PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Code Branch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cody Easton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Branch
vs
Easton

180 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

KAISER
TITAN

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Code Branch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cody Easton!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Joseph Jones and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Branch swings widly with a right hand
and Easton counters with a right hand to the body.
The crowd cheers as Easton lands an impressive looking overhand right. Branch doesn't seem phased though.
Branch avoids the body shot from Easton.
Sloppy strikes from Branch. Those never looked like landing.
Easton fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Branch manages to avoid it.
Branch slips a jab from Easton.
Branch throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Easton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Branch throws a right hand that misses
and Branch takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Easton lands a jab.
Branch on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
A big left from Branch misses.
Easton swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A punch combination from Branch misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Easton moves out of range of the strikes.
Branch throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Easton cracks Branch with a good jab.
Branch misses with a straight left.
Branch is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Easton.
Easton cracks Branch with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Easton jabs Branch right on the nose. Branch blinks but takes it well.
Easton dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Branch waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Easton.
Branch throws a shot from downtown. Easton moves away and avoids it.
Easton ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Easton moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Easton just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Easton pushes Branch up against the cage in a clinch.
Easton lands with a left to the head.
Branch blocking some punches.
Branch blocking some punches.
Easton works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Easton keeps control of Branch as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Easton has Branch pressed against the cage.
Easton swings wildly with an uppercut but Branch uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Easton doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Easton has Branch pressed against the cage, preventing Branch from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Easton is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Branch wants to break free but Easton has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Easton misses with a hook from the clinch.
Easton lands a hook that snaps the head of Branch backwards.
Easton is stalling here.
Easton lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Branch wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Easton has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Easton jabs Branch to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Branch misses with a two punch combination.

Easton drives through and clinches with Branch against the cage.
Easton content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Easton.
Branch blocks a body shot from Easton.
Easton tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Branch's elbow.
Easton softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Easton prevents Branch from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Easton lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Branch prevents a body shot from Easton.
A head punch on the inside from Easton fails to land.

Branch manages to break the clinch.
Branch misses with a two punch combination.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Easton.
A nice combination there by Easton.
Easton keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Branch.
Branch fails to land with a series of punches.
Easton on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Easton fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Branch looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Easton moves out of range of the leg kick from Branch.
Easton getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Easton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Easton slips a jab and a cross from Branch.
Branch misses with a few strikes there.
Nice uppercut lands for Easton. That snapped Branch's head back.
Cody Easton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Branch loads up on a big right hand but Easton slips the punch.
Branch looks to land a left hand but Easton moved out of range nicely.
Branch is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Branch thows a left - swing and a miss!
Easton misses with a two punch combination.
Easton throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Branch on the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Easton ducks right into an uppercut from Branch.
Branch takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Branch thuds his right hand into Easton's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Easton ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nice defenses there by Branch.
Easton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Branch moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Easton misses with a hook. Branch ducked under it nicely.
The fighters circling - Branch throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Easton misses with a hook. Branch ducked under it nicely.
Branch fails to land with a series of punches.

Easton clinches up against the cage.
Easton tries to work over Branch's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Branch blocking some punches.
Easton scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Branch wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Branch's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Easton lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Easton goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Easton working aggressively here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Easton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Branch throws a lazy right hand but Easton sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Good shot there by Easton.
Easton lands a nice shot to the body.
Branch jabs Easton right on the nose. Easton blinks but takes it well.
Easton's corner calls for a 1-2. Easton obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Branch misses with a straight left.
Easton connects with a body shot.
Branch misses with a hook.
Easton doesn't manage to clinch there - Branch circles away.
Branch lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Branch circles away from the clinch attempt.
Easton slips a jab and a cross from Branch.
Easton throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Easton slips a jab from Branch.
Cody Easton seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Easton lands with a straight right. Branch didn't see that one coming.
Easton misses with a looping left.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Branch!
Easton avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Easton uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Branch.
Branch throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Easton scores with a jab. Branch acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Easton cracks Branch with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Easton waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Branch.
A jab from Easton misses.
Branch pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Easton misses the jab.
Branch will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Easton lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Branch backs up against the cage.
Sloppy strikes from Branch. Those never looked like landing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Branch ducks under a wild hook from Easton.
Branch tries to move into range but Easton moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Branch throws out a powerful jab.
Easton is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Branch misses with a straight right.
Easton throws a combination. Branch tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Easton changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Branch misses with a hook. Easton ducked under it nicely.
Branch looks to score with a jab to the body but Easton is just out of range.
Nice uppercut there from Branch.
Easton moves out of range as Branch strikes.
Easton misses with an uppercut.
Branch jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Easton looks to land a right hand but Branch moved out of range.
Branch falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Easton counter with a right hand.
Easton dips to his left and cracks Branch with an uppercut!
Branch bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Branch missing with a left hand there. Easton was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Branch throws out a loose jab but Easton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Easton lands a right hook to the body.
Easton lands with a shot to the body.
Branch fails to land with a series of punches.
Easton displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Branch throws out the jab.
Easton slips a jab and a cross from Branch.
Nice body punch from Easton.
Code Branch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Easton scores with a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Branch missing with a left hand there. Easton was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Branch really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Branch on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Easton rushes Branch and presses him up against the cage.
Branch looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Easton misses with a punch to the body.

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 Code Branch.
I think Easton 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cody Easton!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Cody Easton waved his t-shirt featuring Brutal Fighting Nutrition's logo in front of the cameras.