PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mirko Filipovi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Filipovi has chosen Du Hast- Rammstein as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
Filipovi

195 cm
22
265 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

188 cm
19
240 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite 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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Steve Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mirko Filipovi!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Chris Edwards and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Filipovi moves in looking to clinch but Taylor pushes him off.
Taylor looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Taylor ducks under a wild hook from Filipovi.
Filipovi slips a jab and a cross from Taylor.

Filipovi pushes Taylor up against the ropes in a clinch.

Filipovi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Filipovi slips a jab and a cross from Taylor.
Filipovi scores with a hook.
Filipovi has a takedown stuffed.
Filipovi thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Taylor if he has to take too many more of those.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Filipovi rushes Taylor and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Filipovi throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Taylor takes an elbow to the temple.
Filipovi misses with an elbow strike.

Filipovi breaks from the clinch.
Filipovi bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

Filipovi clinches up against the ropes.

Filipovi breaks from the clinch.
Filipovi throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Taylor.
Filipovi lands a nice looking body kick.

Filipovi instigates a clinch.
Taylor takes an elbow to the forehead.

Filipovi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mirko Filipovi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Filipovi rushes Taylor and presses him up against the ropes.
Taylor takes an elbow to the temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipovi can't get the takedown.
Filipovi comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Filipovi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Filipovi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Filipovi.

Filipovi forces Taylor back against the ropes and clinches.

Filipovi breaks from the clinch.
Filipovi is looking to clinch but Taylor is avoiding it.

Filipovi connects with a vicious head kick that knocks Taylor to the floor! Filipovi dives in looking for the finish!
Taylor wants to improve his position but Filipovi is controlling well.
Filipovi moves nicely into side control.
Taylor wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Filipovi stands up and beckons Taylor to his feet.
Filipovi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Filipovi throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Filipovi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Taylor paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Filipovi clinches.

Filipovi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Filipovi rushes Taylor and presses him up against the ropes.
Filipovi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Taylor takes an elbow to the temple.
Filipovi is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Steve Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mirko Filipovi.

Filipovi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Filipovi fakes the leg kick and cracks Taylor in the body.
Filipovi connects with a high kick.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Filipovi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Filipovi scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Filipovi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taylor. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filipovi tries to stand but can't do so whilst Taylor controls his leg.
Taylor is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Taylor misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Taylor tries to roll over but Filipovi keeps him under control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Filipovi content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Filipovi prevents Taylor from standing back up.

Filipovi stands up and beckons Taylor to join him on the feet.

Filipovi has Taylor up against the ropes in a clinch.
Filipovi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Filipovi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Filipovi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Filipovi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Filipovi throws a nice head kick!
Filipovi scores with a nice body kick.
Filipovi plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Taylor takes a kick to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Filipovi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Filipovi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Filipovi moves into the clinch.
Filipovi throws an elbow that misses.
Taylor will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

Filipovi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Filipovi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Filipovi.
Taylor looking to stall.
Taylor misses with some punches.

Filipovi manages to break the clinch.
Steve Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Filipovi moves into range and clinches up with Taylor.

Filipovi breaks from the clinch.
Taylor throws a right and a left that both miss.
Filipovi tries a head kick but it misses.

Taylor tries to keep at a distance but Filipovi has taken the fight into the clinch.

Filipovi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Filipovi 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor tries to strike from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor wants to sweep but no luck.

Taylor is working an open guard so Filipovi takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
A head kick misses from Filipovi.
Filipovi wants to clinch.
Filipovi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Taylor is looking to clinch but Filipovi is avoiding it.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Taylor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Filipovi.
Filipovi swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.

Taylor gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Filipovi trying to stand up but can't free himself from Taylor's guard.

Taylor working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Filipovi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Filipovi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Filipovi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to stand up but Filipovi is controlling him.
Taylor wants to hit a switch here but Filipovi passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Taylor there!
Taylor throwing hammer fists to the chest of Filipovi. What's that going to do exactly?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Filipovi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Filipovi blocks Taylor's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Filipovi looking to control but Taylor is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Filipovi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Filipovi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Filipovi sets himself and throws a head kick that knocks Taylor to the ground! Filipovi dives into full mount looking to finish!

Taylor is rocked!

It looks like Steve Taylor has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Filipovi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Oh Taylor is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
You get the feeling that Taylor really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Taylor seems to have got his legs back now.
Filipovi controlling the position easily from mount.
Taylor keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipovi controlling the position easily from mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Despite being in the dominant position, Mirko Filipovi just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Filipovi clinches up with Taylor and pushes him back against the ropes.

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.

Filipovi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Filipovi tries to clinch but Taylor is having none of it.

Filipovi darts in and clinches Taylor up against the ropes.
Filipovi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Taylor's defenses.
Nice elbow from Filipovi.

Filipovi breaks from the clinch.

Filipovi instigates a clinch.

Filipovi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Filipovi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Filipovi clinches.
Filipovi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Taylor's defenses.
Filipovi lands an elbow inside that Taylor shrugs off.
Filipovi lands a damaging elbow.
Filipovi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Filipovi breaks from the clinch.

Filipovi has Taylor up against the ropes in a clinch.
Taylor takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nice elbow from Filipovi.
Filipovi slowing the pace effectively.
Filipovi looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filipovi wants a takedown.

Filipovi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mirko Filipovi seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Filipovi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Taylor to the mat! Taylor manages to get full guard.
Taylor wants to get back to his feet but Filipovi is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Filipovi stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Taylor looks to land a combination but Filipovi avoids it well.
Filipovi shoots in looking for a takedown. Taylor tries to sprawl out of it but Filipovi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Taylor manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Filipovi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Taylor is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Steve Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mirko Filipovi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Filipovi 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 25:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 25:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mirko Filipovi!