PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ken Bera (ranked 6858 p4p, 0 weight class) and Buakaw Banchamek (ranked 3724 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Bera
vs
Banchamek

170 cm
18
136 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ken Bera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Buakaw Banchamek!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Santiago Holmes and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bera shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Banchamek but Banchamek pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nice sprawl there from Banchamek as Bera shoots in.
Banchamek is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Bera lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Bera closes this distance looking for a takedown but Banchamek circles away.
Banchamek is looking for the big counter here.
We've been informed that Banchamek has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ken Bera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bera misses with a takedown attempt - Banchamek sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bera has a takedown stuffed.
As Bera backs off Banchamek throws a huge counter combo but Bera manages to avoid it all.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bera will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Banchamek avoids the head kick by Bera.
Bera shoots in for a double leg but Banchamek sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Banchamek is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Ken Bera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Bera rushes Banchamek and presses him up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Bera's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banchamek is working Bera over against the cage.
Bera takes a knee to the side of the body.
Bera is breathing heavily.

Banchamek breaks from the clinch.

Banchamek has closed the distance and engaged Bera in a clinch.

Banchamek manages to break the clinch.
Banchamek slaps away a takedown attempt from Bera, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Banchamek takes the fight into the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Banchamek obliges.

Banchamek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Bera gets tackled into the cage by Banchamek. Banchamek maintains the clinch.
Banchamek dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Banchamek breaks from the clinch.

Banchamek clinches up against the cage.
Banchamek misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bera misses with an elbow over the top.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Banchamek.
Bera fails to pull guard.

Banchamek's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Bera instigates a clinch.

Banchamek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Banchamek fails in his attempt to clinch.

Bera has Banchamek up against the cage in a clinch.

Banchamek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Bera gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bera wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Banchamek working Bera over with knees to the body.

Banchamek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bera scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Banchamek lands a head kick. Bera smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Banchamek darts in and clinches Bera up against the cage.

Banchamek manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Banchamek as Bera shoots in.
Banchamek moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Banchamek has managed to clinch.
Banchamek is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bera is keeping busy.

Banchamek breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A slapping body kick lands there for Banchamek.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Banchamek takes the fight into the clinch.

Banchamek breaks from the clinch.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Bera is having none of it.
Banchamek lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Bera moves into the clinch.

Banchamek's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bera shoots in but no luck this time.
A head kick misses from Bera.

Banchamek gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Banchamek is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Banchamek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Banchamek rushes Bera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buakaw Banchamek 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.

Banchamek has taken the fight to the clinch.

Banchamek's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Banchamek dodges the punch combination from Bera.

Banchamek closes the distance and pushes Bera back into the cage.
Buakaw Banchamek seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Banchamek's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Banchamek tries to keep at a distance but Bera has taken the fight into the clinch.
Banchamek crunches a lovely knee into Bera's ribcage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bera avoiding damage as Banchamek throws knees to the body.

Banchamek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Banchamek tries to clinch up but Bera circles away and keeps his distance.

Bera instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bera will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Banchamek up against the cage.

Banchamek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bera blocks a head kick by Banchamek.
A quick step to the side and Bera tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banchamek is looking to clinch but Bera is avoiding it.
Bera circles away from the clinch attempt.
Banchamek keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Banchamek tries to keep at a distance but Bera has taken the fight into the clinch.

Banchamek's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bera looks for the body kick but Banchamek saw that one coming.

Banchamek moves into range and clinches up with Bera.

Banchamek's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bera fails with a takedown attempt.
Banchamek avoids the body shot from Bera.
Banchamek lands a high kick!
Banchamek tries to clinch there but Bera circles away.
Bera goes for a double leg but Banchamek avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Banchamek continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ken Bera. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Banchamek clinches up against the cage.

Banchamek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bera shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Banchamek but Banchamek pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bera avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Banchamek pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Buakaw Banchamek seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bera blocks a head kick by Banchamek.
Nice body kick there by Banchamek.
Bera blocks the body kick.
Bera throws a predictable looking body shot
and Banchamek counters with a two punch combo.

Bera forces Banchamek back against the cage and clinches.

Banchamek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bera takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Bera moves out of range.
Buakaw Banchamek is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bera shoots in for a double leg but Banchamek sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
As Bera backs off Banchamek throws a huge counter combo but Bera manages to avoid it all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banchamek scores with a push kick.
Banchamek lands with a slapping head kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bera shoots in but no luck this time.
Banchamek lands a nice looking kick to the body. Bera takes a step back to recover.

Banchamek drives through and clinches with Bera against the cage.
Bera tries to break free but Banchamek pushes him back against the cage.

Banchamek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bera shoots in looking for a takedown. Banchamek tries to sprawl out of it but Bera keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Banchamek manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Banchamek thuds his shin into the meat of Bera's side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buakaw Banchamek showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Bera fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bera closes this distance looking for a takedown but Banchamek circles away.

Banchamek has closed the distance and engaged Bera in a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Banchamek.
Bera prevents a body shot from Banchamek.
Bera jumps guard but Banchamek stands there with Bera around his waist. Bera gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ken Bera. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Banchamek breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Bera fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Banchamek, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banchamek is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bera is keeping busy.

Banchamek breaks the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Banchamek looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bera closes the distance and clinches.
A shot in the inside from Bera.

Banchamek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ken Bera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Banchamek buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Bera looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Bera is having none of it.
Banchamek thows a body kick. Bera tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Bera pushes Banchamek up against the cage in a clinch.

Banchamek breaks the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Banchamek. No joy for Bera on that attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Banchamek is looking to slow Bera down with leg kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banchamek throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Banchamek tries to clinch up but Bera circles away and keeps his distance.
Bera will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Bera fails to land the takedown.
Bera looks for a takedown but Banchamek sprawls well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bera swats away the attempt to clinch by Banchamek.

Banchamek fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bera, pushing him back against the cage.

Banchamek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bera shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Banchamek pinned against the cage. Banchamek gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Banchamek scores with a head kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Banchamek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bera darts in looking for a takedown but Banchamek gets double underhooks and turns Bera into the cage.
Banchamek is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Bera looks to land a body kick but Banchamek moved away.

Bera closes the distance and pushes Banchamek back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Banchamek breaks from the clinch.

Banchamek instigates a clinch.

Banchamek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Bera gets a takedown into half guard.
Banchamek has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Banchamek pushes Bera off and gets back to his feet.
Banchamek throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Banchamek forces Bera back against the cage and clinches.
Banchamek scores a nice knee to the body.

Banchamek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Banchamek is looking to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Buakaw Banchamek comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Banchamek 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Buakaw Banchamek!