PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paul Curwin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and L Rhoe Tayona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Curwin
vs
Rhoe Tayona

167 cm
21
172 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

173 cm
21
170 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Paul Curwin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, L Rhoe Tayona!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tayona closes the distance and clinches up with Curwin, looking for a takedown. Tayona pushes Curwin against the cage but Curwin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Curwin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Curwin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Curwin throws a head kick that misses.
Curwin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tayona paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Curwin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tayona throws out the jab.
Tayona shoots in but no luck this time.
Tayona throws a hook but Curwin blocks it.
Curwin misses with a leg kick.
Curwin is looking to clinch.
Tayona closes this distance looking for a takedown but Curwin circles away.
Paul Curwin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of L Rhoe Tayona.
Tayona lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Tayona fails to land with a series of punches.
Curwin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Curwin tries to close the distance and clinch but Tayona swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Curwin tries to clinch but Tayona is having none of it.

Tayona closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Curwin to the mat! Curwin manages to get full guard.

Curwin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Tayona can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tayona trying to control but Curwin is working from the bottom.

Curwin working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Tayona has passed into half guard!
Tayona is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Curwin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Curwin is staying active underneath Tayona, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Curwin trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Curwin regains full guard. Nicely done.
Curwin trying to control the position.
Tayona is looking to work some ground and pound but Curwin has wrist control.

Curwin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tayona is aware though and is defending well.
Tayona seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Curwin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Tayona looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Tayona loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curwin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tayona postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Curwin working a defensive guard here.
Curwin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tayona.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tayona tries to score a power double leg takedown but Curwin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Tayona somewhat.

Curwin has closed the distance and engaged Tayona in a clinch.

Curwin jumps guard.

Tayona avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Curwin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Tayona can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tayona drops back looking for a leg! Curwin is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Curwin manages to kick Tayona off! Tayona jumps back into Curwin's guard.
Tayona must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Tayona looking to sit in guard and control but Curwin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Curwin throws a big right hand that misses.
Tayona is pulling down on Curwin's head to control his posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but L Rhoe Tayona will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tayona loads up on a big right hand but Curwin slips the punch.
Tayona avoids a kick to the body.
Tayona moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Tayona tries to score a power double leg takedown but Curwin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Tayona somewhat.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Curwin.
Tayona thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tayona shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Curwin as he jumps to the side.
Curwin moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Curwin tries to close the distance and clinch but Tayona swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Curwin scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Tayona doesn't seem bothered though.
Tayona is breathing heavily.

Curwin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tayona, pushing him back against the cage.
Curwin connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like L Rhoe Tayona has been cut.
Curwin landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Curwin pulls guard effortlessly.
Curwin trying to keep a closed guard but Tayona is proving a slippery customer.
Curwin lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tayona!

Curwin wants to finish this one by submission but Tayona is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Curwin.
Curwin thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

Curwin goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Tayona turns into him and now he's in Curwin's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tayona trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Curwin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Curwin keeping moving, preventing Tayona from controlling successfully.
Tayona missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tayona trying to control the position from guard on top but Curwin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tayona controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curwin manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Tayona tries to hold on but Curwin pushes him away.
Curwin thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

Curwin moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Tayona has worked his arm free - good work by Tayona!
Curwin tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's four 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.
Curwin looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Tayona is avoiding damage well.
Curwin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Curwin throws an elbow but Tayona slips to the side and avoids it well.

Curwin tries for a kimura but Tayona is defending well.
Curwin throws a strike aimed at the side of Tayona's head but Tayona avoids it well.
Tayona is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Tayona bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Curwin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on L Rhoe Tayona's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Tayona scores with a decent looking hook.
Tayona has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Curwin.
Tayona shoots in for a double leg but Curwin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Curwin lands with a thumping leg kick.

Curwin has closed the distance and engaged Tayona in a clinch.

Curwin pulls guard.

Curwin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Curwin manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tayona manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Curwin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Curwin throws a big right hand that misses.
Curwin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Curwin postures up in Tayona's guard and throws a big left but Tayona blocks it.

Curwin drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tayona manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Curwin has Tayona in his guard.
Tayona wants to control from the top but Curwin keeps moving.
Tayona controls from within his opponent's guard.
Tayona throwing strikes but missing.

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.
Curwin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tayona postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Curwin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Curwin keeping moving, preventing Tayona from controlling successfully.
Curwin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tayona controls the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tayona shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Curwin as he avoids it easily.
Curwin feints and then cracks Tayona's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tayona down.
Curwin throws a wild body kick that Tayona sees coming a mile off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tayona gets a takedown into half guard.
Curwin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tayona's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tayona's back!
Paul Curwin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Curwin is striking from the back but Tayona escapes and manages to recover to half guard.
Curwin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tayona is trying to stand up here but Curwin is controlling him well.
Tayona is staying active underneath Curwin, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Curwin trying to pass the guard but Tayona defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Curwin stalling away here and it's allowed Tayona to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Tayona wants to get back to his feet but Curwin is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Curwin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tayona has a takedown stuffed.
Paul Curwin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of L Rhoe Tayona.
Tayona fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Curwin throws a leg kick which misses Tayona's front leg but catches the back leg as Tayona tries to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Curwin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Curwin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Curwin!