Strikeforce Challengers 10 Play-by-Play: Joe Riggs vs. Louis Taylor

Main Event

First Round 

This catchweight 182-pound bout is underway.  Taylor misses with a left hand but hits with a body kick.  Riggs misses with his head kick attempt, and moves back as Taylor misses with another low kick. 

Riggs delivers a knee, but Taylor regains his composure and presses Riggs against the fence.  Riggs has under hooks, but gets taken to the ground and on his back.  Taylor is now working from Riggs's guard. 

Riggs is staying busy from his back, hitting with strikes to Taylor's face.  Taylor realizes he isn't comfortable and stands back up.  Riggs misses with a superman punch and backs away, watching out for Taylor’s power. 

Riggs gets clipped with a right hand, and then misses with his own right hook.  Riggs finally lands a solid left hand that puts him on his heels. 

Taylor misses with a left hand but hits with a spinning back elbow.  Taylor clinches with Riggs and presses him against the fence.  His takedown attempt fails and the round ends.  (Taylor 10-9)

Second Round 

A time out is called because Taylor forgot to put in his mouthpiece.  Riggs gets the action going first in the second round with a nice low kick.

He hits with another low kick, and a third.  Riggs connects with a superman punch as well.  Taylor hits with his own kick and left hand followed by an uppercut.  Taylor hits with a body shot that has Riggs backpedaling.

Riggs lands a solid left hand and then backs up as Taylor rushes in.  Taylor does land a nice combination right before he clinches and takes Riggs against the fence.  Riggs breaks free and blocks several of Taylor's punches.

Taylor shoots in for the takedown and gets it.  Taylor begins to work from side control.  He is trying to get into a mount position, but isn't very active with offensensive moves.  Both fighters now begin to hit with some light body punches.  Riggs is working to control Taylor’s arms as time ends in the round.  (Taylor 10-9)

Third Round 

Taylor comes forward in the final round and gets clipped with a Riggs kick.  Riggs lands a left hand that stumbles Taylor. 

Riggs rushes in and gets Taylor to the ground where he begins to hammer down with ground strikes.  Taylor looks hurt as he taps out after being put in a crucifix position. 

Official Decision: Riggs over Taylor, third round TKO (2:07)