PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Karl Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jayson Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodriguez is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Susanoo of the Sea. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Banks
vs
Rodriguez

169 cm
26
140 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

165 cm
20
139 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Karl Banks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jayson Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez misses the jab.
Karl Banks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodriguez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rodriguez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rodriguez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Banks lands with a hook. Rodriguez tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rodriguez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rodriguez catches Banks with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Banks lands a glancing blow to the side of Rodriguez's head.
Banks throws a lazy right hand but Rodriguez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rodriguez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Banks fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Rodriguez on the side of the head.
Rodriguez comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rodriguez lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Banks connects with a nice looking jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Rodriguez blocks the low kick.
Banks swings widly with a right hand
and Rodriguez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rodriguez fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Banks takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Rodriguez misses with a hook
and Banks counters with a straight right hand.
Banks drops his hands momentarily and Rodriguez takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A punch combination from Banks misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Rodriguez.
Banks takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Banks scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Banks darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rodriguez looks to land a left hand but Banks moved out of range nicely.
Rodriguez shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Banks eats them both and turns towards Rodriguez to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
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!
Banks pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Rodriguez lands with a nice body punch.
Rodriguez lands with a nice combination. Banks backs away looking to recover.
Banks throws a hook but Rodriguez avoids it easily.
No joy there for Rodriguez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rodriguez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Banks throws out the jab.
Banks takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Banks misses with a two punch combination.
Banks misses with a wild body shot.
Rodriguez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rodriguez slips a jab and a cross from Banks.
Rodriguez with a jab.
Rodriguez just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a nice looking combination but Banks bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Banks tries to clinch but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Banks misses with the combination.
Rodriguez is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Banks had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Banks fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rodriguez manages to avoid it.
Rodriguez scores with a sloppy right hand. Banks should have avoided that one.
Rodriguez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Banks.
Banks takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rodriguez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Banks swings for the body but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Rodriguez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Banks backs up against the cage.
Rodriguez connects with a body shot.
Rodriguez changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez slips under a jab from Banks.
Banks throws a nice looking combination but Rodriguez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Banks throws an off balance right hand
and Rodriguez counters with a straight right hand.
Banks ducks right into an uppercut from Rodriguez.
Banks swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Banks misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting Rodriguez counter with a right hand.
Banks is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Banks throws a jab when Rodriguez was well out of range.
Rodriguez fails to land with a series of punches.
Rodriguez lands with a cross.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rodriguez misses with a double jab.
Rodriguez scores with a three punch combo!
Rodriguez throws a nice looking combination but Banks bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jayson Rodriguez 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.

Banks rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rodriguez counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rodriguez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Banks.
Rodriguez throws a series of punches but Banks avoids them all with ease.
Rodriguez bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Rodriguez moves out of range of the leg kick from Banks.
Jayson Rodriguez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A combination from Rodriguez does no damage.
A big left from Banks misses.
Jayson Rodriguez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rodriguez blocks a jab.
Jab, jab by Rodriguez - just one landing.
Rodriguez blocks a jab.
Rodriguez throws a series of strikes that have Banks backpedaling.
Rodriguez lands a really nice looking cross but Banks seems unphased.
Rodriguez slips a straight right by Banks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez staying out of range there.
Rodriguez misses with a straight left.
Rodriguez lands a body shot.
Rodriguez scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Banks doesn't seem bothered though.
Banks looks to throw the jab but Rodriguez is out of range.
Banks on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rodriguez throws a combination. Banks tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Banks misses with a right hand
and Rodriguez counters with a series of strikes. Banks will be more careful next time no doubt.

Banks is rocked!
Rodriguez misses with a wild combination.
Oh Banks is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rodriguez lands with a straight right. Banks didn't see that one coming.
Rodriguez shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Banks eats them both and turns towards Rodriguez to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Rodriguez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Rodriguez counters with a straight right hand.
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!
Rodriguez scores with a nice head shot.
Rodriguez is working the combinations to good effect here.

Banks clinches.
Banks misses with a hook to the ribs.
Banks wants to break the clinch but can't.
Banks seems to have got his legs back now.
Rodriguez blocks an uppercut.
A short uppercut from Banks.

Banks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Banks looks to land a combination but Rodriguez avoids it well.
Banks looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Rodriguez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Banks is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rodriguez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez fails to land with a series of punches.
Banks misses the shot to the body.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut.
Rodriguez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Banks throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Good shot there by Rodriguez.
Banks misses with a jab to the body
and Rodriguez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rodriguez slips a straight right by Banks.
Rodriguez scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Banks has taken the fight to the clinch.

Banks breaks from the clinch.
Rodriguez throws a right and a left that Banks avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks looks to land a right hand but Rodriguez moved out of range.
Rodriguez scores with a hook to the body. Banks takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rodriguez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rodriguez connects with a body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Banks misses the target.
Rodriguez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Banks moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rodriguez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Banks fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rodriguez manages to avoid it.
Rodriguez throws a nice looking combination but Banks bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A swing and a miss from Banks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodriguez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rodriguez digs a good body shot into Banks's ribs.
Banks throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rodriguez counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jayson Rodriguez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rodriguez misses with an uppercut. Banks saw that one coming.
Banks uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez cracks a nice hook into Banks's ribs.
Rodriguez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Banks.
Banks pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rodriguez misses with a hook.
Banks swings away with a body shot that misses
and Rodriguez counters with a nice uppercut.
Banks throws a poor cross that misses
and Rodriguez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rodriguez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Banks throws out the jab.
Banks just misses with a punch to the body.
Banks has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Banks there as he acknowledges the shot.
Banks misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez scores with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Banks looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
A decent looking cross lands there for Rodriguez.
A combination from Rodriguez does no damage.
Banks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rodriguez was well out of range. Poor timing from Banks.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Rodriguez moves out of range of the strikes.
Rodriguez ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rodriguez wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Rodriguez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Banks circles away quickly and effectively.
Banks throws a hook but Rodriguez blocks it.
Rodriguez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rodriguez scores with a jab to the body.
Banks misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rodriguez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks misses with a looping left.
Rodriguez ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Banks throws a lazy right hand but Rodriguez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Banks fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rodriguez manages to avoid it.
Rodriguez scores with a jab to the head.
Rodriguez swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice uppercut there from Rodriguez.
Banks rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rodriguez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rodriguez defending well as Banks loads up on a big left hand.
Rodriguez scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Banks throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rodriguez lands with a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez scores with a nice head shot.
Rodriguez lands with a shot to the body.
Banks looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Rodriguez scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Banks doesn't seem bothered though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rodriguez darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Rodriguez lands a two punch combo.
Banks rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rodriguez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rodriguez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Karl Banks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banks wants to clinch up but Rodriguez keeps it at a distance.
Rodriguez lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Rodriguez with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A slow jab from Banks misses its intended target.
Jab, jab by Rodriguez - just one landing.
Jayson Rodriguez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez dodges the punch combination from Banks.
Banks misses with a left hand
enabling Rodriguez to counter with a crisp jab.
Rodriguez dips to his left and cracks Banks with an uppercut!
Banks misses with an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Banks looks to throw the jab but Rodriguez is out of range.
Rodriguez works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Banks misses with a straight left.
Banks misses with a few strikes there.
Nice jab there from Rodriguez.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banks fails with an attempt to clinch.
Banks swings widly with a right hand
and Rodriguez counters with a left to the body.
Banks swings widly with a right hand
and Rodriguez counters with a straight right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jayson Rodriguez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rodriguez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jayson Rodriguez!
An out of breath and clearly excited Jayson Rodriguez thanked Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp (159.49 $150) for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).