PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Colby Taylor (ranked 398 p4p, 2850 weight class) and Andre Driver (ranked 28 p4p, 175 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Taylor
vs
Driver

170 cm
27
145
10 - 1 - 1

178 cm
26
142
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 10 - 1 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Colby Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Andre Driver!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Bart Greer and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Driver has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Taylor swings for the body but Driver moves out of range.
Taylor bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Driver's head.
Taylor misses with a hook. Driver ducked under it nicely.
Taylor swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Driver is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Taylor connects with a nice looking jab.
Driver keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Good shot there by Taylor.
Driver lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Driver connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Taylor momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Taylor misses with a lunging right hand
and Driver counters with a nice uppercut.
Driver is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Driver lands a glancing blow to the side of Taylor's head.
Taylor misses with a hook. Driver ducked under it nicely.
Driver waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Taylor.

Taylor takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Driver lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Taylor jumps into guard, dragging Driver to the mat.
Taylor definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Driver wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Driver won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.
Taylor wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Driver throws a big right hand that misses.
Taylor is pulling down on Driver's head to control his posture.
Taylor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Driver.

Taylor is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Driver is aware though and is defending well.
Driver throwing strikes but missing.
Taylor is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is looking for a triangle but Driver pushes his legs off easily.
Taylor is trying to control the position but Driver postures up.

Taylor had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Driver defends it easily.
Driver has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Driver trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor pulls Driver in close to his closed guard and prevents Driver from doing any damage or advancing position.
Driver preventing the sweep.
Driver trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor managing to control the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taylor looking to hit a scissor sweep but Driver is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Taylor working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Driver doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Driver manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Taylor preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Taylor escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Driver gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Taylor has control of Driver's left arm, preventing Driver from doing any damage.

Driver drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Taylor manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Driver has Taylor in his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Driver is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Driver looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Taylor is stalling in the full guard.

Driver looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Taylor has picked Driver up and slammed him! Driver can't keep hold of the triangle and Taylor manages to pass to side control!
Driver is trying to improve his position.
A lull in the action here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Driver slips a jab from Taylor.
Driver with a jab.

Taylor moves into the clinch successfully.
Taylor working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Driver blocks an uppercut.
Taylor working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Taylor has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Driver uses from the top position.
Driver is fighting to break Taylor's control of his arms but Taylor is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Taylor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Driver's guard.

Driver working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Taylor doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Taylor manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Driver isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Taylor stacks Driver on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Taylor!
Driver being controlled for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driver is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Taylor in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Taylor continues to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Driver is looking for a sweep.
Taylor remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Driver tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Taylor wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Driver keeps trying to improve his position.
Taylor just content to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Driver is looking to reverse the position.
Taylor in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Driver stops Taylor from passing to mount.
You can see the frustration on Driver's face as Taylor controls the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Taylor misses with a body shot
and Driver counters with a straight right hand.
Driver slips under a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor takes a swing at Driver's ribcage but misses.
Driver looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Driver shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Taylor misses with a body shot
enabling Driver to counter with a crisp jab.

Taylor has managed to clinch.
Taylor working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Taylor misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Taylor.
A head punch on the inside from Taylor fails to land.

Taylor successfully pulls guard.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Taylor is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Driver can do to turn this around?
Driver trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Driver throwing strikes but missing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taylor wants to sweep here but Driver controlling him for the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Colby Taylor dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Driver getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Driver lands a nice shot that snaps Taylor's head back.
Driver scores with the left hand. Taylor knows he should have avoided that one.
The fighters circling - Driver throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Driver tries to bum rush Taylor with a series of wild strikes but Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Taylor closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Driver prevents a body shot from Taylor.
Taylor lands a nice uppercut.

Taylor jumps guard.

Taylor looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Driver trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor controlling Driver's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driver throws a big elbow that misses.

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

Driver tries to bench press Taylor off him but Taylor keeps the position.
Colby Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
You can see the frustration on Driver's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Driver tries to improve position but can't.
Driver misses with a strike from the bottom.
Taylor controls the position from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Taylor is looking to work his way around to Driver's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Driver wants to control but Taylor is having none of it.
Driver is looking to get to half guard.
Driver wants to hold on but Taylor pushes him away.
Driver is trying to reverse the position but instead Taylor has taken his back - oops!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Driver tries to escape but Taylor has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Driver trying to control the hands but Taylor won't let him.
Driver is trying to get back to his feet but Taylor has full control of the position and if anything, Driver has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Colby Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Taylor keeps control of the position as Driver tries to break free.
Driver is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Driver tries to roll but Taylor sticks to his back.

That's four 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.
Taylor controlling the position well here. Driver rolled but Taylor kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Andre Driver has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Colby Taylor showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Taylor, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Peter Branson scores the fight for Colby Taylor!
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight for Colby Taylor!
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight for Colby Taylor!

Colby Taylor wins by unanimous decision!