PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tulio Souza (ranked 7432 p4p, 761 weight class) and Marshall Taylor (ranked 4306 p4p, 538 weight class). Tulio Souza could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Marshall Taylor's chin.

Souza
vs
Taylor

178 cm
19
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tulio Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Marshall Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Micheangelo Fripello and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Taylor pinned against the cage. Taylor gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Taylor closes the distance and pushes Souza back into the cage.
Taylor lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Tulio Souza has been cut.

Taylor gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Souza regains guard.
Taylor stays in close to Souza's body and controls the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souza trying to keep a closed guard but Taylor is proving a slippery customer.
Souza lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza passes Taylor's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Taylor keeping control of the position.
Souza content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Souza is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Taylor is just riding it out for now. Souza eventually gives up the hold.
Souza trying to control from half guard but Taylor is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Souza performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza trying to mount his opponent but Taylor defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Souza is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Taylor reverses the position - he's now on top in Souza's guard.
Taylor preventing the sweep.
Souza has his hands on Taylor's head, controlling the position.
Souza is looking to sweep but instead, Taylor has passed into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is keen to just control but Souza is a slippery customer.
Souza gets back to full guard.
Souza is striking off his back. Taylor thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Souza controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Souza wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marshall Taylor dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tulio Souza's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Souza looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Souza stalling.

Souza is trying to work for a kimura but Taylor is defending well.
Souza controlling the action here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souza is trying to control the action in half guard but Taylor is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

Taylor throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Souza escapes and throws Taylor's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Souza works to advance to full mount. Taylor defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Taylor is squirming around, avoiding Souza's attempts to control the action.
Souza takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taylor is trying desperately to improve position.
Taylor is still trying to improve position.
Tulio Souza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Souza controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to get to half guard.
Souza controlling his opponent.
Taylor keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Souza tries to control but Taylor wriggling away.
Taylor is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four 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 wants to control but Souza is having none of it.
Souza tries to control but Taylor wriggling away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tulio Souza dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tulio Souza's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Taylor gets a clinch.

Taylor gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Souza is trying to control but can't.
Souza looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Taylor trying to control from half guard but Souza is working away.
Taylor is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor stalling away here and it's allowed Souza to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Souza striking off his back but it's not causing Taylor any problems.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Taylor preventing the sweep.
Souza has Taylor pulled in close to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Taylor forces Souza back against the cage and clinches.
Souza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Taylor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Taylor misses with the body kick

and Souza counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza stopping the sweep attempt from Taylor.
Souza engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Taylor trying to control the position.
Souza wants to pass the guard but Taylor is keeping the position.
Souza wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor punching to the body, from the bottom.
Souza slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Taylor shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Souza is trying to defend but Taylor finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Souza wants to get back to full guard.
Taylor works his way into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Souza throwing hammer fists to the chest of Taylor. What's that going to do exactly?
Taylor avoids the attempt from Souza to control.
Souza bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Souza looking to pass the guard.
Tulio Souza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taylor is pulling down on Souza's head. It's preventing any offense from Souza, at least for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marshall Taylor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Taylor has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Fray scores the fight for Marshall Taylor!
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight for Marshall Taylor!
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight for Marshall Taylor!

Marshall Taylor wins by unanimous decision!