PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Nicholas Chandler (ranked 5509 p4p, 6617 weight class) and Mark Taylor (ranked 423 p4p, 477 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Chandler
vs
Taylor

178 cm
26
145
6 - 7 - 0

178 cm
25
145
0 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nicholas Chandler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chandler shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Taylor sprawls well. Taylor wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Chandler gets slowly back to his feet.
Chandler looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Chandler.

Taylor rushes Chandler and presses him up against the cage.

Taylor is trying to trip Chandler. He has hold of a leg but Chandler is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Taylor persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Taylor wants to stand but Chandler has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Chandler keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chandler swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chandler keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Taylor might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Chandler haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor tries to free his leg and advance position but Chandler is retaining full guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Taylor trying to control but Chandler is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Chandler looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Taylor fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Chandler, pushing him back against the cage.

Taylor gets control of Chandler's arms and successfully pulls guard. Taylor will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to sweep here but Chandler controlling him for the moment.

Chandler is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Taylor is looking to stand up but Chandler isn't so interested in that idea.

Chandler thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Taylor has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Chandler can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Taylor is looking to stand up but Chandler isn't so interested in that idea.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Taylor can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Chandler is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Taylor is trying to control the position but Chandler postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Taylor throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Nicholas Chandler has been cut.

Taylor fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Chandler sprawls well initially but Taylor persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Taylor not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Taylor is trying to control. Chandler wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor winds up and cracks Chandler with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Taylor wants to control but Chandler is keeping him busy.
Taylor tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Chandler.
Taylor tries to pass the half guard into mount. Chandler knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Taylor tries to stand but can't do so whilst Chandler controls his leg.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Taylor is looking to advance position but Chandler won't allow it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Taylor dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nicholas Chandler's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Taylor shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Taylor is keen to just control but Chandler is a slippery customer.
Taylor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Chandler looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Taylor is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to control the action in half guard but Chandler is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Taylor looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Chandler with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Taylor is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Taylor tries to pass the half guard into mount. Chandler knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Taylor tries to stand but can't do so whilst Chandler controls his leg.

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 trying to control from Chandler's half guard. Chandler has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Chandler had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Taylor defends it easily.

Taylor drops back, looking for a kneebar! Chandler looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Chandler looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Chandler!

You can see the frustration on Taylor's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to buck Chandler off but Chandler is having none of it.
Chandler prevents Taylor from escaping the position.
The strikes coming from Chandler are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Chandler is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Taylor knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Taylor struggling a bit here.
Taylor is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Chandler working away.

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.

Chandler tries for a kimura but Taylor is defending well.
Taylor is looking to reverse the position.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Chandler tries for a kimura but Taylor is defending well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Chandler working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nicholas Chandler will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nicholas Chandler'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 drives through with a takedown into guard.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Chandler keeps moving.
Taylor must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Chandler working for a triangle but Taylor defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Taylor landing some decent shots from guard.
Mark Taylor has got the better of the ground game so far.
Chandler keeping full guard, as Taylor tries to pass.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Chandler is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Taylor distracts Chandler with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Taylor looking to pass the guard.
Chandler keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Taylor is working Chandler over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Taylor wants to stand but Chandler is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor with a nice head shot there.
Taylor chips away with some ground and pound.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Chandler keeps moving.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Taylor.
Taylor wants to control but Chandler is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to stand but Chandler is controlling his head.

Taylor goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Chandler has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Taylor but great work by Chandler.
Taylor wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.

Chandler is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Taylor knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Taylor is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Taylor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Taylor 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Taylor!
Nicholas Chandler was interviewed post fight and said 'Thanks to everyone who came in here and supported me, i'll get back in the gym later this week and be back better than ever! Thank you for the opportunity.'.