PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rafael dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). dos Santos comes into the arena with Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger blaring out of the sound system. Banks comes into a darkened arena with his song building. All I do Is win kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

dos Santos
vs
Banks

178 cm
35
155 lbs
19 - 16 - 1

175 cm
28
156 lbs
19 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Legion of Pain Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Rafael dos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Will Banks!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
dos Santos looks for a takedown but Banks sprawls well.
Banks lands with a good body shot.
A jab from dos Santos does it's job there.
dos Santos tries for a takedown but Banks sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Banks. No joy for dos Santos on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for dos Santos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A slow jab from dos Santos misses its intended target.

dos Santos tries to sprawl but Banks drives through with a takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Banks lands with a punch from half guard.
Banks wants to control but dos Santos is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Banks trying to mount his opponent but dos Santos defends it.
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!

dos Santos looking for submissions off his back.

dos Santos looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

dos Santos looking for submissions off his back.
Banks performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
dos Santos is trying to maintain the position but Banks is very close to passing his half guard.
dos Santos is trying to get back to full guard.
Banks thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed dos Santos's head.

dos Santos looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
dos Santos is refusing to be controlled, as Banks sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Banks prevents dos Santos from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

dos Santos looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Banks wants to control but dos Santos is keeping him busy.
dos Santos keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Banks is thwarting dos Santos's attempts to control the position.
Banks stalling.
Banks looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
dos Santos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Will Banks wasn't active enough on the ground.
Banks throws out a loose jab but dos Santos uses good head movement to avoid it.
dos Santos is trying hard to land a takedown here. Banks sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Banks turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
dos Santos misses the jab.
dos Santos shoots in looking for a takedown but Banks manages to keep the fight standing, pushing dos Santos's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
dos Santos misses with the combination.
Banks scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
dos Santos misses with a hook. Banks ducked under it nicely.
dos Santos misses the jab.
Banks changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
dos Santos swinging wildly here.
Banks throws out a powerful jab.
dos Santos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
dos Santos misses with a wild body shot.
Banks scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Banks scores with a hook to the body. dos Santos takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Banks moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
dos Santos displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Banks throws out the jab.
A left lands for Banks.
Rafael dos Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banks misses with a double jab.
dos Santos has a takedown stuffed.
Banks catches dos Santos with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Banks 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.

dos Santos throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
dos Santos takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
dos Santos listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Banks changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
dos Santos shoots and misses
and Banks counters with a stiff right hand.
Banks lands a head kick. dos Santos smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
dos Santos shoots in looking for a takedown. Banks tries to sprawl out of it but dos Santos keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Banks manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
dos Santos swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Banks counters with an outside leg kick.
Jab from Banks.
dos Santos with a poor takedown
and Banks counters with a right hand to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banks connects with a body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
dos Santos tries for a takedown but Banks circles away easily
and Banks counters with a flying knee. Nice.
This has been an exciting period of action!
dos Santos takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Will Banks seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.

dos Santos drives through with a takedown into Banks's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Banks has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Will Banks.
dos Santos throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Banks sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
dos Santos misses with a jab to the body
and Banks counters with a nice uppercut.
A left lands for Banks.

dos Santos closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Banks to the mat! Banks manages to get full guard.
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 has dos Santos pulled in close to control his posture.
dos Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Banks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Banks looking for a sweep. Not yet Banks, not yet.
dos Santos throws a strike but Banks rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Banks postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
dos Santos tries to land a sweep but no joy.

dos Santos is looking for a triangle but Banks pushes his legs off easily.
Banks is working dos Santos over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Banks trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Banks wants to control from the top but dos Santos keeps moving.
Banks passes dos Santos's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

dos Santos actively working from the bottom here.
Banks is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Banks working over dos Santos with some ground and pound. dos Santos looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Banks is looking to take a break and control but dos Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
dos Santos won't allow Banks to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
dos Santos has a hand on Banks's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Banks takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Banks landing shots from mount.
Banks punishing his opponent with strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Banks breaks from dos Santos's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Banks lands with some strikes.
Banks 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 lands a big elbow.
Banks looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
dos Santos manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Banks lands strikes from half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
dos Santos on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
dos Santos is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Banks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

dos Santos rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Banks counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Banks looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

dos Santos is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
dos Santos wants to improve his position but instead Banks has moved into half guard.
dos Santos is looking to improve his position.
Banks trying to control the action but dos Santos is working from the bottom.
Banks controlling the action here.
dos Santos is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks wants to take a breather but dos Santos is having none of it.

Will Banks has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
dos Santos ducks right into an uppercut from Banks.
Banks fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Banks closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Banks missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Banks trying to control the action but dos Santos is working from the bottom.
dos Santos manages to get to full guard.
Banks is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

dos Santos working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Banks doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Banks manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks trying to control but dos Santos is working from the bottom.
dos Santos working a defensive guard but Banks passes into half guard.
Banks working the head and body with strikes.
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 perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Banks takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Will Banks has got the better of the ground game so far.
Banks lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
dos Santos wants to control but Banks is keeping busy.
Banks is looking to advance position but dos Santos won't allow it.
Banks trying to control the action but dos Santos is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

dos Santos looking for submissions off his back.
Banks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. dos Santos defending well though.
Banks is looking to take a break and control but dos Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Banks is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Will Banks is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Banks looking to control but dos Santos is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Banks has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Banks controlling his opponent.
dos Santos is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
dos Santos is working hard here to advance position.
Banks controlling the pace for now.
dos Santos wants to control but Banks is having none of it.
Rafael dos Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banks working dos Santos over with strikes here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
dos Santos wants to get back to his feet.
Banks content just to control the position here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
dos Santos is trying desperately to improve position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will Banks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Banks has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Will Banks!
Will Banks really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $150 logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.