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Taylor misses with a hook. Klebanov ducked under it nicely.

Klebanov closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Taylor controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Taylor tries to roll over but Klebanov keeps him under control.
Klebanov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taylor keeps working.
Taylor trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor wants to get back to full guard but Klebanov has mounted him!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is working to get back to half guard.
Taylor holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Klebanov tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Klebanov tries to control but Taylor wriggling away.
Klebanov lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Klebanov connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Klebanov in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Klebanov sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Taylor is looking to improve his position but Klebanov isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov punching from mount but Taylor doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Klebanov scoring with strikes but Taylor is staying in there.
Klebanov throwing strikes here but Taylor is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Klebanov lands a big shot there that rocks Taylor but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Taylor regains half guard.
Taylor tries to roll over but Klebanov keeps him under control.

Klebanov seems to be working for a kimura but Taylor defends the submission attempt.
Klebanov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Klebanov is working for a kimura but Taylor is defending it quite comfortably.
Taylor moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Klebanov is fighting to break Taylor's control of his arms but Taylor is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Klebanov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
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.
Taylor throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Taylor has his hands on Klebanov's head, controlling the position.
Ryan Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ryan Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Klebanov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Taylor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Klebanov landing with the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Klebanov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Evgeni Klebanov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Taylor scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

And that's the end of the fight!
Evgeni Klebanov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Taylor has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:27

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