PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zack Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andy Tran (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Taylor
vs
Tran

182 cm
18
208 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zack Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Andy Tran!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Alyssa Summers and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tran shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Taylor as he jumps to the side.
Taylor misses with a body kick.
Taylor misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Taylor wants to clinch up but Tran keeps it at a distance.
Tran shoots for a takedown but Taylor saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tran fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Zack Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andy Tran.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Tran sprawls well. Tran wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet.

Taylor instigates a clinch.
Tran is looking for a takedown.
Taylor controlling the action here for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tran drops down looking for an ankle pick but Taylor pulls his leg out and moves away.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Tran shows good takedown defense.
Taylor ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Taylor closes the distance and clinches up with Tran, looking for a takedown. Taylor pushes Tran against the cage but Tran circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Tran closes the distance and clinches.
Taylor is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tran pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tran is looking to control Taylor's arms but Taylor gets an underhook and turns him. Now Tran has his back to the cage.
Tran tries to pull guard but Taylor won't allow it.
Taylor drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Tran gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tran.

Taylor manages to break the clinch.
Taylor throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Taylor misses with a low kick as Tran jumps back.
Tran is looking to clinch.
Tran will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tran slaps away a takedown attempt from Taylor, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Taylor dives in for a single leg takedown but Tran sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Taylor is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tran is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Tran manages to break the clinch.
Taylor shoots in but no luck this time.
Taylor circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tran wants to clinch.
Tran fails with a takedown attempt.
Tran stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tran wants it to stay on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to clinch
letting Tran counter with a right hand.
Taylor fails with a takedown attempt.
Tran fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Taylor is looking to clinch but Tran is avoiding it.

Taylor moves into the clinch.
Tran wants a takedown but no success here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor is trying to break free.
Tran wants to break the clinch but can't.

Tran jumps guard and drags Taylor to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
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 Zack Taylor 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 tries to clinch there but Tran circles away.
Tran tries to clinch up.

Taylor tries to keep at a distance but Tran has taken the fight into the clinch.
Tran wants a takedown but no success here.

Tran manages to break the clinch.
Tran shoots in for a takedown but Taylor shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Tran closes the distance looking to clinch

and Taylor counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Taylor breaks the clinch.

Taylor rushes Tran and presses him up against the cage.
Tran tries for a takedown. No joy.
Zack Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andy Tran.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor manages to break the clinch.
Taylor tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tran sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Taylor somewhat.

Taylor closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Taylor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Tran pushes Taylor back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Tran tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Taylor smiles and moves away.
Taylor does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tran looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tran throws a head kick but Taylor moves out of range.
Tran closes this distance looking for a takedown but Taylor circles away.
Tran looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Zack Taylor is winning the standup battle so far.
Tran is breathing heavily.

Taylor closes the distance and pushes Tran back into the cage.
Tran blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Taylor lands a body punch in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Tran trying to land knees to the body.
Taylor looking for a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to score a body lock takedown but Tran shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Tran is trying to pull guard but Taylor has him pressed against the cage.
Tran is trying to break free.

Tran jumps guard and drags Taylor to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Taylor trying to control but Tran is working from the bottom.

Taylor stands up and waves to Tran to follow him.
Tran looks to score with a jab to the body but Taylor is just out of range.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Taylor with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Tran shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Taylor defends it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tran checks the leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Taylor. Those never looked like landing.
Taylor shoots in and drives through. Tran sprawls well.
Taylor keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Taylor closes this distance looking for a takedown but Tran circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Taylor moves in looking to clinch but Tran pushes him off.
Taylor shoots in for a double leg but Tran sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zack Taylor dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Tran clinches.

Taylor successfully pulls guard.
Tran trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Tran stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Tran tries to score a power double leg takedown but Taylor sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Tran somewhat.
Tran dives in and grabs Taylor's left leg, looking for a takedown. Taylor pushes down on Tran's head and hops out.
Tran takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Taylor throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tran tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Taylor manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nice sprawl there from Tran as Taylor shoots in.
Zack Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tran has a takedown stuffed.
Zack Taylor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andy Tran.
Tran dives in for a single leg takedown but Taylor sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Taylor successfully pulls guard.

Taylor had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tran defends it easily.

Taylor looking for a guillotine here but Tran defends easily.

Taylor had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tran defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to keep Tran in close.
Tran pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taylor is keeping the position for now.
Tran loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Taylor controls Tran momentarily but Tran frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor controlling the position.
Taylor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tran's guard.
Taylor won't allow Tran to sweep him here.
Taylor trying to control the position from guard on top but Tran is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tran wants to sweep but no luck.

Zack Taylor has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Tran throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tran shoots in for a takedown but Taylor shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Tran dives in and grabs Taylor's left leg, looking for a takedown. Taylor pushes down on Tran's head and hops out.
Taylor tries to clinch but Tran is having none of it.
Taylor wants to clinch up but Tran keeps it at a distance.
Taylor looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tran is fending him off so far but Taylor persists. Nope, Tran circles away and we're back to standing.
Taylor dodges the punch combination from Tran.
Taylor tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tran looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Taylor keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Tran shows good takedown defense.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Zack Taylor.
Well Taylor 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight for Zack Taylor!
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight for Zack Taylor!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Zack Taylor!

Zack Taylor wins by unanimous decision!