PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Olu Banjo (ranked 3608 p4p, 2506 weight class) and Jean Paul Savette (ranked 241 p4p, 175 weight class). Olu Banjo has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Banjo
vs
Savette

169 cm
23
136
4 - 4 - 0

172 cm
21
148
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Champion Apparel
Gatoroids

Brooklyn Apothecary

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Olu Banjo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jean Paul Savette!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banjo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Savette.
Nice body punch from Banjo.
Banjo throws a body punch but Savette moves out of range.
Banjo thows a left - swing and a miss!
A head kick misses from Savette.
Banjo misses the shot to the body.
Savette takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Savette fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Savette throws a shot from downtown. Banjo moves away and avoids it.
Banjo is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Banjo scores with a shot to the body.
Good leg kick by Savette.
Banjo misses with a shot to the body
and Banjo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Savette throws a big shot that misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Savette misses the target.
Jean Paul Savette seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Savette throws a big shot that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters circling - Savette throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Savette misses with an uppercut. Banjo saw that one coming.
Banjo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Banjo punishes Savette's body with a nice straight punch.
Savette thumps Banjo with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banjo pushes Savette up against the cage in a clinch.
Banjo is trying to pull guard but Savette turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Banjo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Savette walks away with a smile on his face. Banjo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Savette with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Savette keeps the fight on the outside.
A big left from Savette misses.
Savette turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Banjo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Savette throws out the jab.
Savette misses with a looping left.
Banjo wants to clinch up but Savette keeps it at a distance.
Savette misses the jab.
A counter left hand to the body from Banjo misses its target.
A nice leg kick from Savette, right into the meat of the thigh.
Savette throws a shot from downtown. Banjo moves away and avoids it.
Savette throws a hook but Banjo blocks it.
Savette throws a head kick that misses.
Banjo moves out of range as Savette strikes.
Banjo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banjo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Savette.
Banjo ducks under a wild hook from Savette.
Banjo is looking to wear down Savette with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Savette throws a hook but Banjo blocks it.
Savette fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Banjo checks it well.
Savette tests Banjo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Banjo lands a nice looking body shot.
Savette throws a body shot but no joy.
Banjo takes a swing at Savette's ribcage but misses.
Banjo moves out of range as Savette strikes.
Banjo wants to clinch up but Savette keeps it at a distance.
Savette fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Banjo has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Banjo swings for the body but Savette moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Banjo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Savette throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Banjo counters with a two punch combo.
Banjo lands with a right hand.
Banjo throws a body shot but no joy.
Banjo is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Savette misses with an uppercut.
Banjo throws a body shot but no joy.
Savette swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Banjo moves out of range of the strikes.
Savette lands a leg kick that knocks Banjo off balance momentarily.
Savette moves into range and connects with a jab.
A swing and a miss from Savette.
Banjo digs a good body shot into Savette's ribs.
Savette misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Banjo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Savette.
A leg kick checked by Banjo.
Banjo comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A low kick lands for Savette.
Nice defenses there by Savette.
Savette swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Savette misses the jab.
Banjo takes a swing at Savette's ribcage but misses.
Savette keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banjo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Savette.
Banjo swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banjo works Savette's body with a nice hook.
Savette throws a big shot that misses.
Banjo lands a jab to Savette's midsection.
Savette fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Banjo has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Banjo tries to close the distance and clinch but Savette swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Savette thumps Banjo with a low kick.
Banjo misses with a wild body shot.
Savette swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Banjo misses the shot to the body.
Savette throws a looping overhand right but Banjo ducks down to avoid it.
Banjo ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
A shot to the liver by Banjo. Beautiful body shot.
Savette jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Savette misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Banjo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Savette.
Savette walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Banjo checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Banjo swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Savette with the inside leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Paul Savette 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.

Banjo moves out of range of the body kick from Savette.
Banjo was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Banjo misses with a wild body shot.
Banjo jabs at Savette's body.
A telegraphed right hand from Savette misses the target.
Banjo was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Savette has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Savette connects with the punch.
Savette scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Savette is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Banjo.
Banjo appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Savette lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Banjo at a distance.
Banjo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banjo slips a straight right by Savette.
A quick step to the side and Banjo tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banjo misses with a wild body shot.
Savette feints a counter leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Banjo. Savette does a little dance to reset his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banjo swings for the body but Savette moves out of range.
Savette throws a right and a left that both miss.
A counter left hand to the body from Banjo misses its target.
A nice leg kick from Savette, right into the meat of the thigh.
Savette jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Savette is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Banjo.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Banjo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savette uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Banjo.
Savette throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Savette misses with a leg kick
and Banjo makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A swing and a miss from Savette.
Banjo appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Savette misses the shot to the body.
Jean Paul Savette seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Savette throws a lazy right hand but Banjo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Savette looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Savette misses with a hook. Banjo ducked under it nicely.
Banjo slips a jab and a cross from Savette.
Banjo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Savette.
Banjo with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Savette looks to score with a jab to the body but Banjo is just out of range.
Savette takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Savette lands with a cross.
A slow jab from Savette misses its intended target.
Savette throws a push kick but Banjo slaps the foot to one side.
Banjo appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Savette.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Savette throws a lazy uppercut
and Banjo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Savette thinking.
Savette pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Savette jabs Banjo right on the nose. Banjo blinks but takes it well.
Savette misses with an uppercut. Banjo saw that one coming.
Banjo looks to score with a jab to the body but Savette is just out of range.
Banjo slips under a jab from Savette.
Banjo has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Savette missing with a left hand there. Banjo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Savette throws a jab when Banjo was well out of range.
Banjo misses with a wild body shot.
Banjo takes a swing at Savette's ribcage but misses.
Banjo scores with a jab to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Banjo. Savette does a little dance to reset his feet.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Banjo checks a leg kick.
Savette lands a body shot.
Savette misses with an uppercut.
Savette scores with a jab. Banjo acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Savette.
Banjo wants to clinch.
Savette attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Savette throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Banjo jabs Savette to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Banjo. Savette does a little dance to reset his feet.

Banjo closes the distance and clinches.
Savette fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Savette breaks from the clinch.
Banjo blocks a low kick nicely.
Savette misses with the combination.
Banjo scores with a hook to the body. Savette takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Savette misses with an uppercut. Banjo saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Savette lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Savette misses with an uppercut. Banjo saw that one coming.
Savette jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Savette looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Banjo moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Savette misses with a few strikes there.
Savette throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Savette scores with a jab to the body.

Banjo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Banjo manages to break the clinch.
Savette takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Savette throws a series of punches but Banjo avoids them all with ease.
Savette with a hook.
Savette throws a lazy head kick
and Banjo counters with a left to the body.
Savette is breathing heavily.
Nice defenses there by Banjo.
Banjo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Savette manages to avoid it.
Banjo tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Paul Savette showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Banjo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Savette.
Savette throws a jab but it's blocked by Banjo.
Banjo was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Savette throws a lazy right hand but Banjo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Banjo appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Savette uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Banjo.
Savette throws a looping overhand right but Banjo ducks down to avoid it.
Savette throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
It looked like Banjo was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Savette.
Banjo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Banjo checks a leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Savette.
Banjo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Savette.
Savette misses with a straight right.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Banjo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Savette jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Banjo clinches.
Banjo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Savette walks away with a smile on his face. Banjo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Savette uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Banjo.
Savette misses with a series of wild punches.
A quick step to the side and Banjo tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savette takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Banjo moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Some wild striking there from Savette.
Savette dodges the punch combination from Banjo.
Savette throws a low kick but Banjo moves out of range easily.
Banjo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A combination from Savette does no damage.
Banjo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Savette feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Banjos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Banjo punishes Savette's body with a nice straight punch.
A big left from Savette misses.
Savette throws a lazy right hand but Banjo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Banjo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Savette circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banjo tries to clinch but Savette is having none of it.
It seemed like Savette was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A telegraphed right hand from Savette misses the target.
Savette keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Savette swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Savette tried to score with a low kick but Banjo checks it.
Banjo is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Banjo doesn't manage to clinch there - Savette circles away.
Savette lands an overhand right.

Banjo drives through and clinches with Savette against the cage.

Banjo breaks from the clinch.
Banjo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Savette lands a leg kick that knocks Banjo off balance momentarily.
Savette misses with an attempted mid kick.
Savette fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Banjo on the side of the head.
Banjo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A quick step to the side and Banjo tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banjo throws a body shot but no joy.
Savette scores with a leg kick.
Banjo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Savette.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banjo takes a swing at Savette's ribcage but misses.
Savette throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Savette looks to throw the jab but Banjo is out of range.
Savette missing with a left hand there. Banjo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A big left from Savette misses.
Savette throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Banjo misses the shot to the body.
Savette tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Banjo is able to avoid easily.
Banjo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Banjo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Banjo throws out a loose jab but Savette uses good head movement to avoid it.
Banjo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Savette was well out of range. Poor timing from Banjo.
Banjo moves out of range of the strikes.
Banjo swinging wildly here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Savette throws a head kick that misses.
Savette rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Banjo counters with a stiff right hand.
A punch combination from Banjo misses.
Savette looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Savette throws a big shot that misses.
Banjo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Banjo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Savette misses with a hook to the ribs.
Savette working aggressively here.

Banjo manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banjo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Banjo is pulling down on Savette's head. It's preventing any offense from Savette, at least for the moment.

Banjo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Savette doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Savette manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

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 Olu Banjo.
I think Savette has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jean Paul Savette!