PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kyle Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Even Steven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steven has chosen Metallica-Enter Sandman as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
Steven

185 cm
21
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
19
189 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BioPharm Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kyle Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Even Steven!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Emerson Jorge and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Steven clinches with his opponent.
A short body shot lands from Steven as the two fighters clinch.
Steven lands an uppercut.
Steven prevents the takedown attempt.
The is referee keeping an eye on Steven - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Taylor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Steven stalling.
Steven tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Taylor goes for a takedown attempt but Steven pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Steven moves in looking to clinch but Taylor pushes him off.
Steven thuds his right hand into Taylor's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taylor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyle Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Taylor shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Steven is looking for a sweep. Taylor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Taylor prevents Steven from standing back up.
Steven is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steven is trying to escape back to his feet but Taylor uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Steven manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Taylor is breathing heavily.
Steven is looking to improve his position.
Steven pushes Taylor off looking to stand but Taylor dives back in and keeps control.
Steven works his way to full guard. Good work.
Steven keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor prevents Steven from getting back to his feet.

Steven is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Steven throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Taylor pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steven is keeping the position for now.
Steven wants to stand up but Taylor is controlling him.
Steven can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Taylor controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steven working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Taylor doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Taylor manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Taylor stops Steven from standing up.
Steven wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Taylor manages to pass to side control.
Steven is looking to get back to full guard here but Taylor has managed to pass to side control instead.
Taylor controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Taylor can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Steven is looking to escape.
Steven wants to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.
Steven can't escape the position.
Steven is trying to reverse the position but instead Taylor has taken his back - oops!
Steven wants to get back to his feet.
Taylor trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Even Steven dominated that round.
That's time! Taylor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Steven looks to land a left hand but Taylor moved out of range nicely.
Steven wants to clinch up but Taylor keeps it at a distance.
Even Steven seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taylor fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Steven fails in his attempt to clinch.
Steven doesn't manage to clinch there - Taylor circles away.
Taylor fails to land the takedown.
Steven misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Steven throws a right and a left that Taylor avoids nicely.
Taylor takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Steven tries to clinch but Taylor is having none of it.
Steven lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Taylor shoots in but Steven avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyle Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Steven lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Taylor shoots for a double leg takedown but Steven sprawls well. He's pushed Taylor's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Steven looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Steven tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taylor paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Taylor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Steven lands a nice shot that snaps Taylor's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor swats away the attempt to clinch by Steven.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Steven stuffs the takedown attempt from Taylor. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet.

Steven moves into the clinch successfully.
Steven lands a body punch.
Taylor being controlled against the cage.
Steven scores with a knee to the head.
Steven lands with a light punch inside.
Steven lands a right hand.
Steven scores with a shoulder strike.
A left hand lands to the body for Steven.
Steven leaning his opponent against the cage.
Steven lands a knee to the head.
Steven tries to land knees in the clinch but Taylor avoids the damage to the body.
Steven comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steven is trying to drag Taylor to the mat but Taylor just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Steven makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Steven with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Steven throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Steven tries to score a body lock takedown but Taylor shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Taylor tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Steven misses with a hook from the clinch.
Taylor tries to score a body lock takedown but Steven shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Steven tries to land a knee to the head but Taylor blocks with his arms.
Steven gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Taylor.
A short body shot lands from Steven as the two fighters clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Taylor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Taylor goes for a takedown in the clinch but Steven prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Steven manages to get underhooks.
Steven lands with a light punch inside.
Steven lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Steven will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Taylor up against the cage.
Taylor tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Steven lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Taylor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Taylor blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Steven drags the fight down to the ground.
Steven wants to get back to his feet but Taylor passes into half guard.
Steven tries to kick Taylor off but Taylor keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Taylor controlling the action here.

That's four 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.
Steven is trying to get back to full guard.
Steven moves into full guard.
Steven is looking to stand up but Taylor isn't so interested in that idea.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Steven keeps moving.
Taylor prevents Steven from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Even Steven showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Steven scores with a hook.
Steven tries to close the distance and clinch but Taylor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Steven misses with a body shot.

Taylor has closed the distance and engaged Steven in a clinch.
Steven scores with a shot to the side of Taylor's head.
Steven is looking to control Taylor's arms but Taylor gets an underhook and turns him. Now Steven has his back to the cage.
Steven misses with the head strike.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Steven holds him up against the cage and eventually Taylor drops back down to his feet.
Steven lands an uppercut.
Taylor avoids a wild elbow strike from Steven.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Taylor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Steven tries to clinch but Taylor moves out of range.

Steven moves into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Steven fails to land.
Taylor is working for takedown but Steven is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyle Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Steven scores with a shot to the side of Taylor's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Steven smiles and moves away.
Taylor fails to land the takedown.
Steven is looking to clinch but Taylor is avoiding it.

Steven instigates a clinch.
Steven pressing his opponent against the cage.
Steven digs a right hand underneath Taylor's ribcage. Taylor let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Taylor tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Steven prevents a takedown attempt there.

Steven gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Steven advances position into side control!

Steven decides to stand back up. Steven steps back and let's Taylor get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steven fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Steven lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Taylor at a distance.

Steven takes the fight into the clinch.
Steven just leaning against Taylor, taking a breather.
Taylor avoids the elbow strike from Steven, against the cage.
Steven landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Steven has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Taylor uses from the top position.
Steven tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steven is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Steven escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Taylor gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Steven keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steven pushes Taylor off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Steven moves into the clinch.
Steven doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Even Steven is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Steven lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Taylor decides to pull guard.
Taylor controls Steven momentarily but Steven frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steven trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Steven makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Kyle Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steven won't allow Taylor to get back to his feet.
Steven stays in close to Taylor's body and controls the position.
Steven trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Steven throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Taylor works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Steven stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Steven gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Steven manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Taylor has Steven pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Taylor pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Steven tumbling to the mat - Taylor dives into Steven's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Even Steven comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Steven 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Even Steven!