PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Taylor Michaels (ranked 3387 p4p, 4129 weight class) and Luke Muller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Michaels
vs
Muller

200 cm
25
135
2 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
140
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Taylor Michaels !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luke Muller !
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Roger Salmon and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michaels throws a right and a left that Muller avoids nicely.

Muller has Michaels up against the cage in a clinch.

Michaels breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Michaels will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Michaels shoots in and drives through. Muller sprawls well.

Muller shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Michaels 's guard.
Michaels wants to stand but Muller is controlling the position.
Muller looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Muller preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muller wants to stand but Michaels has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Michaels working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muller looking to pass the guard.

Michaels throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Michaels really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Michaels avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Muller is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Muller got a little sloppy there for a moment and Michaels has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Muller has managed to get both his arms back between Michaels 's legs - danger averted.

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.
Michaels has a closed guard, preventing Muller from standing up.
Michaels wants to stand but Muller is controlling the position.
Michaels wants to sweep but no luck.
Muller has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Michaels is proving hard to escape from.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Michaels takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Muller ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Michaels moves away.
Muller blocks a low kick nicely.
Michaels doesn't manage to clinch there - Muller circles away.
Muller displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Michaels .
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taylor Michaels . That's going to take a lot out of him.
A clash of legs there as Muller blocks the low kick.
Muller steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Michaels .
Muller moves in looking to clinch but Michaels pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Muller sprawls well. Muller wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Michaels gets slowly back to his feet.
Michaels is breathing heavily.
Muller tries to clinch up.

Muller closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Michaels tightens his grip and picks Muller up, before dumping him to the ground. Muller manages to land in guard.
Muller wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Michaels manages to pass to side control.

Muller is trying to maintain the position but Michaels is very close to passing his half guard.
Michaels seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Muller !
Muller working to try and regain half guard.
Muller tries to hold on but Michaels postures up.
Muller is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Muller is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Muller tries to lock up and control but Michaels gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Luke Muller will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Muller shoots in and bounces Michaels off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Michaels has his hands on Muller 's head, controlling the position.
Michaels is trying to keep Muller in close.
Muller wanted to stand there but Michaels had control of the position.
Michaels keeping full guard, as Muller tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michaels looking for a sweep. Not yet Michaels , not yet.
Muller trying to stand up but can't free himself from Michaels 's guard.
Muller slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Taylor Michaels overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Michaels pulls Muller in close to his closed guard and prevents Muller from doing any damage or advancing position.

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

Muller moves into the clinch.
Muller presses Michaels against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Muller wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Michaels wants to take the fight to the mat but Muller manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Michaels looking to throw knees to the head but Muller is blocking nicely.
With the fighters up against the cage, Michaels throws an elbow but misses.
Michaels prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Michaels ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Michaels no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Michaels is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Muller content to stall in guard here.
Michaels looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Muller is looking to stand up but Michaels won't let him.
Muller content to stall in guard here.
Muller wanted to stand there but Michaels had control of the position.
Michaels controls Muller momentarily but Muller frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muller trying to control but Michaels is working from the bottom.
Muller is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Muller closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Michaels 's guard.
Muller is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.

Michaels is looking for a triangle but Muller pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Muller sitting in guard here, content to control.
Muller wants to pass the guard but Michaels is keeping the position.
Muller won't allow Michaels to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muller wants to get up but he can't break Michaels 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Muller makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Muller missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Michaels keeping full guard, as Muller tries to pass.
Michaels looking to control.
Michaels has a closed guard, preventing Muller from standing up.
Michaels controls Muller momentarily but Muller frees himself.
Muller wants to stand but Michaels has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Muller pushes Michaels up against the cage in a clinch.
Michaels tries to pull guard but Muller holds him up against the cage and eventually Michaels drops back down to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Muller showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Michaels looks for a takedown but Muller sprawls well.
Taylor Michaels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Muller throws a front kick aimed at Michaels 's knee but Michaels avoids it well.

Muller shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Muller showed some decent athleticism there.

Michaels is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Muller pulls his head out easily.
Muller looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Michaels with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Muller in particular looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Muller stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Muller tries to close the distance and clinch up but Michaels swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Muller looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Michaels !
Michaels is trying to control Muller 's posture but Muller avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Muller tries to stand but Michaels is controlling his head.
Michaels gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Muller is taking a breather. Michaels says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Michaels is trying to get back to full guard.
Muller tries to stand but can't do so whilst Michaels controls his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Muller stalling.
Muller takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Muller with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Muller is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Michaels !
Muller working the ground and pound effectively.
Muller breaks from Michaels 's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Muller unloading with bombs!
Muller lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Muller cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Michaels wants to control but Muller is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muller tries to control but Michaels wriggling away.

Muller looking for a guillotine from mount but Michaels is having none of it.
Michaels keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Muller with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Michaels wants to control but Muller is having none of it.
Muller with a couple of short strikes.
Michaels tries to lock up and control but Muller gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Muller trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels is bucking up trying to escape but Muller cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Michaels is in a horrible position here. Muller smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Muller looking to secure an arm triangle but Michaels defends it well.
Muller trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Michaels wants to control but Muller is having none of it.
Muller takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Muller comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Muller 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 28:30
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Muller !