PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tenacity Tshabalala (ranked 4248 p4p, 4155 weight class) and Roddy Banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Banner has chosen BILMURI - LORDFARQUADZILLA as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Tshabalala
vs
Banner

190 cm
25
240
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
20
260
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tenacity Tshabalala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Roddy Banner!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Winston Howard and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tshabalala stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tshabalala wants it to stay on the feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Tshabalala!

It looks like Roddy Banner has been cut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tshabalala. Banner does a little dance to reset his feet.
Banner feints the counter takedown.
Tshabalala shoots for a double leg takedown but Banner sprawls well. He's pushed Tshabalala's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Banner shoots in but Tshabalala avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Tshabalala throws a big counter combination but Banner scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Roddy Banner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Banner lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banner tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tshabalala swivels and escapes.
Tenacity Tshabalala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roddy Banner.
Banner shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tshabalala counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Banner looks winded!

Tshabalala drives through and clinches with Banner against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tshabalala jumps guard and drags Banner to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Tshabalala trying to control the position.

Banner avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Banner throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tshabalala works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Banner postures up.
Banner wants to control from the top but Tshabalala keeps moving.

Tshabalala had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Banner defends it easily.
Tshabalala wants to stand up but Banner is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Banner controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Banner closes the distance and clinches.
Banner pressing his opponent against the cage.
Banner is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tshabalala pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Banner looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Tshabalala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Banner will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner shoots for a takedown but Tshabalala saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Banner slaps away a takedown attempt from Tshabalala, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tshabalala or perhaps it was just good defense by Banner, which made it look bad.
Tshabalala tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Banner manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Tshabalala moves into the clinch.

Tshabalala manages to break the clinch.
Tshabalala tries to clinch up.
As Tshabalala backs off Banner throws a huge counter combo but Tshabalala manages to avoid it all.
A lazy left from Banner finds it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tshabalala rushes Banner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Tshabalala has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Banner after a bit of a struggle.
Tshabalala effectively controlling the action here.

Tshabalala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Banner is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tshabalala sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Tshabalala shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Banner defends it nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sloppy strikes from Banner. Those never looked like landing.
Banner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tenacity Tshabalala dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Roddy Banner's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Banner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tenacity Tshabalala is winning the standup battle so far.

Tshabalala moves into range and clinches up with Banner.
Banner pushes Tshabalala back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Banner is working for takedown but Tshabalala is calmly controlling the position for now.
Tshabalala is defending well against a takedown attempt.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Tshabalala.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tshabalala looking for a takedown.
Banner tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tshabalala has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Banner avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Tshabalala is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Tenacity Tshabalala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roddy Banner.
Banner is breathing heavily.
Banner tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Banner.
Stalling in the clinch from Tshabalala.
Banner is looking to take this one to the mat.
Tshabalala goes for a takedown in the clinch but Banner prevents it.
Tshabalala displaying some good clinch control by pressing Banner up against the cage.
Banner is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tshabalala gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Tshabalala breaks the clinch.

Tshabalala gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Tshabalala manages to break the clinch.
Tshabalala looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Banner is looking for the big counter here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Banner counters with a one-two to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Tshabalala.

That has opened up Roddy Banner's cut even more.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tshabalala or perhaps it was just good defense by Banner, which made it look bad.
Banner shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tshabalala as he avoids it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tshabalala looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tshabalala is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Banner can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Banner as he jumps to the side.
Tshabalala scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Banner stuffs the takedown attempt from Tshabalala. Tshabalala gets slowly back to his feet.
Tshabalala scores with a jab to the jaw.

Banner shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Banner showed some decent athleticism there.
Tshabalala is looking to control Banner's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tshabalala avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner is trying to control. Tshabalala wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tshabalala throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Banner really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tshabalala. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tshabalala is staying active underneath Banner, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tshabalala slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Tshabalala bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Banner's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tshabalala controls from within his opponent's guard.

Tshabalala stands up and waves to Banner to follow him.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tenacity Tshabalala dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Roddy Banner's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Banner displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tshabalala.
Tshabalala tries to move into range but Banner moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tshabalala or perhaps it was just good defense by Banner, which made it look bad.

Banner gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tshabalala has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Banner after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tenacity Tshabalala. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tshabalala has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Banner avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tshabalala tries to throw a body punch but Banner avoids it by throwing Tshabalala back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tshabalala gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Tshabalala scores with a knee to the head.
Banner looking for a takedown.

Tshabalala pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Banner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tshabalala shoots in but Banner avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Banner slaps away a takedown attempt from Tshabalala, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Banner closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Tshabalala explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tshabalala misses with a body shot.
Banner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tshabalala paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tshabalala appears to be looking for a big counter.

Tshabalala tries to keep at a distance but Banner has taken the fight into the clinch.
Tshabalala changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Banner fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Banner closes the distance and clinches up with Tshabalala, looking for a takedown. Banner pushes Tshabalala against the cage but Tshabalala circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Tshabalala is looking to clinch.
Despite the aggression on Banner's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
A shot to the body from Banner misses
and Tshabalala counters with a three punch combo that has Banner backing up. Banner nods at Tshabalala to acknowledge the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala has a takedown stuffed.
Banner throws a series of strikes that have Tshabalala backpedaling.
Tshabalala misses with a takedown attempt - Banner sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Banner goes for a double leg but Tshabalala avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Tshabalala continues to drive forward.
Banner walks into a jab.
Banner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tshabalala moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tshabalala lands with a nice combination. Banner backs away looking to recover.
Roddy Banner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banner looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tshabalala is fending him off so far but Banner persists. Nope, Tshabalala circles away and we're back to standing.
Tshabalala is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Banner.
Tshabalala wants to clinch up but Banner keeps it at a distance.
Tshabalala shoots in for a takedown but Banner shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Banner clinches with his opponent.
Tshabalala is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Banner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tshabalala circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tshabalala scores with the left hand. Banner knows he should have avoided that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tenacity Tshabalala.
Well Tshabalala has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:28
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tenacity Tshabalala!
Roddy Banner spoke after the fight, saying 'Watch your back! I am coming for you..'.