PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sten Carlssen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathan Banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sten Carlssen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Carlssen
vs
Banner

160 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

172 cm
18
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sten Carlssen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nathan Banner!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Frank Dennis and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Banner goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Carlssen throws a lazy head kick

and Banner counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Banner.
Banner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Banner is in close to Carlssen's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Banner sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Banner wants to control from the top but Carlssen keeps moving.
Banner makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Banner must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Carlssen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banner wants to stand but Carlssen is controlling his posture from full guard.

Carlssen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Banner can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carlssen being controlled here, momentarily.

Carlssen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Banner gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Banner lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Banner cracks Carlssen with a solid left hand.
Banner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Carlssen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Carlssen working for a triangle but Banner defends it easily.
Banner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Carlssen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner lands a couple of elbows.
Banner stays in close to Carlssen's body and controls the position.
Banner is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Banner trying to control but Carlssen is working from the bottom.
Banner lands a couple of elbows.
Banner controlling from the top position.
Banner preventing the sweep.

Carlssen is looking for a triangle but Banner pushes his legs off easily.
Carlssen is breathing heavily.
Banner works over Carlssen with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Banner stands up and waves to Carlssen to follow him.

Banner clinches.

Banner has Carlssen pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Banner pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Carlssen tumbling to the mat - Banner dives into Carlssen's guard.
Banner scoring with some ground and pound.
Banner trying to control the position from guard on top but Carlssen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Banner is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Banner is stalling in the full guard.
Banner lands a couple of elbows.
Banner looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Carlssen keeping moving, preventing Banner from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Banner controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathan Banner dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Carlssen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Banner.
Banner shoots in for a double leg but Carlssen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Carlssen wants to clinch

and Banner counters with a single leg into guard. Carlssen didn't expect that.
Banner not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Banner tries to free his leg and advance position but Carlssen is retaining full guard.

Carlssen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
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 lands a couple of elbows.
Carlssen keeping moving, preventing Banner from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Carlssen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nathan Banner just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Banner gets a takedown into half guard.
Carlssen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Carlssen.

Carlssen has an active guard here but Banner has managed to pass into half guard.

Carlssen is defending against the submission attempts here by Banner.

Carlssen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Carlssen is refusing to be controlled, as Banner sits in half guard.
Carlssen tries to get to full guard but Banner has control of the leg.
Carlssen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Carlssen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Banner's guard.
Banner wants to stand but Carlssen is controlling the position.
Carlssen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Banner swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Carlssen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Banner trying to keep a closed guard but Carlssen is proving a slippery customer.
Banner striking off his back but it's not causing Carlssen any problems.
Carlssen won't allow Banner to sweep him here.
Carlssen tries to free his leg and advance position but Banner is retaining full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Carlssen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Carlssen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sten Carlssen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Banner misses with the combination.
Carlssen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Banner shoots in looking for a takedown. Carlssen tries to sprawl out of it but Banner keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Carlssen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A punch combination from Carlssen misses.

Carlssen looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Banner looking for a sweep. Not yet Banner, not yet.
Banner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Banner seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Banner is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Carlssen is not content to let Banner control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathan Banner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Carlssen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Banner rushes Carlssen and presses him up against the ropes.
Banner landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Banner jumps into guard, dragging Carlssen to the mat.
Banner wants to stand up but Carlssen is controlling him.
Banner pulls Carlssen in close to prevent any damage.
Carlssen looking to pass the guard.
Banner looking for a sweep. Not yet Banner, not yet.

Carlssen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Nathan Banner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Banner striking off his back, scoring a few points.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Banner looking for a sweep. Not yet Banner, not yet.

Banner throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Banner wants to stand and escape but Carlssen is having none of it.
Banner looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Carlssen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Carlssen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Carlssen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Banner swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Banner pulls Carlssen in close to prevent any damage.

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.
Carlssen wants to pass the guard but Banner is keeping the position.
Carlssen advances to half guard.
Banner really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Carlssen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Carlssen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Banner defends it well.

Carlssen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Carlssen trying to pass the guard but Banner defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner manages to get to full guard.
Carlssen won't allow Banner to sweep him here.
Banner lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Banner is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Carlssen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Banner's guard.
Banner wants to improve his position but Carlssen is controlling well.
Carlssen wants to free his trapped foot but Banner is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Banner is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Carlssen pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Carlssen seems to be working for a kimura but Banner defends the submission attempt.
Banner is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Carlssen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Carlssen's back!
Banner throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Carlssen!
Banner landing with strikes.
Carlssen is taking damage to the body and head.
Banner looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Carlssen manages to reverse the position and now he's in Banner's guard. Nice work there by Carlssen.
Banner bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Carlssen's guard.
Banner is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sten Carlssen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Carlssen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Banner gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nathan Banner.
Well Banner 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

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