PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ken Masters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Byant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Byant has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ken Masters's chin.

Masters
vs
Byant

176 cm
22
137 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
18
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Team S.W.A.T.
Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ken Masters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Byant!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Daniel Cesar and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byant circles away from the clinch attempt.
Masters is looking to clinch but Byant is avoiding it.
Masters wants to clinch.
Masters throws a head kick that misses.
Masters tries to clinch up.
Masters tries to close the distance and clinch up but Byant swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Masters is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Masters tries a head kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masters moves in looking to clinch but Byant pushes him off.

Byant drives through with a takedown into guard.
Byant stopping the sweep attempt from Masters.

Byant gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masters lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like James Byant has been cut.
Masters swinging wilding here.
Byant defending well as Masters loads up on a big left hand.
Masters fails with an attempt to clinch.
Masters wants to clinch.
Masters moves in looking to clinch but Byant pushes him off.

Byant scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The fighters are battling for position here. Masters manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Byant postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Masters is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Byant, into his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Masters drops back looking for a leg! Byant is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Byant manages to kick Masters off! Masters jumps back into Byant's guard.
Byant looking to hit a scissor sweep but Masters is one step ahead there.
Masters tries to free his leg and advance position but Byant is retaining full guard.

Byant has his feet on Masters's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Byant misses with a straight right.

Byant shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters tries to roll over but Byant keeps him under control.
Masters is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Byant's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Byant's back!
Byant breaks Masters's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Masters is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Masters is breathing heavily.

Masters is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Byant wants to pass the guard but Masters is keeping the position.

Byant drops back looking for a leg! Masters is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Masters manages to kick Byant off! Byant jumps back into Masters's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Masters working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Byant doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Byant manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byant wants to stand but Masters is controlling his posture from full guard.
Masters really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Masters tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Byant looking to pass the guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Masters tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Masters looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Byant closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Masters to the mat! Masters manages to get full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Byant dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Byant's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Masters tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Byant paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Masters is looking to clinch but Byant is avoiding it.

Byant shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Masters's guard.
Byant advances position into side control!
Masters tries to bench press Byant off him but Byant keeps the position.

Byant tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Byant is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Masters has escaped the position, nice work there.
Masters is trying to get back to half guard.
Byant is breathing heavily.
Masters wants to control but Byant postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Byant decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Masters tries to clinch up.
Masters fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ken Masters is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Byant keeps the fight on the outside.
Byant circles away from the clinch attempt.
Masters wants to clinch up but Byant keeps it at a distance.
Byant avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Masters misses with a head kick.
Masters moves in looking to clinch but Byant pushes him off.

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.

Byant closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Byant lands in his opponent's guard.
Masters 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.

Masters looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Byant won't allow Masters to sweep him here.
Byant wants to stand but Masters has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Masters looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
James Byant has got the better of the ground game so far.

Byant thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Byant slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Byant stands up from half guard.
Byant checks a leg kick.
Byant throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fight stays on the outside here - Masters looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Byant throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Masters tries to clinch up but Byant circles away and keeps his distance.
Masters moves in looking to clinch but Byant pushes him off.
Masters tries to clinch there but Byant circles away.

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.
Masters tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Byant avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Masters wants to clinch.
Masters is looking to clinch.
Byant throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Masters is looking to clinch.
Byant avoids the head kick by Masters.

Byant feints and as Masters raises his hands in defense, Byant changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Byant showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on James Byant's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Masters wants to clinch up but Byant keeps it at a distance.
Byant swats away the attempt to clinch by Masters.
Byant throws a leg kick
and Masters counters with a head kick. That will keep Byant thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
A decent looking cross lands there for Byant.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Byant - that will leave a mark!
Masters is looking to clinch but Byant is avoiding it.
Masters tries to clinch up.
Masters throws a hook but Byant avoids it easily.
Byant throws a front kick aimed at Masters's knee but Masters avoids it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Masters tries to close the distance and clinch but Byant swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Masters wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Byant decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Byant seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Masters is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). James Byant!