PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Mason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Banner comes to the cage accompanied by xavier rudd - energy song. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Banner
vs
Mason

180 cm
28
192 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

178 cm
28
181 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

O'Brannigan's Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bruce Banner!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Craig Mason!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mason throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mason closes the distance looking to clinch
and Banner counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Bruce Banner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mason tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Banner manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Banner pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Mason back to the cage. Banner follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banner with a poor takedown
and Mason counters with a left to the body.
Banner circles away from the clinch attempt
and Banner counters with a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner swinging wildly here.

Banner shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Banner was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Banner moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Mason has worked his arm free - good work by Mason!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Banner wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mason keeps working.
Mason is trying to control Banner's posture but Banner avoids it.
The ground and pound from Banner seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Mason is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Banner off and has taken his back!
Mason doesn't have the hooks in and Banner manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Banner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Banner thows a big elbow that misses.
Banner throwing strikes but missing.

Mason scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Mason keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

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.
Banner misses with a body shot.
Mason tries to clinch up
and Banner counters with a stiff right hand.
Mason steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Banner.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Banner throws a body punch but Mason moves out of range.
Mason closes the distance and lands a one-two.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Craig Mason will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Mason slips under a jab from Banner.
Mason darts in trying to clinch
and Banner counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Danga de danga de dang - Banner scores with a four punch combination!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason misses with a hook to the body
and Banner counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Banner looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Craig Mason is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Banner circles away quickly and effectively.
Craig Mason is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Some wild striking there from Mason.
Banner is looking to wear down Mason with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Banner misses with a body shot.
Banner scores with a nice right hand.
A combination from Banner does no damage.

Banner feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mason wants to stand up but Banner is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Banner is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mason looking to control.
Banner controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Banner working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Banner trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Banner throwing strikes but missing.
Banner loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner postures up in Mason's guard and throws a big left but Mason blocks it.
Mason working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Banner.
Banner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mason avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mason keeping moving, preventing Banner from controlling successfully.
Banner's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Banner won't allow Mason to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Banner working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Banner is working Mason over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mason keeping moving, preventing Banner from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Banner throws and elbow that misses. Mason uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Banner's guard. Nice move by Mason!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Banner dominated that second 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.

Banner shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mason as he jumps to the side.
Mason tries to score with a low kick but Banner moves his leg out of the way.
Mason tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banner ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mason moves away.
Banner falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Mason to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner misses with a straight right.
Mason ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Some wild striking there from Mason.
Banner misses the shot to the body.

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.

Banner scores with a takedown into Mason's guard.
Mason wants to stand and escape but Banner is having none of it.
Banner tries to free his leg and advance position but Mason is retaining full guard.
Mason avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Banner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mason swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mason keeping moving, preventing Banner from controlling successfully.
Banner working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Banner slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Banner throwing strikes but missing.
Banner wants to control from the top but Mason keeps moving.
Mason can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Banner controls the pace.

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 big thud reverberates around the arena there as Banner accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Banner wants to control from the top but Mason keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bruce Banner.
Mason throws a nice looking combination but Banner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mason moves to clinch but Banner breaks away
and Mason takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Banner scores with a takedown into Mason's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Banner clearly takes that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mason tries to clinch up
enabling Banner to counter with a crisp jab.
Banner throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mason closes the distance but Banner moves to the side
and Banner counters with a left and a right that stings Mason.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No joy there for Banner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mason steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Banner.
Mason wants to clinch
and Banner counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mason throws a low kick but Banner moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Mason moves into the clinch.
Mason tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Banner smiles and moves away.
Mason wants to clinch.
Mason doesn't manage to clinch there - Banner circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Nice sprawl there from Mason as Banner shoots in.
Mason falls off balance throwing a combination

so Banner counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Banner postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mason wants to sweep here but Banner controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner is looking to work some ground and pound but Mason has wrist control.

Banner postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Mason is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Banner, into his guard.
Banner trying to keep a closed guard but Mason is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Banner had his way with Craig Mason in that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Mason fails in his attempt to clinch.
Banner takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Nice defenses there by Banner.
Banner misses with an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Banner makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mason looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Banner misses with a looping right.
Mason misses the body punch

and Banner counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Mason pushes Banner off looking to stand but Banner dives back in and keeps control.
Banner thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Banner not doing much here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Banner lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Banner trying to control from Mason's half guard. Mason has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Banner working some strikes from top position.
Banner trying to control but Mason is working from the bottom.
Banner with a flurry of punches that miss.
Banner throwing strikes but missing.
Craig Mason has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banner wants to control from the top but Mason keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner postures up in Mason's guard and throws a big left but Mason blocks it.
Banner lands a couple of digs.
Bruce Banner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Banner is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Banner passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Check out the look on Banner's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Bruce Banner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mason is looking to regain half guard here but Banner keeps moving and retains side control.
Banner controlling from side mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Banner showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Banner 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Andi Peters scores the fight 49:46
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 49:46
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 50:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Banner!
Bruce Banner is the new middleweight champion!