PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Enzo De Luca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). De Luca has chosen Crank that as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Banks
vs
De Luca

191 cm
23
205 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

195 cm
20
207 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Dave Banks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Enzo De Luca!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Sam Margolis and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from De Luca.
Banks shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
De Luca avoids a kick to the body.

Banks gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows De Luca to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Banks wants to stand and escape but De Luca is having none of it.

De Luca drops back, looking for a kneebar! Banks looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Banks looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Banks!
The ground and pound from Banks seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Banks is breathing heavily.
De Luca is trying to control Banks's posture but Banks avoids it.
De Luca is looking to regain half guard here but Banks keeps moving and retains side control.
De Luca is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Luca keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
De Luca is looking to control Banks's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can De Luca avoid being mounted?
Banks missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
De Luca showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Banks.
Banks throws a nice looking combination but De Luca bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Banks tries to close the distance and clinch but De Luca swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Banks shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
De Luca misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Banks misses with a double jab
and Banks takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Banks tries to clinch but De Luca is having none of it.
Banks misses with a body kick.
De Luca wants to clinch up but Banks keeps it at a distance.
De Luca throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Banks avoids a punch combination nicely.
De Luca lands with a shot to the body.
De Luca scores with a three punch combo!

It looks like Dave Banks has been cut.
De Luca lands with a thumping leg kick.
De Luca throws a right hand that Banks ducks under and follows up with a left that Banks also avoids with ease.
De Luca throws a nice head kick!

Banks gets caught flat footed, as De Luca shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
De Luca throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Luca throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
De Luca pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Banks is keeping the position for now.
De Luca trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
De Luca loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Banks can't keep his opponent in guard - De Luca advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
De Luca thows a huge punch but Banks dodges it nicely.
De Luca not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
De Luca tries to bum rush Banks with a series of wild strikes but Banks uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
De Luca connects with a good right hand that stumbles Banks. Banks circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

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.
A right-left combo lands from De Luca.
Banks displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from De Luca.
Banks keeps the fight on the outside.
De Luca with a hook.
De Luca is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
De Luca connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
De Luca wants to clinch up but Banks keeps it at a distance.
De Luca looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
De Luca scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Banks doesn't seem bothered though.
Banks throws a lazy body kick
and De Luca counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
De Luca lands a lovely overhand right.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enzo De Luca dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dave Banks's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Banks takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

De Luca shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
De Luca thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Banks is squirming around, avoiding De Luca's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Banks is trying to stand up.
De Luca lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

De Luca looking to secure an arm triangle but Banks defends it well.
Banks's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Luca with a couple of short strikes.
De Luca is landing with some decent strikes but Banks is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
De Luca with a couple of short strikes.

De Luca looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

De Luca is standing up, even though he is in mount.
De Luca throws a sloppy head kick and Banks moves out of range easily.
Banks throws a lazy head kick
and De Luca counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
De Luca misses with a double jab.
De Luca has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
De Luca fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nice defenses there by De Luca.
Banks is on the wrong end of a nice combination from De Luca.
Banks throws a lazy head kick

and De Luca counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Banks!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

De Luca goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Banks is on top in guard.
Banks with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
De Luca is trying to control the position but Banks postures up.

De Luca escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Banks gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Banks in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks trying to control but De Luca is working from the bottom.
Banks looking to pass the guard.
Banks postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
De Luca working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Banks.
Banks trying to control the position from guard on top but De Luca is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
De Luca connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Dave Banks is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
De Luca stuns Banks with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
De Luca lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Banks backs up against the ropes.
De Luca misses with the combination.
De Luca misses with the combination.
Banks tries to land a leg kick but De Luca saw it coming and moves away.
De Luca uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Banks has time to react.
De Luca tries to score a power double leg takedown but Banks sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten De Luca somewhat.
De Luca connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enzo De Luca showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dave Banks's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

De Luca lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Banks misses with a double jab
and Banks takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Banks walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A nice inside leg kick there by De Luca. That's going to slow Banks down.
De Luca misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
De Luca fails in his attempt to clinch.
De Luca fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Banks looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
De Luca lands a jab to Banks's midsection.
Banks walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
De Luca shoots for a double leg takedown but Banks sprawls well. He's pushed De Luca's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
De Luca throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Banks misses with an uppercut. De Luca saw that one coming.
De Luca scores with a jab to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
De Luca scores with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Luca fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Banks.
De Luca will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Decent striking displayed by De Luca there.
De Luca lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Banks takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
De Luca shoots in and drives through. Banks sprawls well.
Dave Banks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Enzo De Luca.
De Luca swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Banks circles away from the clinch attempt.
Banks stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from De Luca.
De Luca closes the distance and lands a one-two.
De Luca lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
De Luca misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
De Luca connects with a single shot there.
Dave Banks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks throws a jab but it's blocked by De Luca.
De Luca tries to clinch there but Banks circles away.
Banks thows a left - swing and a miss!
De Luca lands with a nice combination. Banks backs away looking to recover.
Enzo De Luca seems to be getting the better of the standup.
De Luca lands a two punch combo.
De Luca shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Banks pinned against the cage. Banks gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
De Luca avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
De Luca with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Banks takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Banks tries a low kick but De Luca avoids it.
De Luca fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks throws a combination that misses
and De Luca counters with a nice body shot.
De Luca throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Banks tries to land a body kick
and De Luca counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Banks misses with a combination
and De Luca connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
De Luca throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Banks stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Banks on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by De Luca. De Luca obviously looking to wear him down.
De Luca buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Banks avoids a punch combination nicely.
De Luca moves into range and connects with a jab.
Banks falls off balance throwing a combination
and De Luca cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks misses with a shot to the body

and De Luca counters by clinching up.

De Luca manages to break the clinch.
Dave Banks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
De Luca rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Banks moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
De Luca tries to bum rush Banks with a series of wild strikes but Banks uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Banks is looking to chop away at De Luca's legs.
De Luca cracks the inside of Banks's front leg.
Banks throws a combination that misses
and De Luca counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Banks throws a head kick that misses
and Banks takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Banks is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
De Luca connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
De Luca scores with a nice right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Banks showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from De Luca.
De Luca works the jab nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Enzo De Luca comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well De Luca 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 James Atkins scores the fight 26:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 26:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Enzo De Luca!