PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Olivier Carnot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rex Banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Carnot
vs
Banner

182 cm
20
254 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

194 cm
25
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Olivier Carnot!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rex Banner!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Edson Gomes and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Banner changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Carnot looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Banner working the body and head with strikes.

It looks like Olivier Carnot has been cut.
Banner controlling the position from side mount.

Banner is trying to get an arm triangle but Carnot is defending well.
Banner working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
A lull in the action here as Banner stalls from top position.
Carnot is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Banner is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner controlling from side mount.
Banner taking a break here but Carnot is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Banner is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Carnot is trying to stand up here but Banner is controlling him well.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Banner lands a nice short elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Banner is taking a breather. Carnot says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Carnot pushes Banner off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carnot throws a low kick but Banner avoids it.
Carnot has a takedown stuffed.
Carnot ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Banner moves away.

Banner feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Banner throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Carnot works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Banner controlling from the top position.
Banner trying to control the position from guard on top but Carnot is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner prevents Carnot from getting back to his feet.
Carnot being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Banner dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Olivier Carnot's cut.
That's time! Carnot's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Carnot tries to score with a low kick but Banner moves his leg out of the way.
Banner shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Carnot as he jumps to the side.
Banner tries a head kick but it misses.
Banner stuns Carnot with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Carnot tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Banner tries to clinch but Carnot moves out of range.
Banner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Banner forces Carnot back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carnot tries to circle away but Banner has him pinned against the cage.
Banner utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Banner landing knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Banner.

Banner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Banner shoots in for a double leg but Carnot sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Carnot takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Banner closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Banner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carnot wants to slow Banner down by chopping away at his legs.

Banner scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Banner lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Banner looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Carnot with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Banner tries to pass to full mount but Carnot defends it.
Banner stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Banner wants to control but Carnot is keeping him busy.
Carnot tries to kick Banner off but Banner keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Banner stands up out of the half guard.

Banner moves into the clinch successfully.
Banner keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Carnot's efforts to push away.
Banner landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Banner tries to score a body lock takedown but Carnot shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Olivier Carnot has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rex Banner.
Banner has Carnot pressed against the cage, preventing Carnot from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carnot wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Banner has him pressed against the cage.
Carnot is trying to break the clinch but Banner is controlling him.
Carnot fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Carnot wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Banner has him pressed against the cage.
Banner wants a takedown but no success here.

Banner tightens his grip and picks Carnot up, before dumping him to the ground. Carnot manages to land in guard.
Banner throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Banner must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Banner trying to control but Carnot is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banner tries to free his leg and advance position but Carnot is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Banner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Olivier Carnot's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Banner shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Carnot but Carnot pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Carnot chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Banner can pounce on him.

Banner scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Banner stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Banner fails with a takedown attempt.
Banner moves out of range as Carnot throws a body kick.
Rex Banner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carnot throws out a leg kick but Banner moves out of range and Carnot only half commits.
Carnot misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Banner.

Carnot moves into range and clinches up with Banner.

Banner breaks the clinch.
Banner stuffs the takedown attempt from Carnot. Carnot gets slowly back to his feet.
Carnot takes one to the chin there.
Banner chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Banner.
Banner works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carnot is not content to let Banner control the position.
Carnot being controlled for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Carnot to see if he's OK.
Carnot is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Banner has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Banner wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Carnot, who protects the arm well.
Carnot is trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Banner has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Carnot!
Banner landing shots from mount.
Olivier Carnot has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rex Banner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Carnot is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rex Banner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Banner 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 26:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rex Banner!