PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Darrius Styles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Herald Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Smoke the Fire!!. Herald Taylor will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Styles
vs
Taylor

180 cm
20
135 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

198 cm
30
129 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Darrius Styles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Herald Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Colin Fray and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
An inside leg kick lands from Taylor.
Styles looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Taylor shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Styles really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Taylor passes the guard and advances to mount!
Taylor lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Taylor can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Styles is looking to escape.
Taylor tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Taylor raining down shots from the mount!
Taylor landing shots from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor wants to control the pace but Styles is squirming around nicely.
Styles takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Taylor gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Taylor lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Styles is rocked!
The fighters circle momentarily. Taylor darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Oh Styles is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Taylor throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Styles was covering up waiting for the punch and Taylor finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Styles is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Styles is thwarting Taylor's attempts to control the position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor trying to control from the bottom.
Taylor wants to improve his position but Styles is controlling well.
Styles seems to have got his legs back now.
Taylor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Taylor.
Taylor is trying to control the position but Styles postures up.
Taylor seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Herald Taylor wasn't active enough on the ground.
Taylor lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Styles keeps the fight on the outside.
Styles tries to land a body kick
and Taylor counters with a good, hard body kick but Styles shrugs it off.

Taylor darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Taylor is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Styles!
Taylor lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Taylor controlling from mount.
Taylor raining down shots from the mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor controlling the position easily from mount.
Styles takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Taylor is landing with some decent strikes but Styles is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Taylor gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
A nice leg kick lands there from Taylor.
Taylor shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Styles eats them both and turns towards Taylor to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Taylor throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Styles tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Taylor is in Styles's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Taylor pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Styles is keeping the position for now.
Taylor trying to control but Styles is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Herald Taylor dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Taylor clinches up against the cage.

Taylor ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Taylor no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Taylor is trying to control the position but Styles postures up.
Styles trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Taylor not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Herald Taylor hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Taylor will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Taylor shoots in and bounces Styles off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Taylor 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Taylor must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Styles is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taylor wanted to stand there but Styles had control of the position.
Taylor looking to sit in guard and control but Styles gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Styles won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.
Taylor pulls Styles in close to his closed guard and prevents Styles from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to sweep here but Styles controlling him for the moment.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Taylor is pulling down on Styles's head to control his posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Herald Taylor hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Styles shoots and misses
enabling Taylor to counter with a crisp jab.

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

Taylor is trying to trip Styles. He has hold of a leg but Styles is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Taylor persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Styles keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
Herald Taylor has got the better of the ground game so far.
Styles can't keep his opponent in guard - Taylor advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Taylor lands a nice short elbow.

Taylor is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Taylor throwing shots but Styles is blocking nicely.
Taylor is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Taylor controlling the action here.

Taylor is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Styles has managed to free his arm - good work.
Taylor passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Darrius Styles is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Taylor moves into range and clinches up with Styles.

Taylor jumps into guard, dragging Styles to the mat.
Styles won't allow Taylor to sweep him here.
Taylor working a defensive guard here.
Taylor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Taylor keeping full guard, as Styles tries to pass.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Taylor is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Herald Taylor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Taylor rushes Styles and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Taylor working Styles over with knees to the body.
Taylor lands a knee to the head.
Taylor stalling.

Taylor manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Styles postures up.
Taylor lands a decent punch to the body there.
Taylor throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Taylor looking to hit a scissor sweep but Styles is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Taylor lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Styles!

Taylor looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Taylor can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Styles is looking to escape.
Taylor working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor lands with some strikes.
Styles is squirming around, avoiding Taylor's attempts to control the action.
Taylor might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Styles kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Styles is looking to improve his position but Taylor isn't that keen on the idea.
Taylor looking to control but Styles is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Styles defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Taylor.
Taylor trying to control but Styles is having none of it.
Styles might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Styles is squirming around, avoiding Taylor's attempts to control the action.

Taylor working for a guillotine from mount but Styles is in no mood to give up.
Styles is bucking up trying to escape but Taylor cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Herald Taylor is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Taylor looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Styles is trying desperately to improve position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor controlling his opponent.
Darrius Styles has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Herald Taylor has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Taylor lands a head kick!

And that's the end of the fight!
Herald Taylor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Taylor 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 26:30
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 26:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Herald Taylor!