PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Enoch Durham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jon Banting (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Enoch Durham has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Durham
vs
Banting

214 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Enoch Durham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jon Banting!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Roosa Järviläinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Durham slips a jab and a cross from Banting.
Banting keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Banting throws a looping overhand right but Durham ducks down to avoid it.
Jon Banting seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Banting stuffs the takedown.
Durham looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Banting is fending him off so far but Durham persists. Nope, Banting circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Enoch Durham. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Durham chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Banting can pounce on him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durham blocks a head kick by Banting.

Banting darts in and clinches Durham up against the cage.

Banting escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A punch combination from Banting misses.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durham misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Banting cracks Durham with an open hand slap.

Durham shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Banting is trying to escape back to his feet but Durham uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Durham will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Banting is pushing Durham's head away, looking to escape. Durham manages to hold on to the position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Durham looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Banting is avoiding damage well.
Durham prevents Banting from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banting dodges the ground and pound from Durham.
Durham wants to control but Banting is keeping him busy.
Banting wants to get back to his feet but Durham drags him back down.
Durham has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Durham lands a decent elbow from side control.
Durham in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Banting is trying to buck Durham off.
The ground and pound from Durham seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Durham looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Durham decides to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Durham changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Banting looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Durham tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Banting is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
You can see the frustration on Banting's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Banting is trying to buck Durham off.
Durham landing strikes.
Banting parries the strikes from Durham easily there. Durham is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Banting to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banting regains half guard, as Durham was trying to land strikes.
Durham missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Banting looks like he's trying to stand up.
Durham thows a huge punch but Banting dodges it nicely.
Banting moves into full guard.
Durham trying to control but Banting is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Durham working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enoch Durham dominated that round.
That's time! Durham's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Durham looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Banting is looking to stand up but Durham isn't so interested in that idea.
Enoch Durham overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Durham makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Banting is looking to stand up but Durham isn't so interested in that idea.
Durham is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Banting can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durham trying to control but Banting is working from the bottom.
Banting is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durham throwing strikes but missing.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Durham. Banting does a little dance to reset his feet.
Banting fakes the leg kick and cracks Durham in the body.

Banting fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Durham, pushing him back against the cage.
Durham jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Banting walks away with a smile on his face. Durham gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Banting throws a head kick that half lands.
Banting throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durham closes this distance looking for a takedown but Banting circles away.
Banting throws a low kick, looking for Durham's leg but Durham calmly moves out of range.
Banting displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Durham.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Enoch Durham. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Banting clinches up with Durham and pushes him back against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Banting breaks from the clinch.
Banting moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banting misses with a head kick.
Banting lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Durham circles away quickly and effectively.

Durham shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Durham not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Banting avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Durham.
Durham thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Durham working the head and body with strikes.
Durham prevents Banting from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durham lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Durham prevents Banting from standing back up.
Durham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Durham thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Banting's head.
Durham stops Banting from getting back to his feet.

Durham is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Durham working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Durham throwing shots but Banting is blocking nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Banting looks like he's trying to stand up.
Durham thows a huge punch but Banting dodges it nicely.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Banting fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jon Banting will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Durham fails with the takedown.

Banting moves into range and clinches up with Durham.
Banting tries to break free but Durham pushes him back against the cage.

Banting pulls guard successfully.
Banting is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Durham is working Banting over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durham loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Durham with a flurry of punches that miss.
Durham content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Durham is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banting wants to stand but Durham is controlling the position.
Durham trying to control but Banting is working from the bottom.
Banting has momentary wrist control but Durham slips an elbow through the middle.
Banting is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Durham is controlling him.
Durham wants to get up but he can't break Banting's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Durham prevents Banting from getting back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Banting goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Banting closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Durham decides to pull guard.
Banting is looking to stand up but Durham won't let him.
Durham throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Durham throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Banting wants to stand and escape but instead Durham has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Durham content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Durham won't allow Banting to get back to his feet.

Banting pushes Durham off and scrambles back to his feet.
Banting takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Durham fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Durham drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Banting keeping moving, preventing Durham from controlling successfully.
Durham cracks Banting with a solid left hand.
Banting is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Durham is controlling him.
Durham missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durham throwing strikes from guard but Banting blocks nicely.
Durham postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Durham wants to control from the top but Banting keeps moving.
Durham with a flurry of punches that miss.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Durham's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Durham lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Banting wants to stand and escape but Durham is having none of it.

Banting pushes Durham off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Durham really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Durham throws a combination that misses
and Banting counters with a big head kick but Durham shrugs it off.
Banting tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jon Banting.
I think Banting 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jon Banting!