PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shannon Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrei The Pitbull Arlovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
The Pitbull Arlovski

185 cm
20
199 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

191 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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, Shannon Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Andrei The Pitbull Arlovski!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor shoots for a double leg takedown but Arlovski sprawls well. He's pushed Taylor's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Arlovski looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Taylor tries to clinch there but Arlovski circles away.
Taylor turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Taylor closes the distance and pushes Arlovski back into the cage.

Taylor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Arlovski displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Taylor throws out the jab.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Arlovski swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor is looking to slow Arlovski down with leg kicks.
Shannon Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Arlovski avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor tries to clinch but Arlovski is having none of it.

Taylor shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Taylor showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Well, if Taylor is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Taylor is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Arlovski sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is looking to advance position but Arlovski won't allow it.
Arlovski wants to improve his position but Taylor is controlling well.
Taylor is thwarting Arlovski's attempts to control the position.
Taylor controlling the action here.
Taylor works his way into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Arlovski is looking to reverse the position.
Taylor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Arlovski keeps working.
Taylor scores with punches from side control.

Taylor looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
You can see the frustration on Arlovski's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Taylor has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taylor looking for a guillotine from mount but Arlovski is having none of it.
Arlovski tries to hold on but Taylor postures up.
The referee warns Arlovski that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Arlovski wants to control but Taylor is having none of it.

Taylor jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Arlovski is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Arlovski and Taylor has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

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.
Arlovski manages to get back to half guard.
Arlovski is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Taylor is nestled in close to Arlovski, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Taylor thows a huge punch but Arlovski dodges it nicely.
Taylor seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Arlovski does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are battling for position here. Arlovski manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Taylor looking to sit in guard and control but Arlovski gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Taylor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Arlovski's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shannon Taylor dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Taylor gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Taylor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Taylor clinches up against the cage.
Arlovski taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Taylor looking for a takedown.

Taylor pulls Arlovski into guard.
Taylor is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Taylor has his feet on Arlovski's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Arlovski keeps the fight on the outside.

Arlovski rushes Taylor and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor misses with an elbow over the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Arlovski fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Taylor gets caught flat footed, as Arlovski shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Arlovski trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Arlovski is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Taylor is trying to control the position but Arlovski postures up.

Taylor throws his legs up looking for a submission but Arlovski uses it to pass to side control.
Taylor is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Arlovski with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski prevents Taylor from improving his position.
Arlovski sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Taylor defending well though.

Arlovski decides to return to a standing position.
Arlovski connects with a right hand. Taylor shakes it off.
Shannon Taylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Arlovski shoots for a double leg takedown but Taylor sprawls well. He's pushed Arlovski's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Taylor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Arlovski is looking to land body kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arlovski instigates a clinch.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Arlovski with a lazy takedown attempt

and Taylor decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Arlovski's guard.
Taylor looking to pass the guard.

Arlovski is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Arlovski keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.

Arlovski looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Taylor has picked Arlovski up and slammed him! Arlovski can't keep hold of the triangle and Taylor manages to pass to side control!
An elbow from Taylor crashes against the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taylor tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Taylor has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Arlovski is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Taylor off and has taken his back!
Taylor rolls, trying to escape but Arlovski keeps control of the position.
Arlovski looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Arlovski has good solid back control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Arlovski trying to control momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Shannon Taylor will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Arlovski.
Taylor with a poor takedown

and Arlovski decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Taylor's guard.
Arlovski trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taylor wants to stand up but Arlovski is controlling him.

Taylor working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Arlovski doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Arlovski manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Arlovski looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
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 one minute gone in the round.
Arlovski slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Arlovski trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Arlovski tries for a takedown but Taylor circles away easily

and Taylor counters with a takedown into side control.
Arlovski managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Taylor.
Arlovski is pushing Taylor's head away, looking to escape. Taylor manages to hold on to the position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Taylor misses with the ground and pound.
Arlovski is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Taylor is controlling him well.

Taylor tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Shannon Taylor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Taylor trying to control the action but Arlovski is working from the bottom.
Taylor throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Arlovski decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Taylor moves into full guard.

Taylor had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Arlovski is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Taylor Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Arlovski's back instead.
Arlovski turns into Taylor and is now in his guard.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Arlovski from controlling successfully.
Taylor is looking to sweep but instead, Arlovski has passed into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski controlling the action here.
Arlovski wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taylor keeps working.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Arlovski lands a nice short elbow.
Taylor gets full guard.
Arlovski trying to control the position from guard on top but Taylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Andrei The Pitbull Arlovski has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shannon Taylor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Taylor avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Andrei The Pitbull Arlovski.
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 Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

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