PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fletcher Banks (ranked 4025 p4p, 5339 weight class) and Anthony Smith (ranked 437 p4p, 0 weight class). Anthony Smith is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Banks
vs
Smith

183 cm
24
188
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
195
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Fletcher Banks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Anthony Smith!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Roger Salmon and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Banks throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smith.
Banks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Banks stuffs the takedown attempt from Smith. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Smith fails with a takedown attempt.
Banks thinks about countering with a head kick.
Banks tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Banks tries to keep at a distance but Smith has taken the fight into the clinch.

Smith's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A low kick lands for Banks.
Banks tries to clinch up.
Banks tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Banks.
Smith unleashes a big counter combination but Banks bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Banks gets caught flat footed, as Smith shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Smith is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Banks controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Smith advances position into side control!
Smith working away.
Smith slows the pace down.

Smith stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Smith throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Banks was covering up waiting for the punch and Smith finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Banks wants to get back to his feet but Smith passes into half guard.
Banks is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Banks knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smith on the ground.
Smith lands strikes from half guard.
Smith sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Banks defending well though.
Smith controlling the action here.
Smith has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Smith is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Banks to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Banks shrugs it off.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Smith is in the full mount, landing strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Smith dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Banks fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
Smith looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Banks pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Banks misses the jab.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Smith wants a takedown.
Banks is looking to break free of the clinch but Smith has double underhooks.
Smith tries for a takedown but Banks manages to get underhooks.

Smith manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Banks looking to sit in guard and control but Smith gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banks wants to stand but Smith is controlling the position.
Banks being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Smith drops back looking for a leg! Banks is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Banks manages to kick Smith off! Smith jumps back into Banks's guard.
Banks can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Smith controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Smith stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Smith shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Banks defends it nicely.
Fletcher Banks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anthony Smith.
Banks keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Smith gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Smith prevents Banks from breaking the clinch.
Banks is trying to pull guard but Smith turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Smith manages to pull guard.

Smith is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Banks is aware though and is defending well.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Smith is adopting a defensive guard.
Smith manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Banks manages to get himself to full guard.

Smith passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Banks is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
A lull in the action here.
Banks pushes Smith away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Smith gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Banks bucks up and tries to throw Smith off but instead Smith has got his back!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Smith missing with punches from the back.

Smith is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Banks defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Smith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Banks sprawls well. Banks wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Smith displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Banks throws out the jab.
Banks is looking to clinch.
Banks shoots in and drives through. Smith sprawls well.
Smith wants to counter the offense by Banks and move into the clinch position.
Banks throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
Smith feints a jab promting Banks to slip. Smith then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Banks slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

Smith takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banks looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Smith is trying to trip Banks. He has hold of a leg but Banks is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Smith persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Banks wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Smith manages to pass to side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Anthony Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith thows a huge punch but Banks dodges it nicely.
Smith has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Smith lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Banks hang on?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith lands a couple of good shots and Banks has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
What can Banks do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

Banks is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Smith controlling from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith working for the choke.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Smith. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Smith slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

Smith looking for the RNC.
Smith scores with punches and elbows.
Smith looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Smith controlling the position well here. Banks rolled but Smith kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks is trying to get back to his feet but Smith has full control of the position and if anything, Banks has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Smith is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Banks has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Banks is trying to get back to his feet but Smith has full control of the position and if anything, Banks has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Banks defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith keeps control of the position easily here as Banks tries to buck him off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smith winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anthony Smith!