PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Taram Douglass (ranked 4398 p4p, 4972 weight class) and Paulo Minozzo (ranked 458 p4p, 0 weight class). Paulo Minozzo looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Douglass
vs
Minozzo

188 cm
18
195
2 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
180
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Taram Douglass!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Minozzo!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Anthony Taglia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Douglass darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Minozzo looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Douglass tries to pass the half guard into mount. Minozzo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Douglass perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Douglass definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Douglass trying to pass the guard but Minozzo defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Douglass throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Douglass controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Douglass tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Douglass thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Minozzo's head.
Still in half guard, Douglass seems content to control.
Douglass seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Douglass shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Minozzo napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Douglass decides to stand back up. Douglass steps back and let's Minozzo get back to his feet.

Douglass dives in and scores a takedown into Minozzo's guard.
Douglass working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Douglass is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Douglass throwing strikes from guard but Minozzo blocks nicely.
Douglass trying to stand up but can't free himself from Minozzo's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Douglass throws a big elbow that misses.
Douglass postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Douglass has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Minozzo is proving hard to escape from.
Minozzo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Douglass knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Minozzo on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Douglass postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Douglass controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Douglass forces Minozzo back against the cage and clinches.
Douglass manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Douglass has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Minozzo regains guard immediately.

Douglass stands and steps away. Minozzo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Douglass shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Minozzo napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Douglass happy to just control the position for now.
The strikes coming from Douglass are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Taram Douglass 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 nice inside leg kick there by Douglass. That's going to slow Minozzo down.

Douglass drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Minozzo is trying to escape the position but Douglass is controlling the position.

Douglass is trying to get an arm triangle but Minozzo is defending well.
Minozzo is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee asks Douglass politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Douglass prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Douglass is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Minozzo can do to turn this around?
Douglass wants to stand but Minozzo has his arm trapped.
Minozzo taking a bit of punishment here - Douglass scoring with strikes.
Minozzo prevents Douglass from improving position.
Douglass wants to stand but Minozzo is controlling his arm.
Sloppy strikes there by Douglass.
Taram Douglass overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Minozzo can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Minozzo being controlled for a moment.
Douglass working the ground and pound but Minozzo is defending the strikes.

Douglass tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Douglass has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Check out the look on Douglass's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minozzo is trying to escape the position but Douglass is controlling the position.
Douglass wants to lay and pray for a moment but Minozzo keeps working.
Minozzo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Douglass controls the position from side control.
Douglass moves into full mount!
Douglass controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Taram Douglass dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Douglass misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Minozzo.
Minozzo is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Douglass forces Minozzo back against the cage and clinches.
Minozzo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Douglass breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Douglass closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Minozzo quickly recovers to half guard.
Douglass throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Douglass wants to pass to mount but Minozzo is defending the position.
Douglass throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Minozzo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Douglass throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Douglass throwing shots but Minozzo is blocking nicely.

Douglass is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Minozzo sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minozzo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Douglass.

Douglass is trying to work for a kimura but Minozzo is defending well.
Minozzo is looking for a sweep. Douglass is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Douglass tries to pass the half guard into mount. Minozzo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Douglass is looking for a kimura here.
Douglass content to control rather than advance.

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

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

Douglass gets a double leg takedown into Minozzo's guard.
Douglass has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Douglass controls from within his opponent's guard.
Douglass is looking to stand up but Minozzo won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Douglass throws a big right hand that misses.
Douglass not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Minozzo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Douglass.
Douglass is looking to work some ground and pound but Minozzo has wrist control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Douglass bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Douglass advances nicely into full mount.
Douglass throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Douglass throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Douglass is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Minozzo can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Douglass wants to stand but Minozzo is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Douglass lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Minozzo hang on?
Douglass throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Minozzo because Douglass loaded up on that one.
Douglass controlling the pace for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Douglass wants to control the pace but Minozzo is squirming around nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taram Douglass showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Douglass has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:24
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:24
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taram Douglass!