PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Taz Brandon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Bansa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon comes into the arena with Ace Of Spades blaring out of the sound system. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Brandon
vs
Bansa

165 cm
26
155 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

167 cm
27
155 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Taz Brandon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Bansa!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Gwen Towbar and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bansa dodges the punch combination from Brandon.
The fight stays on the outside here - Brandon looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Brandon throws a left and a right that both miss
and Bansa counters with a nice body kick.
Brandon fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Brandon closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Bansa quickly recovers to half guard.

Brandon is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bansa defends it well.
Brandon is trying to control. Bansa wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Brandon throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Brandon trying to work for an americana but Bansa has managed to regain full guard.
Brandon stops Bansa from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Brandon throws an elbow that misses. Bansa uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Brandon's guard. Nice move by Bansa!

Brandon escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bansa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bansa wants to stand and escape but instead Brandon has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Brandon trying to control the position from guard on top but Bansa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bansa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Brandon looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Brandon won't allow Bansa to get back to his feet.
Brandon throws an elbow that misses. Bansa uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Brandon's guard. Nice move by Bansa!
Brandon manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Brandon throws a sloppy strike and Bansa uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Bansa has ended up in Brandon's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bansa prevents Brandon from getting back to his feet.
Bansa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Brandon swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Bansa decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Bansa moves out of range as Brandon strikes.
Brandon fails to land the takedown.
Brandon tries to clinch up but Bansa circles away and keeps his distance.
Brandon throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bansa sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brandon fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taz Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brandon scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Bansa doesn't seem bothered though.
Bansa defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Brandon.
A lazy body kick from Brandon
and Bansa counters with a head kick.
Mike Bansa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Brandon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bansa swats away the attempt to clinch by Brandon.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A big right from Brandon misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Brandon drives through with a takedown into Bansa's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taz Brandon dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Bansa gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Brandon looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Brandon shoots in looking for a takedown. Bansa tries to sprawl out of it but Brandon keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bansa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Brandon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Brandon misses with an uppercut
and Bansa counters with a low kick, right behind Brandon 's knee.
Brandon fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bansa avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taz Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brandon goes for a double leg but Bansa avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bansa continues to drive forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandon takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Taz Brandon has been cut.
Nice elbow from Bansa.
Bansa pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Brandon takes a knee to the side of the body.
Bansa with a knee to the head.
Brandon wants to break free but Bansa has control.
Brandon tries to break free but Bansa pushes him back against the cage.
Bansa lands an elbow just above Brandon 's eye.
Brandon fails to pull guard.
Bansa with a knee to the head.
Bansa scores with a knee to the head.
Brandon managing to block the knees to the body from Bansa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandon has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bansa after a bit of a struggle.
Brandon wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Brandon changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bansa fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bansa gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Bansa pushes Brandon off and scrambles back to his feet.
Bansa takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Brandon dives in for a single leg takedown but Bansa sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandon tries to break free but Bansa pushes him back against the cage.
Bansa lands a damaging elbow.
Brandon is trying to break the clinch but Bansa has him pressed against the cage.
Bansa scores a nice knee to the body.
Bansa unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Bansa lands a good knee to the midsection. Brandon won't want to take too many of those.
Bansa creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Brandon's defenses.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Bansa obliges.
Bansa creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Bansa lands an elbow that stopped Brandon in his tracks for a moment.
Brandon drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bansa pulls his leg out and moves away.
Brandon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bansa circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brandon shoots and misses
and Bansa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Brandon goes for a double leg but Bansa avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bansa continues to drive forward.
Bansa comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Bansa scores with a knee to the head.
Bansa lands a nice elbow.

Taz Brandon's cut is getting worse.
Bansa stops a takedown attempt from Brandon.
Bansa gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Bansa landing knees to the body.
Mike Bansa seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Brandon takes an elbow to the forehead.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Brandon blocks the elbow strike.
Bansa is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Bansa obliges.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Bansa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Taz Brandon's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Brandon shoots and misses
and Bansa counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Brandon is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Brandon fails with a takedown attempt.
Taz Brandon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Brandon shoots in looking for a takedown but Bansa manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Brandon's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taz Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brandon misses with a leg kick
and Bansa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Brandon shoots in for a takedown but Bansa shows good takedown defense.
Nice shot lands for Brandon.
Brandon tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bansa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Brandon somewhat.
Brandon fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandon misses with a takedown attempt
and Bansa counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Brandon fails in his attempt to clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Brandon.
Mike Bansa seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Brandon tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bansa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Brandon somewhat.
Brandon tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bansa defends well and Brandon ends up having to push Bansa into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Bansa unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandon changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bansa fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Brandon looks for a takedown but Bansa sprawls well.
Brandon misses with a takedown
and Bansa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Brandon tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bansa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Brandon somewhat.
Brandon gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Bansa counters with a head kick that drops Brandon to the mat! Brandon scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Brandon is rocked!
Bansa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bansa slaps away a takedown attempt from Brandon, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Brandon fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice sprawl there from Bansa as Brandon shoots in.
Brandon shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Bansa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Bansa defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Brandon.
Brandon fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bansa avoids it really well and circles away.
Taz Brandon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brandon tries for a takedown but Bansa circles away easily
and Bansa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Brandon has his takedown stuffed
and Bansa counters with a left and a right... and another left... and another!! That last one turned off the lights! Brandon has no idea who he is and is as he gazes up at the spotlights. Brutal knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Mike Bansa!