PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Artur Banas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rajesh Koothrappali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Koothrappali is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Punjab. Rajesh Koothrappali has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Artur Banas's chin.

Banas
vs
Koothrappali

176 cm
21
148 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

177 cm
24
148 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

CEC Nutrition Q160 & Loans

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Artur Banas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rajesh Koothrappali!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Koothrappali throws a push kick but Banas slaps the foot to one side.
Banas keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Banas moves into the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Banas.
Banas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Banas leaning against his opponent.

Koothrappali drags the fight down to the ground.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Banas is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Banas throwing strikes from guard but Koothrappali blocks nicely.
Banas sitting in guard here, content to control.

Banas thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Koothrappali controls Banas momentarily but Banas frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Koothrappali is looking for a triangle but Banas pushes his legs off easily.
Banas is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Banas landing some decent shots from guard.

Banas got a little sloppy there for a moment and Koothrappali has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Banas has managed to get both his arms back between Koothrappali's legs - danger averted.
Banas looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banas works over Koothrappali with some ground and pound from guard.
Koothrappali is trying to keep Banas in close.
Banas is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Banas with a flurry of punches that miss.
Banas controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Banas slips nicely into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Banas in particular looking to stall.
Banas missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Banas prevents Koothrappali from improving his position.
Banas controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Artur Banas wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Banas bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Koothrappali's head.
Koothrappali tried to score with a low kick but Banas checks it.
Banas cracks Koothrappali with an open hand slap.

Banas closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Koothrappali makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Koothrappali.
Banas pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Koothrappali is keeping the position for now.

Koothrappali has his foot on Banas's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Banas works his way back into a safe position though.
Banas sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banas's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Koothrappali working for a triangle but Banas defends it easily.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Banas engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banas with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Banas is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Artur Banas dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Banas scores with a jab to the body.
Banas lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Koothrappali fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Banas manages to avoid it.
Banas looks to throw the jab but Koothrappali is out of range.
Koothrappali feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Banass jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Banas is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Banas scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Artur Banas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Banas performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Koothrappali is trying to maintain the position but Banas is very close to passing his half guard.
Banas wants to pass to mount but Koothrappali is defending the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice strikes from Banas there.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koothrappali is looking to control Banas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Koothrappali avoid being mounted?
Banas slips a nice elbow through Koothrappali's hands, connecting with Koothrappali's forehead.
Koothrappali has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Banas is working away from the top position though.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Koothrappali connects with a nice looking jab.
Koothrappali connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Banas wants to slow Koothrappali down by chopping away at his legs.
Koothrappali throws a low kick but Banas moves out of range easily.
Koothrappali throws a leg kick but Banas sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Banas looking to score a takedown here. Koothrappali is defending well but Banas drives through and ends up in Koothrappali's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Banas is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Koothrappali had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Banas defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banas pushing down on Koothrappali's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Banas is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Koothrappali taking some punishment here, with Banas in his half guard.
Banas is pressing down on Koothrappali's thigh, looking to free his foot. Koothrappali is holding on for now.
Banas seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Koothrappali blocking the ground and pound attempt from Banas.
Koothrappali is looking to improve his position.
Banas not doing much here.
Koothrappali moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banas postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Banas controls from within his opponent's guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Artur Banas.
Banas shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Koothrappali eats them both and turns towards Banas to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Koothrappali misses with an uppercut. Banas saw that one coming.
Good leg kick by Koothrappali there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Banas keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Koothrappali.
Koothrappali misses with a looping right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Banas clinches.
Banas blocks an elbow strike.
Banas lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Banas blocks an elbow strike.
Banas works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nice body punch from Banas.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banas manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Banas is struggling to control the position.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Banas makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Banas lands a hook that snaps the head of Koothrappali backwards.
Koothrappali being controlled against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Artur Banas dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Banas moves out of range as Koothrappali strikes.
Banas connects with a nice looking jab.

Banas closes the distance and pushes Koothrappali back into the cage.
Koothrappali jumps guard but Banas stands there with Koothrappali around his waist. Koothrappali gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Banas.
Banas has Koothrappali pushed against the cage.
Banas lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Koothrappali backwards.
Koothrappali taking a breather.
A shot in the inside from Banas.
Koothrappali looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Banas's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Koothrappali throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Koothrappali tries to land knees in the clinch but Banas avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banas manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Koothrappali takes a shot to the head.
Banas lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Banas is struggling to control the position.
Banas misses with the head strike.
Koothrappali misses with a knee to the head.
Koothrappali letting Banas take a breather here.
Koothrappali throws an elbow but it misses.
Banas lands a body shot in the clinch.
Banas has Koothrappali pushed against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Artur Banas.
Banas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Banas rushes Koothrappali and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banas makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Koothrappali is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Koothrappali is trying to maintain a safe position but Banas gets an underhook and turns Koothrappali into the cage.
Banas lands with a left to the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Banas takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Banas lands a left hand.
A short right from Banas.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Banas stalling.
Banas lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Koothrappali throws an elbow but misses.
Banas lands a hook that snaps the head of Koothrappali backwards.
Banas lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Koothrappali with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Koothrappali being controlled against the cage.
Banas lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banas avoids a wild elbow strike from Koothrappali.
Banas stalling in the clinch.
Banas avoids the elbow strike from Koothrappali, against the cage.
Banas makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Banas lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Banas looking to throw knees to the head but Koothrappali is blocking nicely.
Banas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Banas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Banas lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Koothrappali backwards.

Koothrappali pulls guard effortlessly.
Banas wants to pass the guard but Koothrappali is keeping the position.
Koothrappali has momentary wrist control but Banas slips an elbow through the middle.
Koothrappali trying to control the position.
Banas stays in close to Koothrappali's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Koothrappali working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Banas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Banas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rajesh Koothrappali has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banas advances position into side control!
Koothrappali is being controlled here.
Koothrappali can't do much from the bottom here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Koothrappali is looking for a sweep.
Koothrappali is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Koothrappali on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Banas working the ground and pound.
Artur Banas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Koothrappali is looking for a sweep.
Banas lands a decent elbow from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Artur Banas showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Banas, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Artur Banas!
A relieved looking Artur Banas thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.