PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Norbert Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Taylor
vs
Santos

181 cm
24
194 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Norbert Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alex Santos!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, John Kavanagh and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Santos gets the takedown into side control.
Taylor is looking to regain half guard here but Santos keeps moving and retains side control.
Taylor regains half guard.

Taylor is defending against the submission attempts here by Santos.

Santos is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Taylor has managed to free his arm - good work.

Santos is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos looks to land a strike but Taylor avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is pulling down on Santos's head. It's preventing any offense from Santos, at least for the moment.
Taylor avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Santos trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor keeping full guard, as Santos tries to pass.
Santos won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Taylor holds on and takes a little breather.
Santos controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Santos pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taylor is keeping the position for now.
Santos loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Santos stands and throws Taylor's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Santos creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Taylor sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
You can see the frustration on Taylor's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
An elbow from Santos crashes against the mat.

Santos tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Santos has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor sneaks back into half guard.
Santos not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Taylor trying to get back to full guard but Santos takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

Santos with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Santos sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santos jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Taylor manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Santos is looking to take a break and control but Taylor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Taylor holds on to Santos's head and controls the position momentarily.
Taylor tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Santos goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Taylor rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Santos's guard! Nice work there by Taylor!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Santos dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Santos throws a lazy uppercut

and Taylor counters with a single leg into guard. Santos didn't expect that.
Alex Santos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Santos pulls Taylor in close to prevent any damage.
Santos working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taylor stopping the sweep attempt from Santos.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Taylor postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to stand but Santos is controlling from the bottom.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Santos drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Santos tries to move to full mount but Taylor actually manages to regain half guard.
Taylor wants to control but Santos is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos misses with a head shot. Taylor uses the momentum to regain guard.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Santos controls the pace.
Santos stands and throws Taylor's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Taylor is looking to regain half guard here but Santos keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Taylor's face as Santos controls the position.
Taylor is looking for a sweep.

Santos goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Taylor rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Santos's guard! Nice work there by Taylor!

Santos is looking for a triangle but Taylor pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos working a defensive guard here.
Taylor advances position into side control!
Taylor wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Taylor decides to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Norbert Taylor dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Santos takes a swing at Taylor's ribcage but misses.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Taylor.

Santos throws Taylor to one side and escapes!

Santos scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taylor avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Santos.

Santos goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Taylor has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Santos but great work by Taylor.
Taylor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santos keeps working.
Santos isn't going anywhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos is looking to regain half guard here but Taylor keeps moving and retains side control.
Santos is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Taylor asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Santos struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Taylor stands up and beckons Santos to his feet.

Taylor gets caught napping as Santos dives in and scores a takedown. Taylor manages to retain guard.
Taylor utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Taylor has control of Santos's left arm, preventing Santos from doing any damage.

Santos got a little sloppy there for a moment and Taylor has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Santos has managed to get both his arms back between Taylor's legs - danger averted.
Taylor wants to stand up but Santos is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos postures up in Taylor's guard and throws a big left but Taylor blocks it.
Taylor utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos trying to move into half guard but instead Taylor has managed to sweep!

Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santos being controlled here, momentarily.
Santos looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

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.
Taylor passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Taylor trying to control the action but Santos is working from the bottom.

Taylor postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Santos to stand up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Santos drives through with a takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alex Santos.
Well Santos 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Norbert Taylor!