PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rey Rosario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jo Banza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rey Rosario looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Rosario
vs
Banza

182 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
19
185 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

PhoQus Sports Enhancement

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rey Rosario!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jo Banza!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Elvis Blanc and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Banza drives through and clinches with Rosario against the cage.
Rosario looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Banza breaks from the clinch.
Rosario ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Banza stuffs the takedown attempt from Rosario. Rosario gets slowly back to his feet.
Banza shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rosario but Rosario pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Banza misses with a low kick.
Banza finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Banza throws a jab but it's blocked by Rosario.

Banza has managed to clinch.

Banza breaks the clinch.

Banza changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rosario looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Banza stands up.
Banza scores with a sloppy right hand. Rosario should have avoided that one.
Rosario looks to score with a jab to the body but Banza is just out of range.
Banza with a nice cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banza connects with a solid leg kick.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Banza.
Rosario takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Banza decides to stand back up.
Rosario takes one on the button.
Banza lands with a hook. Rosario tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rosario dodges the punch combination from Banza.
Banza jabs Rosario right on the nose. Rosario blinks but takes it well.
Banza works Rosario's body with a nice hook.
Banza thows a left - swing and a miss!
Banza lands a right hook to the body.

Banza forces Rosario back against the cage and clinches.

Banza pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banza lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A nice combination there by Banza.
Banza changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Banza.
Banza getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Banza throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rosario was covering up waiting for the punch and Banza finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rosario has a closed guard, preventing Banza from standing up.

Banza gets to his feet - Rosario follows without any prompting.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banza swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Banza tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rosario swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Banza clinches up against the cage.

Banza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rosario circles away from the clinch attempt.
Banza misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rosario.
Banza misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rosario.
Banza swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Banza cracks Rosario with a good jab.
Banza scores with the left hand. Rosario knows he should have avoided that one.
Banza throws a right and a left that Rosario avoids nicely.
Banza scores with a hook.
Banza throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banza is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round!Rosario had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rosario tries for a takedown but Banza circles away easily

and Banza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rosario stalling against the cage.

Banza gets control of Rosario's arms and successfully pulls guard. Banza will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Banza wants to stand but Rosario is controlling the position.

Banza pushes Rosario off and scrambles back to his feet.
Banza tries to clinch up but Rosario circles away and keeps his distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rosario swats away the attempt to clinch by Banza.
Rosario showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Banza.
Rosario has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jo Banza dominated that round.
That's time! Rosario's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Banza clinches up with Rosario and pushes him back against the cage.
Banza is trying to break free.
The referee calls for Rosario to work.

Banza's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Banza throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rosario stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Jo Banza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Banza lands a really nice looking cross but Rosario seems unphased.

Banza has managed to clinch.
Banza lands a body punch in the clinch.

Banza manages to break the clinch.
Banza connects with a nice looking jab.
Banza keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Banza lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Banza.
Banza bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Banza tries a low kick but Rosario avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rosario blocks a leg kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Banza!
Rosario fails with a takedown attempt.
Banza throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Banza tries to clinch but Rosario is having none of it.
Banza fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rosario takes one on the button.
Rosario pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Rosario closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rosario lands in his opponent's guard.
Banza is trying to control the position but Rosario postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rosario won't allow Banza to sweep him here.
Rosario trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Banza scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Banza moves in looking to clinch but Rosario pushes him off.

Rosario changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Banza looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Banza is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Rosario has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Rosario wants to lay and pray for a moment but Banza keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Banza can't do much from the bottom here.
Banza wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A head kick misses from Banza.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rosario throws a nice outside leg kick.
Banza throws a series of punches but Rosario moves out of range.
Banza thuds his shin into the meat of Rosario's side.
Rosario with a jab.
Rosario walks into a left hand.
Rosario takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Banza swats away the attempt to clinch by Rosario.
Banza tries to clinch up.
Rosario is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Banza misses with a jab, cross combination.
Banza throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jo Banza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rosario tries for a takedown but Banza circles away easily
and Banza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Banza gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Banza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jo Banza seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rosario takes one on the button.
Banza scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rosario takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rosario looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Banza drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Banza wants to get up but he can't break Rosario's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rosario trying to keep a closed guard but Banza is proving a slippery customer.
Banza looking to sit in guard and control but Rosario gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rosario lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banza kicks Rosario off and gets to his feet.
A big left from Banza misses.
Banza scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Rosario ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Banza gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Banza being controlled against the cage.

Banza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A slow jab from Banza misses its intended target.
Rosario tries to clinch up but Banza circles away and keeps his distance.

Banza moves into the clinch successfully.
Banza has Rosario pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rosario manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rosario has Banza pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rosario pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Banza tumbling to the mat - Rosario dives into Banza's guard.

Rosario stands up from Banza's guard - Rosario perhaps looking for a knockout.

Banza closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rosario did well to prevent Banza getting side control.
Banza wants to stand up but Rosario has a hold of him and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Banza decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Rosario clinches but Banza breaks the clinch
enabling Banza to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Banza fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Banza darts in trying to clinch
and Rosario counters with a head kick.
Banza throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Banza.
Rosario fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rosario shoots in but no luck this time.
Jo Banza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rey Rosario. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Banza scores a takedown into full mount!
Rosario takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Banza trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rosario is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Banza wants to control the pace but Rosario is squirming around nicely.
Rosario gets back to half guard.
Banza tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Rosario is trying to control but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Banza postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Rosario to stand up.
Rey Rosario is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rosario is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Banza's half guard.
Rey Rosario has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banza blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rosario.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jo Banza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Banza 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 26:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 26:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jo Banza!