PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jake Jyllendael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor comes into a darkened arena with his song building. This Fire Burns kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Jake Jyllendael has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Jake Jyllendael
vs
Taylor

184 cm
29
243 lbs
6 - 13 - 0

190 cm
25
240 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jake Jyllendael!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Shawn Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Jyllendael counters by clinching up.
Jyllendael scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Shawn Taylor has been cut.
We've been hearing reports that Jyllendael has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Jyllendael takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Taylor misses with an elbow strike.
Taylor is working for takedown but Jyllendael is calmly controlling the position for now.

Jyllendael breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jyllendael misses with the combination.
Taylor with a poor takedown
and Jyllendael counters with a slapping leg kick.
Jake Jyllendael has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shawn Taylor.

Jyllendael pushes Taylor up against the cage in a clinch.
Jyllendael stalling in the clinch.
Jyllendael prevents Taylor from breaking the clinch.
Taylor tries to circle away but Jyllendael has him pinned against the cage.

Jyllendael wants the takedown. Taylor is fighting it off but Jyllendael persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Taylor's guard against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jyllendael wants to stand but Taylor is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jyllendael tries to free his leg and advance position but Taylor is retaining full guard.
Jyllendael trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jyllendael postures up.
Jyllendael preventing the sweep.
Jyllendael trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Jyllendael has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jake Jyllendael.

Jyllendael moves into the clinch successfully.

Jyllendael gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Taylor regains guard.
Taylor is controlling Jyllendael's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taylor working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor has his hands on Jyllendael's head, controlling the position.
Jyllendael looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Shawn Taylor was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Jyllendael tries a head kick but it misses.
Jyllendael shoots in but Taylor avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Taylor looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Jyllendael is fending him off so far but Taylor persists. Nope, Jyllendael circles away and we're back to standing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Taylor tries to sprawl but Jyllendael drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Taylor trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Jyllendael manages to mount him!
Jyllendael sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Jyllendael wants to control the pace but Taylor is squirming around nicely.
Taylor working to try and regain half guard.
Taylor is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Jyllendael punishing his opponent with strikes.
Jyllendael throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Taylor because Jyllendael loaded up on that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to hold on but Jyllendael pushes him away.
Jyllendael takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jyllendael looking to finish with strikes here!
Jyllendael with good strikes from the mount here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jyllendael sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Jyllendael looking to finish Taylor with some ground and pound. This is bad for Taylor!
Jyllendael tries to control but Taylor wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor wants to hold on but Jyllendael pushes him away.
Jyllendael trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Taylor takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Jyllendael dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shawn Taylor's cut.
That's time! Jyllendael's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Jyllendael defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Taylor.

Jyllendael pushes Taylor up against the cage in a clinch.
Taylor prevents the takedown attempt.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Jyllendael as Taylor tries to tie him up.
Jyllendael stalling in the clinch.
Jyllendael fails to pull guard.
Taylor tries to break free but Jyllendael pushes him back against the cage.
Jyllendael stalling.

Jyllendael manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Jyllendael keeps moving.
Jyllendael thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Taylor being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jyllendael looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jyllendael keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Shawn Taylor.
Taylor tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jyllendael walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Taylor has closed the distance and engaged Jyllendael in a clinch.

Jyllendael manages to pull guard.
Jyllendael is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Jyllendael is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jyllendael controls Taylor momentarily but Taylor frees himself.
Taylor won't allow Jyllendael to sweep him here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Jyllendael is trying to control the position but Taylor postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jake Jyllendael wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.

Taylor moves into range and clinches up with Jyllendael.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taylor wants a takedown.
Jake Jyllendael has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shawn Taylor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jyllendael goes for a takedown attempt but Taylor pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Jyllendael has managed to clinch.

Jyllendael drags the fight down to the ground.
Jyllendael seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Taylor has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Jyllendael is proving hard to escape from.

Jyllendael wriggles free and stands up.
No luck for Jyllendael with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.
Taylor shoots in and drives through. Jyllendael sprawls well.

Taylor gets a clinch.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Jyllendael just stands there and leans against the cage.
Jyllendael stalling against the cage.

Jyllendael jumps into guard, dragging Taylor to the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taylor wants to get up but he can't break Jyllendael's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Jyllendael looking for a guillotine here but Taylor defends easily.
Taylor won't allow Jyllendael to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Jyllendael dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Shawn Taylor's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Taylor has closed the distance and engaged Jyllendael in a clinch.
Jyllendael blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jyllendael is looking for a takedown.
Taylor using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Jyllendael has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Jyllendael managing to block the knees to the body from Taylor.
Jyllendael is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Taylor gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Jyllendael avoiding damage as Taylor throws knees to the body.

Jyllendael breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jake Jyllendael is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor swings for the body but Jyllendael moves out of range.
Taylor doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Jyllendael counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Taylor tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jyllendael wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jyllendael postures up in Taylor's guard and throws a big left but Taylor blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor wants to improve his position but instead Jyllendael has moved into half guard.
Jyllendael is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Jyllendael trying to control the action but Taylor is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

We're going to have a standup here because Jake Jyllendael wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Jyllendael slaps away a takedown attempt from Taylor, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Horrible takedown by Taylor or perhaps it was just good defense by Jyllendael which made him look bad.
Jake Jyllendael has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shawn Taylor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jyllendael fails with a takedown attempt.
Jyllendael tries to clinch but Taylor moves out of range.
Jyllendael looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Taylor is fending him off so far but Jyllendael persists. Nope, Taylor circles away and we're back to standing.
Sloppy strikes from Taylor. Those never looked like landing.
Taylor throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Taylor displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jyllendael.
Jyllendael throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jyllendael looks for a takedown but Taylor sprawls well.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Jyllendael gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Taylor.
Taylor is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Taylor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Taylor stalling in the clinch but Jyllendael improves position.
Taylor tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Jyllendael smiles and moves away.

Taylor gets a clinch.
Taylor jumps guard but Jyllendael turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Taylor is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Jyllendael to keep the fight standing.
Taylor is looking to break free of the clinch but Jyllendael has double underhooks.
Jyllendael lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nice elbow from Jyllendael.

Jyllendael drags the fight down to the ground.
Taylor preventing the sweep.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jyllendael trying to control the position.
Shawn Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jake Jyllendael is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Taylor is looking to work some ground and pound but Jyllendael has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Jyllendael looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Jyllendael showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Jyllendael, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jake Jyllendael!
Shawn Taylor was interviewed post fight and said 'He was..just....He was the better fighter tonight. I'm down but not out. It's not about the knockdown, it's about the get-up. I'll be back, better than ever. '.