PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kendall Groove (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bruce Banner has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Kendall Groove's chin.

Groove
vs
Banner

198 cm
22
200 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

182 cm
27
183 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kendall Groove!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bruce Banner!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Dmitry Maklakov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banner swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Groove counters with a nice uppercut.
Banner stuffs the takedown.
Groove moves forwards but Banner connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Banner moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Groove tries to close the distance and clinch but Banner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A punch combination from Banner misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Banner misses the target.
Groove tries to close the distance and clinch but Banner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Groove uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Banner.
Banner throws a nice looking combination but Groove bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Banner displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Groove.
Groove wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Groove defending well as Banner loads up on a big left hand.
Groove takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Groove avoids a punch combination nicely.
Groove tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Banner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Banner throws a series of punches but Groove moves out of range.
Bruce Banner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Groove ducks under a wild hook from Banner.
A lazy left from Banner finds it's target.
Banner looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Groove dodges the punch combination from Banner.
Groove shoots in for a takedown but Banner shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kendall Groove. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Groove shoots in but Banner avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Banner cracks Groove with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Groove closes the distance looking to clinch
and Banner counters with a three punch combo that has Groove backing up. Groove nods at Banner to acknowledge the strikes.
No joy there for Banner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Groove fails in his attempt to clinch.
Groove fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Banner misses with a jab, cross combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Banner takes a swing at Groove's ribcage but misses.
Banner throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner swats away the attempt to clinch by Groove.
Banner takes a swing at Groove's ribcage but misses.
Banner misses with a few strikes there.
Banner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Groove moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Banner throws a right and a left that both miss.
Groove tries to clinch up but Banner circles away and keeps his distance.
Groove shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Banner pinned against the cage. Banner gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Groove avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Banner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Groove moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner throws a series of punches but Groove avoids them all with ease.
Groove fails with an attempt to clinch.
Groove wants to clinch
and Banner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Banner throws a series of punches but Groove avoids them all with ease.
Groove tries to clinch up.
A big right from Banner misses.
Bruce Banner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Banner throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Groove slips under a jab.
Banner misses with a combination
and Groove counters with a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sloppy strikes from Banner. Those never looked like landing.
Banner misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Banner dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Banner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Groove tries to close the distance and clinch up but Banner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Banner throws a big shot that misses.
Banner throws a right hand that Groove ducks under and follows up with a left that Groove also avoids with ease.
Banner misses with a double jab
and Groove counters with a nice kick to the body.
Groove lands a head kick. Banner smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Groove blocks a jab.
Groove shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Banner as he avoids it easily.
Kendall Groove is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Banner misses with a two punch combination.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Groove.
Banner paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Groove shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kendall Groove. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banner misses with a double jab.
Banner tries to bum rush Groove with a series of wild strikes but Groove uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Banner fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Groove dodges the punch combination from Banner.
Banner might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Groove tries to clinch
and Banner counters with a two punch combo.
Banner looks to land a combination but Groove avoids it well.
Banner misses with the combination.
Groove moves out of range of the strikes.
Banner throws a series of punches but Groove moves out of range.
Groove shoots in for a double leg but Banner sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner keeps the fight on the outside.
Groove fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Banner swats away the attempt to clinch by Groove.
Groove tries to close the distance and clinch up but Banner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Groove misses with a head kick.
Banner misses with the combination.
Banner swats away the attempt to clinch by Groove.
Banner loads up on a big right hand but Groove slips the punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Banner.
Banner throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Groove.
A big left from Groove misses.
Banner misses with a series of wild punches.
Banner throws a left and a right that both miss
and Groove counters with an inside leg kick.
A combination from Banner does no damage.

Groove rushes Banner and presses him up against the cage.
Banner avoiding damage as Groove throws knees to the body.
Banner has Groove pressed against the cage.
Groove tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Groove throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Banner's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Groove tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Groove with a knee to the head.
Groove misses with a knee to the head.

Banner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Banner connects with a single shot there.
Bruce Banner seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Banner scores with the left hand. Groove knows he should have avoided that one.
Banner throws a hook to the side of Groove's head but Groove sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Banner throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Banner thows a body shot but no joy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Groove gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Banner misses with a wild combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Banner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Groove shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Banner as he jumps to the side.
Banner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Banner throws a series of punches but Groove moves out of range.
Banner displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Groove.
No joy there for Banner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Banner throws a lazy right hand but Groove sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Groove tries to clinch but Banner moves out of range.
Groove throws the left hand but Banner avoids the punch easily.
Banner fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Groove fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kendall Groove. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Groove dodges the punch combination from Banner.
Groove bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Banner fails to land with a series of punches.
A looping hook to the body misses from Banner. Groove does a little dance to reset his feet.
No joy there for Banner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A jab from Banner misses.
Groove tries to clinch up
and Banner counters with a straight right hand.
Groove looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Banner is fending him off so far but Groove persists. Nope, Banner circles away and we're back to standing.
Kendall Groove has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Groove wants to clinch
enabling Banner to counter with a crisp jab.
Banner misses with a series of wild punches.
Groove takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Groove fails with an attempt to clinch.
Groove misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Groove fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Groove instigates a clinch.

Banner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner throws a right hand that Groove ducks under and follows up with a left that Groove also avoids with ease.
Banner throws a right and a left that both miss.
Groove tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Banner's corner calls for a 1-2. Banner obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Banner slaps away a takedown attempt from Groove, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Banner will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Banner throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Banner stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Banner wants it to stay on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Groove is looking to clinch but Banner is avoiding it.
A cross from Banner lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Groove dodges the punch combination from Banner.
Banner fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Banner throws a right hand that Groove ducks under and follows up with a left that Groove also avoids with ease.
Nice body punch from Banner.
Jab by Banner.
Banner throws a right hand that Groove ducks under and follows up with a left that Groove also avoids with ease.
Banner darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Banner throws a hook to the side of Groove's head but Groove sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Banner fails to land with a series of punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Groove moves in looking to clinch but Banner pushes him off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Banner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Banner 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Banner!