PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Ramon Dekkers (ranked 20483 p4p, 617 weight class) and Cole Taggart (ranked 3522 p4p, 337 weight class). Dekkers's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Rae Sremmurd - No Type. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Dekkers
vs
Taggart

172 cm
25
159 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

169 cm
39
160 lbs
27 - 15 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction
Aspire Nutrition

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ramon Dekkers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cole Taggart!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Sosuke Kotani and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taggart throws a nice inside leg kick.
Dekkers checks a leg kick.
Dekkers misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taggart.
Dekkers jabs at Taggart's body.
Dekkers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taggart appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.

Taggart tries to keep at a distance but Dekkers has taken the fight into the clinch.
Taggart tries to throw a body punch but Dekkers avoids it by throwing Taggart back against the ropes.

Taggart pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
An inside leg kick lands from Taggart.
Taggart scores with the left hand. Dekkers knows he should have avoided that one.
Dekkers changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Dekkers throws a body shot but no joy.
Taggart thows a left - swing and a miss!
Taggart scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Dekkers throws a hook but Taggart blocks it.
Taggart connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cole Taggart seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dekkers looks to score with a jab to the body but Taggart is just out of range.
Dekkers jabs Taggart to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Dekkers. Taggart does a little dance to reset his feet.
Taggart uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dekkers.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dekkers misses the shot to the body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Taggart.
Taggart misses with a head kick.
Good leg kick by Taggart there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Taggart tries a head kick but it misses.
Dekkers on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Dekkers connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Dekkers throws a low kick but Taggart avoids it.

Taggart has taken the fight to the clinch.
Good body shot from Taggart.
Dekkers tries a body shot but Taggart blocks it.
Dekkers struggles to land a body shot inside as Taggart controls his hands.
Dekkers digs a right hand underneath Taggart's ribcage. Taggart let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Dekkers tries to work over Taggart's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
I was talking to Dekkers's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Dekkers.
Taggart scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Taggart blocks a body shot from Dekkers.
Taggart blocks a body shot from Dekkers.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taggart lands a left hand that snaps the head of Dekkers backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Taggart working hard to break the clinch.
Dekkers prevents a body shot from Taggart.
Taggart lands an uppercut.
Taggart tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dekkers avoids it.
Dekkers tries to work over Taggart's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dekkers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Taggart manages to break the clinch.
Taggart is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Dekkers.
Dekkers throws a jab when Taggart was well out of range.
Dekkers throws a body shot but no joy.
Dekkers tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Nice jab there from Taggart.
Dekkers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dekkers misses with a wild body shot.
Dekkers tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Taggart was well out of range. Poor timing from Dekkers.
Taggart tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A counter left hand to the body from Dekkers misses its target.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taggart moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Taggart wants to clinch up but Dekkers keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cole Taggart dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Dekkers takes a kick to the side of the head.
Cole Taggart seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Dekkers has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Taggart.
A nice leg kick lands there from Dekkers.
Dekkers misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taggart.
Taggart avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Dekkers ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Taggart moves away.
Dekkers looks to land a body kick but Taggart moved away.
Taggart cracks Dekkers with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A left lands for Taggart.
A looping hook to the body misses from Dekkers. Taggart does a little dance to reset his feet.
Dekkers waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Taggart.
Taggart takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Dekkers forces Taggart back against the ropes and clinches.
Dekkers swings away with an uppercut that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dekkers tries a body shot but Taggart blocks it.
Dekkers takes a shot to the head.
Dekkers pushes Taggart back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
A knee to the head by Taggart.
Dekkers lands with a right to the head.
Cole Taggart seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dekkers goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dekkers tries a body shot but Taggart blocks it.
Dekkers is leaning against Taggart and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Taggart misses with a hook from the clinch.
Taggart with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dekkers swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Dekkers tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Taggart doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dekkers goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Dekkers.
Dekkers is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A right hook to the body lands for Taggart.
Taggart softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Dekkers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A left hand lands to the body for Taggart.
Dekkers tries to work over Taggart's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dekkers has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dekkers blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taggart struggles to land a body shot inside as Dekkers controls his hands.
Dekkers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Taggart breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taggart moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Taggart throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Dekkers counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Taggart dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Dekkers. That did some damage!
Dekkers is looking to wear down Taggart with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Dekkers connects with a leg kick. Taggart looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dekkers throws a body punch but Taggart moves out of range.
Dekkers on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Taggart. Taggart obviously looking to wear him down.
Dekkers misses with a body shot.
Taggart feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Dekkers's calf.
Dekkers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taggart appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Dekkers takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Taggart keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dekkers throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A big left from Taggart misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Dekkers.
Dekkers slips a straight right by Taggart.
Dekkers appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Taggart tries to land a front kick but Dekkers steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taggart lands a right hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Cole Taggart will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Dekkers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Good leg kick by Taggart there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Taggart looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Dekkers misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taggart.
Dekkers misses with a body shot
and Taggart counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Dekkers fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taggart manages to avoid it.
Taggart's corner calls for a 1-2. Taggart obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Taggart fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Dekkers is out of range.
Dekkers cracks Taggart with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A solid leg kick lands there for Taggart.
Taggart has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dekkers thows a left - swing and a miss!
Taggart pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Taggart takes the fight into the clinch.
Taggart blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dekkers goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Taggart misses with a punch to the body.
Dekkers misses with some punches.
Dekkers makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ramon Dekkers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taggart tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Dekkers misses with a hook to the ribs.
Taggart pushes Dekkers back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Taggart takes a shot to the head.
Taggart tries to land knees in the clinch but Dekkers avoids the damage to the body.
Dekkers throws a punch but it's blocked by Taggart.
Dekkers avoiding damage as Taggart throws knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, Taggart scores with a nice short uppercut.
Dekkers tries to work over Taggart's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Taggart doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dekkers swings wildly with an uppercut but Taggart uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dekkers lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Dekkers can't find room to land a body shot as Taggart controls the action.
Cole Taggart is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Taggart gets through Dekkers's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Dekkers misses with a punch on the inside.
Dekkers tries to throw a body punch but Taggart avoids it by throwing Dekkers back against the ropes.
Dekkers tries to work over Taggart's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dekkers lands a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taggart misses with a punch on the inside.
Taggart prevents a body shot from Dekkers.
Taggart prevents a body shot from Dekkers.
Dekkers struggles to land a body shot inside as Taggart controls his hands.
Taggart lands an elbow just above Dekkers 's eye.

It looks like Ramon Dekkers has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dekkers lands a nice shot to the body.
Taggart blocks a body shot from Dekkers.
Dekkers tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taggart's elbow.
Dekkers can't find room to land a body shot as Taggart controls the action.
Dekkers can't find room to land a body shot as Taggart controls the action.
Dekkers lands a body punch in the clinch.
Dekkers lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Taggart backwards.

Taggart breaks from the clinch.
Taggart ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Taggart takes a swing at Dekkers's ribcage but misses.
Taggart scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Taggart throws a low kick, looking for Dekkers's leg but Dekkers calmly moves out of range.
Dekkers swings and misses with a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cole Taggart.
Well Taggart 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cole Taggart!
A victorious Cole Taggart thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.