PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aldin Arifi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arifi's entrance music is Eminem - Not Afraid. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Arifi
vs
Taylor

170 cm
25
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 London, Aldin Arifi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Colin Fotheringham and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arifi misses with a wild combination.
Taylor fails with the takedown.
Taylor throws a sloppy head kick and Arifi moves out of range easily.
Arifi misses with a takedown
and Taylor makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Taylor stuffs the takedown attempt from Arifi. Arifi gets slowly back to his feet.

Arifi gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Taylor to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Taylor pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Arifi is keeping the position for now.

Arifi is looking for a triangle but Taylor pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Arifi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taylor is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Taylor postures up in Arifi's guard and throws a big left but Arifi blocks it.
Arifi keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Arifi keeping full guard, as Taylor tries to pass.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Taylor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

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.
Arifi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Arifi is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Arifi is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taylor is trying to control but can't.
Arifi 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 regains full guard. Nicely done.
Taylor trying to keep a closed guard but Arifi is proving a slippery customer.

Taylor had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Arifi defends it easily.
Taylor looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arifi is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Arifi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Arifi trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor is trying to keep Arifi in close.
Arifi tries to free his leg and advance position but Taylor is retaining full guard.
Arifi forces his way into half guard.

Arifi is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Taylor defends it well.

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.

Arifi wants to work for an arm triangle but Taylor is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Taylor is looking to improve his position.

Arifi is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Taylor defends it well.
Taylor is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Arifi's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Arifi's back!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Taylor is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Taylor dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A head kick misses from Taylor.

Arifi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
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.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Arifi from controlling successfully.
Arifi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Arifi trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Arifi tries to free his leg and advance position but Taylor is retaining full guard.
Arifi wants to control from the top but Taylor keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Arifi controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arifi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Taylor with a lazy takedown attempt

and Arifi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Arifi.

Arifi gets to his feet. Taylor looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Aldin Arifi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Arifi.
Taylor with a poor takedown

and Arifi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Taylor's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Arifi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Arifi postures up.
Arifi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taylor is keeping the position for now.

Arifi 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.
Arifi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.
Taylor being controlled here, momentarily.
Taylor trying to strike off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Arifi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Aldin Arifi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Arifi wants to control for a moment but Taylor uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Taylor tries to roll over but Arifi keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arifi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Arifi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Arifi is pressing down on Taylor's thigh, looking to free his foot. Taylor is holding on for now.
Arifi wants to control but Taylor is keeping him busy.
Arifi is thwarting Taylor's attempts to control the position.

Arifi postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Taylor to stand up.
Arifi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Taylor counters by moving into the clinch.

That's four 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.
Taylor is trying to drag Arifi to the mat but Arifi just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Aldin Arifi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Taylor.
Arifi tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Taylor smiles and moves away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Arifi is defended easily by Taylor.
A head kick from Taylor lands but Arifi takes it in his stride.
Arifi misses with a takedown

and Taylor counters with a single leg into guard. Arifi didn't expect that.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arifi is pulling down on Taylor's head to control his posture.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Arifi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aldin Arifi dominated that second round.
That's time! Arifi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Taylor shoots and misses

and Arifi counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Taylor's guard now.
Arifi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Arifi's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Arifi trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.
Taylor can't keep his opponent in guard - Arifi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Arifi is working for a submission of some sort.

Arifi is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Taylor has managed to free his arm - good work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arifi prevents Taylor from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Arifi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Taylor doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Arifi.

Arifi decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

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.
Arifi closes the distance and clinches up with Taylor, looking for a takedown. Arifi pushes Taylor against the cage but Taylor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Taylor displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Arifi.
Taylor doesn't manage to clinch there - Arifi circles away.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Arifi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Arifi tries for a takedown but Taylor circles away easily
and Taylor counters with a big head kick but Arifi shrugs it off.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aldin Arifi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arifi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Taylor pinned against the cage. Taylor gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Taylor clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries for a takedown. No joy.
Arifi tries to pull guard but Taylor holds him up against the cage and eventually Arifi drops back down to his feet.
Arifi goes for a takedown attempt but Taylor pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Taylor scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Taylor lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Arifi gets back to full guard.
Arifi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Taylor manages to get himself to full guard.
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 four minutes gone in the round.

Arifi drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Arifi jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Taylor striking from the bottom here.
Arifi postures up in Taylor's guard and throws a big left but Taylor blocks it.
Taylor working a defensive guard here.
Arifi is pushing down on Taylor's leg trying to pass to half guard. Taylor is fighting to maintain full guard but Arifi has managed to sneak the leg through.

Arifi is working for a submission of some sort.
Arifi 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aldin Arifi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Arifi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aldin Arifi!