PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pavlo Bilous (ranked 2256 p4p, 249 weight class) and Segey Taranin (ranked 2036 p4p, 235 weight class). 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.

Bilous
vs
Taranin

171 cm
36
167 lbs
19 - 10 - 0

166 cm
33
159 lbs
22 - 12 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 19 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pavlo Bilous!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Segey Taranin!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Steve Smith and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taranin just misses with a punch to the body.
Taranin missing with a left hand there. Bilous was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Bilous.
Bilous throws a looping overhand right but Taranin ducks down to avoid it.

Bilous gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bilous misses with a punch to the body.
Bilous misses with the head strike.
Taranin lands a nice uppercut.
Bilous tries to throw a body punch but Taranin avoids it by throwing Bilous back against the cage.

Taranin turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Taranin manages to end up in side control.
Bilous is letting Taranin control him for a moment.
Bilous's coaches at Rabid Dog have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Bilous gets back to half guard.

Bilous looking for subs from the bottom but Taranin mounts him!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bilous is trying to escape the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taranin in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Taranin working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bilous tries to hold on but Taranin postures up.
Taranin lands with some strikes.
Bilous is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Bilous is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Taranin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Bilous?
Bilous is in all sorts of trouble here.
Bilous is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taranin looking to control but Bilous is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Taranin scoring with strikes but Bilous is staying in there.
Bilous is wriggling around trying to escape.
Taranin unloading with bombs!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bilous can't escape the position.
Bilous tries to hold on but Taranin postures up.
Taranin trying to control but Bilous is having none of it.
Taranin has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Bilous's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taranin lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Bilous gets back to half guard.
Taranin is trying to control. Bilous wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Bilous tries to roll over but Taranin keeps him under control.
Bilous moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Bilous is trying to keep Taranin in close.
Taranin cracks Bilous with a solid left hand.
Bilous wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Bilous working for a triangle but Taranin defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bilous is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bilous is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Taranin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Bilous looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Taranin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Taranin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Taranin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Taranin scoring with punches to the head and body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Segey Taranin dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A jab lands there for Bilous.
Bilous throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Taranin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bilous works his way to full guard. Good work.
Taranin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Bilous keeping moving, preventing Taranin from controlling successfully.
Bilous lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Bilous trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Taranin bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bilous's guard.

Bilous escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Taranin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bilous is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Taranin defends well.
Taranin connects with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taranin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Bilous is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Taranin wants to control from the top but Bilous keeps moving.
Taranin looking to pass the guard.

Bilous is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bilous tries to strike from the bottom.

That's two 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.

Bilous is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bilous looking to hit a scissor sweep but Taranin is one step ahead there.
Bilous is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Taranin passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Taranin has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Bilous!
Taranin landing punches.
Bilous tries to lock up and control but Taranin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taranin lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Taranin fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Taranin connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Bilous really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Taranin raining down shots from the mount!
Taranin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Bilous?
Bilous is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Taranin lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Bilous hang on?
Taranin landing strikes, looking to finish!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Taranin trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bilous regains half guard.
Taranin is keen to just control but Bilous is a slippery customer.
Bilous is looking to control Taranin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bilous avoid being mounted?
Taranin working the head and body with strikes.
Bilous wants to improve his position but Taranin is controlling well.
Taranin lands with a punch from half guard.
Bilous is trying to control but Taranin manages to pass to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Segey Taranin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Bilous's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Bilous uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Taranin.
Taranin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bilous misses with a right hand
letting Taranin counter with a right hand.
A slow jab from Bilous misses its intended target.

Bilous closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Taranin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Taranin blocks a body shot from Bilous.

Taranin gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Bilous looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Taranin is thwarting Bilous's attempts to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bilous is looking to improve his position.
Taranin working Bilous over with strikes.
Bilous tries to roll over but Taranin keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taranin slips a nice elbow through Bilous's hands, connecting with Bilous's forehead.

Bilous looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Taranin landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Taranin is thwarting Bilous's attempts to control the position.
Bilous moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taranin is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Taranin chips away with some ground and pound.
Bilous looking for a sweep. Not yet Bilous, not yet.
Taranin scoring with some ground and pound.
Taranin lands a couple of digs.
Segey Taranin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Taranin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Bilous is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Taranin is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bilous controls Taranin momentarily but Taranin frees himself.
Taranin trying to control the position from guard on top but Bilous is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taranin postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Taranin scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taranin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Taranin trying to control the position from guard on top but Bilous is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taranin works over Bilous with some ground and pound from guard.

Bilous has his foot on Taranin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Taranin works his way back into a safe position though.

Bilous looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Taranin's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Taranin controlling from the top position.
Taranin trying to control but Bilous is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Bilous escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Taranin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bilous looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Taranin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Pavlo Bilous has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taranin lands a couple of digs.
Taranin works over Bilous with some ground and pound from guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taranin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Taranin working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bilous's head.
Taranin is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

And that's the end of the fight!
Segey Taranin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Taranin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Segey Taranin!
Our winner, Segey Taranin, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
The defeated Pavlo Bilous had this to say: 'Should have stayed away from that rave last night ugh I had a great time and got laid so atleast I have that '.