PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Josh Turner (ranked 1256 p4p, 63 weight class) and Desmond Fairbanks (ranked 1329 p4p, 65 weight class). Turner comes to the cage accompanied by Next Episode by Dr. Dre. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Turner
vs
Fairbanks

175 cm
33
147 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

173 cm
24
142 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Urban Fighter
BuriedAlive// Fight Gear

Velocity Fightwear
RAGS of a RONIN

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 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Josh Turner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Desmond Fairbanks!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Dmitry Maklakov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Turner ducks under a wild hook from Fairbanks.
Turner cracks Fairbanks with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Turner lands a nice hook to Fairbanks's body. Fairbanks takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Turner throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Fairbanks appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Turner looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Fairbanks tries to clinch but Turner is having none of it.
Turner throws a leg kick but Fairbanks sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Desmond Fairbanks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fairbanks throws out a loose jab but Turner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Turner throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Fairbanks sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Fairbanks throws a big shot that misses.
Turner scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Fairbanks lands with a cross.
Turner ducks under a wild hook from Fairbanks.
Fairbanks lands a nice shot to the body.
A lazy left from Fairbanks finds it's target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Turner drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Fairbanks loads up on a big right hand but Turner slips the punch.
Turner attempts a counter takedown but Fairbanks avoids it well and moves away.
Turner scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Turner shoots in but Fairbanks avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A little jabbing left from Fairbanks on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Fairbanks slips a jab from Turner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turner ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Fairbanks throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Turner attempts a counter takedown but Fairbanks avoids it well and moves away.
Turner moves out of range as Fairbanks strikes.
Fairbanks throws a shot from downtown. Turner moves away and avoids it.
Turner swings away with a body shot that misses
and Fairbanks makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Turner throws a head kick that misses.

Fairbanks gets caught napping as Turner dives in and scores a takedown. Fairbanks manages to retain guard.
Turner stopping the sweep attempt from Fairbanks.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Turner pushing down on Fairbanks's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Fairbanks makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Fairbanks.
Fairbanks wants to sweep but no luck.
Fairbanks is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Fairbanks can't keep his opponent in guard - Turner advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks is not content to let Turner control the position.
Fairbanks felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Turner trying to mount his opponent but Fairbanks defends it.
Fairbanks is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Turner's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Turner's back!
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Turner tries to break free.

Fairbanks is looking for the choke from the back position but Turner is controlling his hands well.

Turner fending off the submission attempt from Fairbanks.
Turner tries to break free.
Turner tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Turner really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks trying to control but Turner is having none of it.
Turner wants to control but Fairbanks is having none of it.
Turner gets back to half guard.
Turner wants to get back to full guard.
Turner is pressing down on Fairbanks's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Turner wants to sweep but no luck.
Fairbanks slips nicely into half guard.
Fairbanks seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks wants to take a breather but Turner is having none of it.
Turner is trying to control but can't.
Turner is pressing down on Fairbanks's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Fairbanks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Turner swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Turner isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Fairbanks stacks Turner on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Fairbanks!
Turner tries to improve position but can't.
Fairbanks tries to advance to mount but can't.
Turner struggling a bit here.
Fairbanks trying to control the position but Turner is working away.
Fairbanks taking a breather here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Desmond Fairbanks dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Turner looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Turner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Turner throws a jab but it's blocked by Fairbanks.
Turner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Fairbanks.
A telegraphed right hand from Fairbanks misses the target.
Turner fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Fairbanks manages to avoid it.
Turner takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Turner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Turner slips under a jab from Fairbanks.
Fairbanks lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
A telegraphed right hand from Fairbanks misses the target.
Turner drops down looking for a counter takedown but Fairbanks sprawls and moves away.
Turner lands with a cross.
Fairbanks on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Fairbanks connects with a body shot that sends Turner's belly button to the back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Turner steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Fairbanks.
Fairbanks throws a jab but it's blocked by Turner.
Turner just misses with a punch to the body.
Turner is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Turner ducks under a wild hook from Fairbanks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairbanks thuds his right hand into Turner's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Fairbanks cracks Turner with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Turner staying out of range there.
Fairbanks takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Fairbanks displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Turner throws out the jab.
Turner lands a head shot.
Fairbanks misses with an uppercut.
Turner moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Fairbanks chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Turner can pounce on him.
Turner's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Turner duly obliges.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fairbanks looks to throw the jab but Turner is out of range.
Turner cracks Fairbanks with a good jab.
Donk. Fairbanks catches Turner right on the button with a cross.
Fairbanks keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fairbanks catches Turner with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A big right from Fairbanks misses.
Fairbanks uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Turner.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks moves out of range of the strikes.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Fairbanks.
Fairbanks scores with a hook.
Fairbanks throws a big shot that misses.
Fairbanks takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Fairbanks checks the leg kick nicely there.
Turner moves out of range as Fairbanks strikes.
Turner needs to keep his hands up - Fairbanks had a free shot at his head there.

Turner is rocked!
Turner with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Turner lands with a hook. Fairbanks tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Fairbanks throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Turner sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Turner. Fairbanks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Turner throws a shot from downtown. Fairbanks moves away and avoids it.
Fairbanks connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Fairbanks loads up on a big right hand but Turner slips the punch.
Fairbanks fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Oh Turner is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Fairbanks looks to throw the jab but Turner is out of range.
Turner seems to have got his legs back now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Nice defenses there by Fairbanks.
Turner connects with the punch.
Turner lands a jab to Fairbanks's midsection.
Turner moves away from the strike by Fairbanks.
Turner attempts a counter takedown but Fairbanks avoids it well and moves away.
Turner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Fairbanks works the jab nicely.
Fairbanks throws a hook but Turner blocks it.
Fairbanks avoids the head kick by Turner.
Turner missing with a left hand there. Fairbanks was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Fairbanks on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Fairbanks drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Fairbanks looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fairbanks blocks a jab.
Turner scores with a hook.
Turner misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Fairbanks.
Turner uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Fairbanks.
Turner lands a leg kick that knocks Fairbanks off balance momentarily.
Turner takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Fairbanks wants to clinch up but Turner keeps it at a distance.
Desmond Fairbanks seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fairbanks swings widly with a right hand

so Turner counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Turner avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Turner is pushing down on Fairbanks's leg trying to pass to half guard. Fairbanks is fighting to maintain full guard but Turner has managed to sneak the leg through.
Fairbanks wants to get back to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fairbanks is doing well to control the position and prevent Turner from advancing to side control.
Turner wants to pass to mount but Fairbanks is defending the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Josh Turner will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A combination from Turner does no damage.
Turner bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Fairbanks gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Fairbanks scores with a shot to the body.
Fairbanks takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Turner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Turner cracks Fairbanks with a right hand to the side of the head.
Fairbanks misses with a looping right.
Fairbanks might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Turner throws a lazy uppercut
and Fairbanks counters with a straight right hand.
Fairbanks wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Fairbanks looks to throw the jab but Turner is out of range.
Fairbanks looks to throw the jab but Turner is out of range.
Turner misses with a left hand
letting Fairbanks counter with a right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fairbanks connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Fairbanks moves out of range as Turner throws a body kick.
Fairbanks is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Turner walks into a left hand.
Fairbanks misses with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fairbanks drives through and clinches with Turner against the cage.

Turner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Turner moves out of range of the strikes.
Turner misses with a low kick.
Turner throws a hook to the side of Fairbanks's head but Fairbanks sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Turner throws a hook but Fairbanks avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Turner.
Fairbanks keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fairbanks pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Fairbanks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Turner was well out of range. Poor timing from Fairbanks.
Decent striking displayed by Fairbanks there.
Fairbanks is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Turner.
Turner takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Fairbanks throws a shot from downtown. Turner moves away and avoids it.
Turner looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Turner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Turner feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Fairbankss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Fairbanks.
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!
Turner uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Fairbanks.
Turner drops down looking for a counter takedown but Fairbanks sprawls and moves away.
Turner connects with a good right hand that stumbles Fairbanks. Fairbanks circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Fairbanks misses with a looping right.

Fairbanks moves into the clinch successfully.
Turner misses with a punch to the body.
Turner is trying to push Fairbanks away but Fairbanks has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Turner creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Fairbanks lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Fairbanks makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Fairbanks scores with a nice hook to the head.
Fairbanks lands a body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fairbanks lands an uppercut.
Nice body punch from Fairbanks - that landed with a thud.
Fairbanks lands a body punch.
Fairbanks stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A shot in the inside from Fairbanks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Fairbanks scores with a shoulder strike.
Turner pushes off an throws an elbow but Fairbanks leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Fairbanks throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Turners head.

Turner breaks the clinch.
Fairbanks misses the jab.
A lazy body kick from Turner
and Fairbanks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Fairbanks catches Turner with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Oh, that's a big right hand from Fairbanks and Turner goes tumbling to the canvas! Fairbanks follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.
Fairbanks has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fairbanks trying to pass the guard but Turner defending well.
Fairbanks works his way into full mount!
Fairbanks fails to take his opponent's back.
Fairbanks looking to control but Turner is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fairbanks pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Turner has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Fairbanks's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Turner is in bad spot here.
Turner looking very determined here, making life difficult for Fairbanks.
Fairbanks keeps control of the position easily here as Turner tries to buck him off.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fairbanks trying to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Desmond Fairbanks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Fairbanks has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Desmond Fairbanks!
Desmond Fairbanks seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.