PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yio Yaj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Banks
vs
Yaj

181 cm
26
205 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

188 cm
24
216 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rashad Banks !
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Yio Yaj!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banks with a poor takedown

so Yaj counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Banks is looking to stand up but Yaj isn't so interested in that idea.
Banks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Yaj throws a strike but Banks rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Yaj can do anything to dispel that myth.
Banks trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Banks postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Yaj pulls Banks in close to prevent any damage.
Banks has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Yaj utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Banks trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Banks throwing strikes but missing.
Yaj really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Banks . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj is controlling Banks 's posture.

Yio Yaj has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Banks changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Yaj tries to avoid it but Banks manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Yaj to the ground. Yaj escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Yaj shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Banks counters with a nice double leg into side control. Yaj won't be happy with that.
Yaj tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Banks wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Yaj takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Yaj is trying to get back to half guard.
Banks tries to move into full mount but can't pass Yaj's legs.
Yaj wants to control but Banks postures up.
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!
Yaj is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Yaj tries to improve position but can't.
Banks wants to control but Yaj is keeping him busy.
Yaj tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Banks easily slips into full mount!
Banks misses with a head shot.
Yaj tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Banks lands a heavy elbow.
Banks lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Yaj tries to reverse the position but Banks maintains control.
Banks lands a heavy elbow.
Banks dominating with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Banks cracks Yaj with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Yaj tries to reverse the position but Banks maintains control.
Yaj is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Banks controlling from mount.
Yaj is trying to escape the mount.
Yaj is bucking up trying to escape but Banks cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Banks trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Banks throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Yaj because Banks loaded up on that one.
Yaj can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks with the ground and pound from mount.
Yaj is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Yaj keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Banks misses with a head shot.
Banks landing strikes, looking to finish!
Banks is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Yaj can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Yaj tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Yaj avoids a series of strikes thrown by Banks .
Banks wants to control the pace but Yaj is squirming around nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Banks is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Yaj can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Yaj is trying desperately to improve position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Banks dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Banks misses with a takedown

and Yaj counters by clinching up.
Yaj is looking for a takedown.
Banks changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Yaj fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Banks fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Banks . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banks shoots in for a double leg but Yaj sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Yaj shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Banks 's guard.
Yaj working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Yaj is stalling in the full guard.
Yaj throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Yaj is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Yaj postures up in Banks 's guard and throws a big left but Banks blocks it.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Banks is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Banks working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Yaj.
Yaj with a flurry of punches that miss.
Yaj trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Yaj working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Yaj is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Yaj landing with the ground and pound.
Banks is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yaj throws a big right hand that misses.
Yaj pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Banks is keeping the position for now.
Yaj loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Yaj throws an elbow that misses. Banks uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Yaj's guard. Nice move by Banks !
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 trying to control the position from guard on top but Yaj is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Banks is in close to Yaj's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Banks wants to control from the top but Yaj keeps moving.
Yaj preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yaj wants to sweep here but Banks controlling him for the moment.
Banks prevents Yaj from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks stands up over Yaj, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Yaj wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Yaj lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Banks !
Yaj lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
You get the feeling that Banks really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Rashad Banks overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yaj with shots to the head and body - Banks looks very uncomfortable down there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Banks wants to get back to his feet.
Yaj drops a big elbow. That's hurt Banks ! More shots from Yaj and the ref steps in! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yio Yaj!
Yio Yaj is the new light heavyweight champion!