PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hilajoen Antti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Buster Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antti's entrance music is Tulin minä kaapista ulos. A fine choice. Banks has chosen King Kong - Jibbs as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Antti
vs
Banks

168 cm
21
163 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

175 cm
27
165 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hilajoen Antti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Buster Banks!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, John Kavanagh and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Antti misses its intended target.
Antti checks the leg kick.
Banks keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Banks swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Antti shoots in for a double leg but Banks sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Banks turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Banks finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Antti misses with a body shot
letting Banks counter with a right hand.
Antti fails with an attempt to clinch.
Antti gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Banks cracks Antti with an open hand slap.
Antti walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Banks scores with a jab. Antti acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Nice straight punches there by Banks. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Banks.
Banks bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Antti's head.
A good leg kick by Banks.
Banks looks to land a right hand but Antti moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Antti throws a jab but it's blocked by Banks.
Antti tests Banks's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A jab from Antti does it's job there.
Banks lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Banks throws a low kick, looking for Antti's leg but Antti calmly moves out of range.
Banks closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Antti is rocked!
Antti swings away with a body shot that misses
and Banks makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Antti really felt that one!
Banks goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Oh Antti is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Antti ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Banks moves away.
Antti looks to land a right hand but Banks moved out of range.
Banks throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Antti seems to have got his legs back now.
A telegraphed right hand from Banks misses the target.
Banks will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Antti fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Banks manages to avoid it.
Banks thows a left - swing and a miss!
Banks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Antti closes the distance looking to clinch
and Antti takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Antti takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Antti moves out of range of the leg kick from Banks.
Antti takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Banks.
Banks turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Antti shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Banks's guard.
Antti's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Antti trying to control but Banks is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Banks looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Antti trying to control the position from guard on top but Banks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Antti trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buster Banks dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Banks uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Antti.
Buster Banks seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Antti throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Banks's waist but Banks gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Antti off to one side.
Antti slips under a jab.
Antti scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Antti tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Antti crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Banks - the referee stops the clock and Antti gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Banks. Antti manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Antti slips a straight right by Banks.
A looping hook to the body misses from Antti. Banks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Antti defending well as Banks loads up on a big left hand.

Antti closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Banks did well to prevent Antti getting side control.
Banks is pressing down on Antti's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Banks controls Antti momentarily but Antti frees himself.
Antti stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Banks swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks keeping moving, preventing Antti from controlling successfully.
Antti tries to free his leg and advance position but Banks is retaining full guard.

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.
Banks utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Antti throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Banks works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Antti trying to control the position from guard on top but Banks 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.
Antti is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Buster Banks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice cross by Antti.
Banks walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Antti checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Banks has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A jab lands there for Banks.
Banks throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Antti scores with a jab to the head.
Banks moves out of range of the strikes.
Antti swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Banks counters with a nice low kick that buckles Antti's knee momentarily.
Antti throws a looping overhand right but Banks ducks down to avoid it.
Banks uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Antti.
Antti checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Banks throws a low kick, looking for Antti's leg but Antti calmly moves out of range.
Antti changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Antti lands a glancing blow to the side of Banks's head.
Antti misses with a wild combination.
Banks throws a hook but Antti blocks it.
Banks throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Antti counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Banks shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Antti bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Banks is trying to escape the position but Antti is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks regains half guard there - taking advantage of Antti's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Antti trying to control from Banks's half guard. Banks has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Antti trying to control but Banks is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hilajoen Antti dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Antti cracks a nice hook into Banks's ribs.
Nice defenses there by Antti.
Antti dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Banks takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Antti is looking to clinch.
Antti lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Banks misses the body punch
letting Antti counter with a right hand.
Banks fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Banks gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Antti looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Antti looking to pass the guard.
Antti is working hard here to advance position.

That's two 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.
Antti controls from within his opponent's guard.
Antti passes Banks's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Antti is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Antti misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Antti tries to control but Banks wriggling away.
Antti looking to ground and pound but Banks is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Antti takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Banks in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Banks really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee warns Banks that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hilajoen Antti showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Antti has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight for Buster Banks!
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight for Buster Banks!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Buster Banks!

Buster Banks wins by unanimous decision!