PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Erich Gabriel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jayceon Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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?

Gabriel
vs
Taylor

167 cm
18
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Erich Gabriel!
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, Jayceon Taylor!
The judges for this bout are , and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gabriel fails with a takedown attempt.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Gabriel circles away and keeps his distance.
Taylor tries to clinch but Gabriel is having none of it.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Taylor changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gabriel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Taylor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Gabriel drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gabriel really is a fat lump.
Gabriel's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gabriel looking to sit in guard and control but Taylor gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gabriel 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.
Taylor tries to free his leg and advance position but Gabriel is retaining full guard.
Gabriel controls Taylor momentarily but Taylor frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Gabriel manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Gabriel might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gabriel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Taylor has his feet on Gabriel's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Gabriel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gabriel tries to score a power double leg takedown but Taylor sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gabriel somewhat.
Jayceon Taylor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Taylor scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Gabriel swings away with a body shot that misses
and Taylor counters with a straight right hand.

Gabriel moves into the clinch successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gabriel takes a knee to the side of the body.
Gabriel jumps guard but Taylor stands there with Gabriel around his waist. Gabriel gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erich Gabriel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Gabriel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gabriel shoots in but Taylor avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Taylor tries to clinch

and Gabriel counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taylor is trying to stand.
Gabriel drops an elbow to the side of Taylor's head.

Gabriel is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Taylor defends it well.
Gabriel not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel stops Taylor from getting back to his feet.
Taylor looks gassed!

Gabriel trying to work for an americana but Taylor has managed to regain full guard.
Gabriel wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Taylor is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gabriel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gabriel trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gabriel scoring with some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gabriel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gabriel wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
Gabriel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Erich Gabriel will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Taylor wants to clinch

and Gabriel counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gabriel is looking to stand up but Taylor won't let him.
Gabriel wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
Gabriel is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Taylor is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Gabriel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gabriel controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabriel trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Gabriel throwing strikes but missing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Taylor closes the distance but Gabriel moves to the side

and Gabriel counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Gabriel has gone for a leg lock! Taylor slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gabriel's guard.
Gabriel knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Taylor on the ground.
Taylor is breathing heavily.
Taylor won't allow Gabriel to get back to his feet.
Taylor is pushing down on Gabriel's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gabriel is fighting to maintain full guard but Taylor has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gabriel is looking for a sweep. Taylor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to pass to full mount but Gabriel defends it.
Gabriel is trying to maintain the position but Taylor is very close to passing his half guard.
Gabriel controlling the position for now.
Gabriel is looking for a sweep. Taylor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Taylor is looking for a kimura but Gabriel is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Taylor to get the leverage.

Taylor seems to be working for a kimura but Gabriel defends the submission attempt.
Taylor prevents Gabriel from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Gabriel shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Taylor manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Gabriel lands a couple of digs.
Gabriel scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Gabriel drops back looking for a leg! Taylor is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Taylor manages to kick Gabriel off! Gabriel jumps back into Taylor's guard.
Gabriel wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Taylor swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Gabriel stands up from Taylor's guard - Gabriel perhaps looking for a knockout.

Gabriel shoots in and bounces Taylor off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gabriel is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erich Gabriel dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gabriel tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Taylor swivels and escapes.
Gabriel takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Gabriel, as that shot connected.
Gabriel circles away from the clinch attempt

and Gabriel moves into the clinch.
Taylor wants a takedown.
Gabriel has Taylor pressed against the cage.
Gabriel is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Taylor goes for a takedown in the clinch but Gabriel prevents it.

Taylor tightens his grip and picks Gabriel up, before dumping him to the ground. Gabriel manages to land in guard.
Taylor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gabriel pulls Taylor in close to his closed guard and prevents Taylor from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor wants to pass the guard but Gabriel is keeping the position.

Gabriel 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.
Taylor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gabriel swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Taylor postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Gabriel is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Taylor, into his guard.
Gabriel trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Erich Gabriel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
Gabriel looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gabriel's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gabriel gets to his feet. Taylor looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Erich Gabriel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor wants to clinch

and Gabriel holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Gabriel lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Gabriel controlling the action here.
Gabriel lands strikes from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gabriel seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Taylor does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Taylor wants to improve his position but Gabriel is controlling well.
Gabriel trying to control the action but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor pushes Gabriel off looking to stand but Gabriel dives back in and keeps control.
Still in half guard, Gabriel seems content to control.
Gabriel scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Gabriel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Taylor's head.
Jayceon Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Erich Gabriel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Taylor avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gabriel.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erich Gabriel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gabriel, 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 Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erich Gabriel!