PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Van Der Weed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lamont Banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lamont Banner has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Der Weed
vs
Banner

191 cm
27
205 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

185 cm
23
223 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Van Der Weed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lamont Banner!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Patrick Alders and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Weed keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Banner scores a takedown into full mount!
Weed is wriggling around trying to escape.
Weed bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Banner working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Weed.
Weed throws a big right hand that misses.
Weed has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Banner is looking for a triangle but Weed pushes his legs off easily.
Weed looking to pass the guard.

Weed has gone for a leg lock! Banner slips out almost immediately though and dives into Weed's guard.
Banner forces his way into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Banner seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banner is working for a submission of some sort.

Banner is working for a kimura but Weed is defending it quite comfortably.
Banner prevents Weed from improving his position.

Banner is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Banner looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Weed works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weed 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.

Weed uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Weed tries to clinch but Banner moves out of range.
Weed moves in looking to clinch but Banner pushes him off.
Weed moves in looking to clinch but Banner pushes him off.
Banner throws a leg kick but Weed checks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Weed. Beautiful body shot.
Banner throws a body kick that misses.
Banner misses the shot to the body.
Banner throws a jab but it's blocked by Weed.
Van Der Weed is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Weed loads up on a big right hand but Banner slips the punch.
Weed wants to clinch.
Banner looks to land a right hand but Weed moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner is trying hard to land a takedown here. Weed sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Banner moves into range and connects with a jab.
Lamont Banner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Banner throws a lazy uppercut
and Banner takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Weed tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Banner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Banner keeps the fight on the outside.
Weed tries to clinch up but Banner circles away and keeps his distance.
Weed is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Weed ducks under a wild hook from Banner.
Banner swings widly with a right hand
and Weed makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lamont Banner dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Banner feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Weeds jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Weed pushes Banner up against the cage in a clinch.
Weed working aggressively here.
Banner goes for a takedown in the clinch but Weed prevents it.
Weed misses with some punches.

Banner pulls guard successfully.
Weed has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Banner is proving hard to escape from.

Weed postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Banner is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Weed, into his guard.

Banner drops back, looking for a kneebar! Weed looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Weed looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Weed!

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner is trying to improve his position.
Weed tries to get to his feet but Banner is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Weed in his guard.
Banner manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Banner is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Weed is surviving well by controlling Banner's body position as best he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Banner looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Banner moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Weed has worked his arm free - good work by Weed!
Weed manages to work his way to half guard, despite Banner's best efforts.

Banner is working for a kimura but Weed is defending it quite comfortably.
Weed tries to get to full guard but Banner has control of the leg.

Banner is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Weed defends it well.

Banner wants to work for an arm triangle but Weed is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Weed looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Weed is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Banner passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Weed!
Weed slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Banner looking for a submission but Weed manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Banner looking to pass the guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Weed is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Weed stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Banner swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Banner looking for a sweep. Not yet Banner, not yet.

Weed avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Weed postures up in Banner's guard and throws a big left but Banner blocks it.
Weed postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Weed accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Weed throws an elbow that misses. Banner uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Weed's guard. Nice move by Banner!

Banner is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Weed is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Weed has escaped and now he's on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lamont Banner will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Banner connects with a right hand. Weed shakes it off.
Banner throws a lazy uppercut
and Weed makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Banner really felt that one!
Banner swats away the attempt to clinch by Weed.
Banner shoots in but Weed avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Weed slips a straight right by Banner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner throws a lazy uppercut
and Weed counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Banner lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Weed fails with an attempt to clinch.
Weed misses with a body kick.
Lamont Banner seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Banner keeps the fight on the outside.
Banner misses with a looping left.
Banner misses with a straight left.
Weed tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weed fails in his attempt to clinch.
Weed wants to clinch.
Weed digs a good body shot into Banner's ribs.
Banner throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Weed is looking to clinch.
Banner blocks the body kick.
Weed throws a left and a right that both miss
and Banner counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner tries to score a power double leg takedown but Weed sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Banner somewhat.
Weed connects with a good right hand that stumbles Banner. Banner circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Banner misses with a straight right.
Banner misses with an uppercut
and Weed counters with a stiff right hand.
Weed tries to close the distance and clinch up but Banner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Weed tries to clinch but Banner moves out of range.
Lamont Banner is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice takedown defense from Weed. No joy for Banner on that attempt.
Van Der Weed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lamont Banner.
Banner throws a series of punches but Weed moves out of range.
Weed tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Banner manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Banner misses with a takedown attempt - Weed sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Weed moves in looking to clinch but Banner pushes him off.
Weed tries to close the distance and clinch up but Banner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Van Der Weed has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Weed rushes Banner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Van Der Weed showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Banner 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!