PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thales Moreno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thales Moreno will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Banks
vs
Moreno

191 cm
23
205 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

190 cm
23
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Dave Banks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Thales Moreno!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Steven Brown and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Banks gets a clinch.
Moreno scores with a shoulder strike.
Banks throws an elbow that misses.
Banks tries a knee to the head but Moreno blocks it.
Banks misses with a knee to the head.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Banks changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Moreno fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Banks throws a hook to the side of Moreno's head but Moreno sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Moreno on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Banks. Banks obviously looking to wear him down.
Banks looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Moreno uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

It looks like Dave Banks has been cut.
Moreno swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Moreno has taken the fight to the clinch.
Banks has Moreno pushed against the ropes.
Banks pushes off an throws an elbow but Moreno leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
A shot in the inside from Moreno.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Banks just misses with a elbow thrown towards Moreno's brow.
Banks takes a shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banks pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Moreno misses with a takedown attempt - Banks sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Banks looks to land a combination but Moreno avoids it well.
A nice leg kick lands there from Banks.

Moreno shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Moreno trying to advance position but Banks counters by regaining guard.
Moreno prevents Banks from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Moreno pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Banks is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreno slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Banks prevents Moreno from improving position.

Moreno is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Banks is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Banks managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Moreno.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks bucks up and tries to throw Moreno off but instead Moreno has got his back!
Banks is trying to stand back up.
Moreno throwing sloppy strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Banks holding both Moreno 's hands and preventing any damage.

Moreno patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Moreno looking to break Banks's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Banks remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Moreno will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Moreno looks gassed!
Banks is trying to get back to his feet but Moreno has full control of the position and if anything, Banks has just worked his way into a worse spot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thales Moreno dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dave Banks's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Moreno fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Moreno thows a left - swing and a miss!
Banks is looking to chop away at Moreno's legs.
Dave Banks is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Banks avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Moreno slips a straight right by Banks.
Banks misses with a kick to the body.
Moreno fails to land with a series of punches.
Moreno tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Banks, as that shot connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banks defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Moreno.
Banks rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Moreno moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Banks scores with a head kick.
Banks throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Moreno.
Moreno is breathing heavily.
Banks throws a left and a right that both miss
and Moreno counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moreno stalks Banks and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Banks's face. Banks staggers backwards, shaken.
Moreno throws a left and a right that both miss
and Banks counters with a nice body kick.
Banks lands with a slapping head kick.
Moreno dodges the punch combination from Banks.
Banks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Moreno swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Moreno throws an overhand right that lands on Banks's shoulder, as Banks tries to avoid the shot.
Moreno lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Banks backs up against the ropes.

Banks pushes Moreno up against the ropes in a clinch.
Banks looking to stall.
Banks comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Moreno is looking to control Banks's arms but Banks gets an underhook and turns him. Now Moreno has his back to the ropes.
Moreno fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Banks blocking some punches.
Banks tries to stall but Moreno uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Banks connects with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreno working aggressively here.
Banks landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Moreno stalling in the clinch but Banks improves position.
Banks trying to control the position but instead, Moreno has worked for underhooks and has pushed Banks into the ropes.
Banks misses with a knee to the head.
Moreno looking to slow down the pace here.
Banks lands a nice elbow.
Banks is stalling here.
Moreno scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Moreno takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Moreno tries to pull guard but Banks holds him up against the ropes and eventually Moreno drops back down to his feet.
Dave Banks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thales Moreno.
Banks looking to throw knees to the head but Moreno is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Moreno lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Moreno throws a head punch that misses.
Banks lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Banks avoiding damage.
Moreno controlling the action here for a moment.
Banks crunches a lovely knee into Moreno's ribcage.

Banks breaks from the clinch.
Banks lands a head kick!
Banks scores with a shot to the body.
Moreno uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Banks.
Banks takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Banks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Banks thuds his right hand into Moreno's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Banks instigates a clinch.
Banks tries to land a knee to the head but Moreno blocks with his arms.
A short right from Moreno.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Banks throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Moreno blocks it with crossed arms.
Moreno scores with a shot to the side of Banks's head.
Banks has Moreno pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Moreno manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Banks is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
A short uppercut from Moreno.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Banks dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dave Banks's cut.
That's time! Banks's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Moreno.
Moreno tries to clinch up but Banks circles away and keeps his distance.
Moreno blocks a head kick by Banks.
Banks fails to land with a series of punches.
Banks throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Moreno cracks Banks with a good jab.
A jab from Moreno misses.
Banks tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Banks shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Banks scoring with strikes but Moreno is staying in there.
Moreno sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Moreno is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Banks's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Banks's back!

Moreno looking for the choke but no joy.

Banks manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Banks keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Banks fails with a takedown attempt.
Moreno lands a with a good body shot.

Banks gets caught flat footed, as Moreno shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Moreno dives into side control.
Banks is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Moreno is controlling him well.
Moreno advances to mount.
Moreno is looking to work his way around to Banks's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
You get the feeling that Banks really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Moreno gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
The fighters circle momentarily. Moreno darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Moreno throws a nice looking combination but Banks bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Banks fails in his attempt to clinch.
Banks thumps Moreno with a low kick.
Moreno scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Dave Banks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Moreno slips a jab from Banks.
The fight stays on the outside here - Moreno looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Banks throws a nice looking combination but Moreno bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Banks steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Moreno.
Banks stalks Moreno and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Moreno's face. Moreno staggers backwards, shaken.
Moreno uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Banks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
A head kick misses from Banks.
Moreno with a poor takedown
and Banks counters with an outside leg kick.
Banks doesn't manage to clinch there - Moreno circles away.
Banks lands a two punch combo.
Banks throws the left hand but Moreno avoids the punch easily.
Moreno sizes up Banks with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Banks lands a high kick!

Moreno scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Moreno tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Banks.
Moreno is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Thales Moreno comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Moreno has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thales Moreno!