PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shannon Page (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Penn state pump up song kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! David Taylor has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Page
vs
Taylor

173 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

183 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shannon Page!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, David Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Reed Andrews and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taylor 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.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Taylor working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Taylor is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Taylor trying to control but Page is working from the bottom.
Page looking to hit a scissor sweep but Taylor is one step ahead there.
Page wants to stand up but Taylor is controlling him.
Page utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Page manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Taylor manages to get himself to full guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor pulls Page in to control the position.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Page accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Taylor is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Page in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Page throwing strikes but missing.
Taylor seems keen to control Page's posture.
Page sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Taylor is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two 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.

Page tries to sprawl but Taylor drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Page moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Page being controlled here, momentarily.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Page keeps moving.
Page wants to sweep here but Taylor controlling him for the moment.

Taylor stands up and waves to Page to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taylor closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Page to the mat! Page manages to get full guard.
Page avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Taylor works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Page pushes Taylor off looking to stand but Taylor dives back in and keeps control.
Page works his way to full guard. Good work.
Taylor must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Taylor throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Page keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Page tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Taylor trying to control but Page is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Page controls Taylor momentarily but Taylor frees himself.
Page bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Taylor's guard.

Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.
Page is looking to work some ground and pound but Taylor has wrist control.
Taylor avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Page postures up in Taylor's guard and throws a big left but Taylor blocks it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Taylor wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Taylor wants to sweep here but Page controlling him for the moment.
Taylor looking to control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Taylor dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Taylor shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Page is trying to defend but Taylor finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Taylor is controlling the pace.
Taylor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Page makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Page.
Taylor wants to stand but Page is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor tries to free his leg and advance position but Page is retaining full guard.

Taylor has gone for a leg lock! Page slips out almost immediately though and dives into Taylor's guard.

Page slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Page with a flurry of punches that miss.
Page working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Taylor's head.
Taylor throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Page is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Taylor lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Page looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Page throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Page wants to sweep here but Taylor controlling him for the moment.
Taylor's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Page wants to hit a switch here but Taylor passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Page there!
Taylor lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Page hang on?
Taylor connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Page is squirming around, avoiding Taylor's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Page is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Taylor controlling the pace for now.
Taylor tries to control but Page wriggling away.
Taylor looking to finish Page with some ground and pound. This is bad for Page!

It looks like Shannon Page has been cut.
Taylor controlling from the full mount.
Taylor with good strikes from the mount here!
Taylor raining down shots from the mount!

Page is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Page is working to get back to half guard.
Oh Page is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Taylor postures up and throws a couple of big shots that have Page in real trouble here! The ref calls for Page to improve his position which he doesn't do, so the referee has no choice but to end the fight due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). David Taylor!