PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Den Shepard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lloyd Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Banks's choice of entrance music: on fire . Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Shepard
vs
Banks

185 cm
21
248 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Den Shepard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lloyd Banks!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Radbod Blank and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Shepard throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A slapping leg kick lands for Banks.
Banks tries to clinch up but Shepard circles away and keeps his distance.
Banks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shepard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Banks uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Shepard.
Shepard takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Den Shepard has been cut.
Banks moves out of range of the strikes.
Banks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Banks drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shepard bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Banks's guard.
Banks is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shepard 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.
Shepard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Banks is keeping the position for now.

Shepard gets to his feet. Banks looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Shepard leaves Banks with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Shepard throws a nice looking combination but Banks bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Banks blocks a jab.

That's two 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.
Shepard circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shepard misses with a looping right.
Banks shoots in for a double leg but Shepard sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Banks lands with a thumping leg kick.
Shepard is breathing heavily.
A head kick by Shepard misses
and Banks counters with a leg kick.
Banks is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Shepard misses with an uppercut. Banks saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepard dodges the punch combination from Banks.
Banks fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Shepard has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Shepard takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Banks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Banks shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Shepard keeping moving, preventing Banks from controlling successfully.
Shepard looking to hit a scissor sweep but Banks is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Banks is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Banks stopping the sweep attempt from Shepard.
Banks postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Banks throws a head kick that misses.
Banks fails with an attempt to clinch.
Banks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Banks is defended easily by Shepard.
A swing and a miss from Shepard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shepard throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Banks sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks fails with an attempt to clinch.
Banks tries to clinch there but Shepard circles away.
Shepard throws an overhand right that lands on Banks's shoulder, as Banks tries to avoid the shot.
Horrible takedown by Banks or perhaps it was just good defense by Shepard which made him look bad.
Den Shepard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Banks tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shepard paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shepard jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Banks closes the distance and clinches up with Shepard, looking for a takedown. Banks pushes Shepard against the cage but Shepard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Den Shepard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lloyd Banks.

That's two 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.
Banks shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Shepard but Shepard pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Banks is breathing heavily.
Shepard swats away the attempt to clinch by Banks.
Banks throws a sloppy head kick
and Shepard counters with a series of strikes. Banks will be more careful next time no doubt.
Shepard cracks Banks with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Banks ducks under a wild hook from Shepard.
The fight stays on the outside here - Banks looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Shepard misses its intended target.
Banks misses with a takedown attempt
and Shepard counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Shepard throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Banks moves out of range as Shepard strikes.
Banks gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Shepard counters with a one-two to the body.
Shepard thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Shepard counters with a stiff right hand.
Shepard connects with a right hand. Banks shakes it off.
Banks displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Shepard throws out the jab.
A big right from Banks misses.
Banks shoots and misses
and Shepard counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Shepard is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Banks.
Shepard misses the body punch
and Banks counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Den Shepard dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Den Shepard's cut.
That's time! Shepard's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Shepard goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Banks gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Banks tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shepard just stands there and leans against the cage.
Shepard wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Banks tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shepard just stands there and leans against the cage.
Shepard wants to break free but Banks has control.
Banks keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Shepard's efforts to push away.
Shepard has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Shepard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Banks closes the distance but Shepard moves to the side
and Banks takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Banks darts in trying to clinch
and Shepard counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepard falls off balance throwing a combination
and Banks counters with a nice kick to the body.
Banks moves in looking to clinch but Shepard pushes him off.

Banks has Shepard up against the cage in a clinch.
Banks tries to pull guard but Shepard holds him up against the cage and eventually Banks drops back down to his feet.
Den Shepard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lloyd Banks.
Shepard wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepard tries to break the clinch but Banks is controlling the position.
Shepard wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Banks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shepard leaves Banks with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lloyd Banks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck for Banks with that takedown attempt.
Banks throws a sloppy head kick
and Shepard counters with a left to the body.
Banks tries to clinch up.
Banks slips a jab from Shepard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Banks feints and as Shepard raises his hands in defense, Banks changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Shepard controlling the position.
Banks prevents Shepard from getting back to his feet.
Banks postures up.

Banks got a little sloppy there for a moment and Shepard has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Banks has managed to get both his arms back between Shepard's legs - danger averted.
Shepard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Banks is controlling him.
Shepard controlling Banks's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks throws a big right hand that misses.

Shepard is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Banks defends well.
Shepard looking to control.
Shepard is looking to stand up but Banks isn't so interested in that idea.
Shepard keeping moving, preventing Banks from controlling successfully.

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 Den Shepard.
I think Shepard has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!