PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Trenton Wilkinson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Okta Taz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Wilkinson
vs
Taz

206 cm
19
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Trenton Wilkinson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Okta Taz!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Steven Brown and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taz feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Wilkinson is trying to control the position but Taz postures up.
Wilkinson looking for a sweep. Not yet Wilkinson, not yet.
Taz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Wilkinson keeping moving, preventing Taz from controlling successfully.
Wilkinson looking for a sweep. Not yet Wilkinson, not yet.
Taz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Wilkinson will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Wilkinson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Wilkinson trying to strike off his back.
Wilkinson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Taz's guard.
Wilkinson slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Taz.
Wilkinson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Wilkinson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Taz defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taz gets full guard.
Wilkinson working some strikes from top position.
Wilkinson landing with the ground and pound.
Wilkinson cracks Taz with a solid left hand.
Taz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Taz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Wilkinson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Taz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Wilkinson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Taz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Wilkinson is aware though and is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilkinson throws a big elbow that misses.
Wilkinson connects with a couple of short punches.
Taz is trying to keep Wilkinson in close.
Wilkinson throws a strike but Taz rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Wilkinson wants to get back to his feet but Taz is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Taz postures up.
Wilkinson 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.
Taz stays in close to Wilkinson's body and controls the position.
Wilkinson 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 three minutes gone in the round.
Taz postures up in Wilkinson's guard and throws a big left but Wilkinson blocks it.
Taz trying to control but Wilkinson is working from the bottom.

Okta Taz has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Taz throws a sloppy head kick and Wilkinson moves out of range easily.
Wilkinson tries for a takedown but Taz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Taz throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Wilkinson tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Taz is in Wilkinson's guard.
Wilkinson is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Taz dives into side control.
Taz happy to just control the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taz is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Wilkinson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Taz looks winded!
Wilkinson tries to buck Taz off but Taz is having none of it.

Taz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Wilkinson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taz working the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Okta Taz will probably get the nod.
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.

Taz moves into range and clinches up with Wilkinson.
Wilkinson has had enough of the clinch but Taz keeps him there for the moment.

Taz has clasped his hands together around Wilkinson's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Taz throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Taz decides to stand back up. Taz steps back and let's Wilkinson get back to his feet.

Taz shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Wilkinson looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taz is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Wilkinson reverses the position - he's now on top in Taz's guard.

Taz is looking for a triangle but Wilkinson pushes his legs off easily.

Taz looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Wilkinson passes into side control.
Taz is breathing heavily.
Taz struggling a bit here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wilkinson landing a few strikes.
Taz is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilkinson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Wilkinson tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Taz wants to control but Wilkinson postures up.

Wilkinson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Taz knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Taz is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilkinson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Taz some visible discomfort.
Wilkinson sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Taz is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Wilkinson works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Wilkinson working away.

Wilkinson is trying to get an arm triangle but Taz is defending well.

Wilkinson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Taz has escaped the position, nice work there.
Taz is trying to work for a sweep but Wilkinson has mounted him!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wilkinson has control of Taz's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Taz regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Wilkinson lands a big elbow.
Taz wants to control but Wilkinson is having none of it.
Taz takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wilkinson is trying to control here but Taz has managed to regain half guard.
Taz avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Wilkinson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Trenton Wilkinson will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Taz keeps control of Wilkinson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on Wilkinson's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Taz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Taz looking to score a takedown here. Wilkinson is defending well but Taz drives through and ends up in Wilkinson's guard.
Taz won't allow Wilkinson to sweep him here.

Wilkinson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Wilkinson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Taz controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wilkinson manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Taz manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Wilkinson on his heels. He'll look to pass Wilkinson's guard now, I'm sure.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taz wants to control from the top but Wilkinson keeps moving.

Taz gets to his feet - Wilkinson follows without any prompting.

Taz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Taz prevents Wilkinson from escaping the position.
Taz trying to control the position but Wilkinson is working away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Wilkinson is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taz is looking to take a break and control but Wilkinson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Wilkinson tries to improve position but can't.

Taz is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Wilkinson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Taz with the ground and pound but Wilkinson regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taz is looking for a kimura but Wilkinson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Taz to get the leverage.
Taz trying to control from half guard but Wilkinson is working away.

Taz decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Wilkinson shoots in and drives through. Taz sprawls well.
Okta Taz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Wilkinson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Taz, pushing him back against the cage.

Taz has picked Wilkinson up - he's going for a ride! Taz dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Wilkinson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taz has gone for a leg lock! Wilkinson slips out almost immediately though and dives into Taz's guard.
Okta Taz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wilkinson lands a couple of elbows.
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!
Wilkinson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Taz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taz is trying to keep Wilkinson in close.
Wilkinson passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Okta Taz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Taz has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Okta Taz!