PBP Commentary

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

Banner
vs
Yuu

188 cm
18
213 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rick Banner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Toshi Yuu!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shirou Masuda and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Banner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Banner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Yuu's elbow.
Banner tries to pull guard but Yuu won't allow it.
Banner blocks a body shot from Yuu.
With the fighters up against the cage, Banner throws an elbow but misses.
Banner gets through Yuu's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Yuu looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Yuu tries to circle away but Banner has him pinned against the cage.
Banner creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Yuu blocks the elbow strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Banner throws an elbow but misses.
Banner keeps control of Yuu as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yuu is trying to break free.
Banner missing with knees to the body.
Yuu blocks an elbow strike from Banner.
Banner tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Banner missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Banner fails to land.
Banner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Banner is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Yuu to keep the fight standing.
Banner tries a body shot but Yuu blocks it.
Banner tries a knee to the head but Yuu blocks it.
Banner misses with a knee strike.
Banner struggles to land a body shot inside as Yuu controls his hands.
A nice left hand lands by Banner.
Banner tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Yuu wants to break free but Banner has control.
Banner cracks Yuu with a nice body shot.
Yuu on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Yuu blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Banner misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Yuu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yuu goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Banner throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Yuu misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yuu misses with a punch to the body.
Yuu is trying to break the clinch but Banner is controlling him.
Yuu blocks a body shot from Banner.
Banner tries a knee to the head but Yuu blocks it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Banner.
Banner misses with a hook to the ribs.
Banner lands a right hand.
Yuu managing to block the knees to the body from Banner.
Banner misses with a hook to the ribs.
Banner throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Banner tries to pull guard but Yuu holds him up against the cage and eventually Banner drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Banner. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yuu avoiding damage as Banner throws knees to the body.
Yuu is looking to break free of the clinch but Banner has double underhooks.
Banner swings wildly with an uppercut but Yuu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Banner tries to pull guard but Yuu forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Banner misses with a hook to the ribs.
Banner throws a punch but it's blocked by Yuu.
Yuu avoids a wild elbow strike from Banner.
Banner lands a right hand.
Banner keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Yuu's efforts to push away.
Banner misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Yuu.
Banner fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yuu on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Banner misses with a knee strike.
Banner missing with knees to the body.
Banner using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Yuu has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Banner fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Banner lands a hook that snaps the head of Yuu backwards.
Yuu has had enough of the clinch but Banner keeps him there for the moment.
Banner lands a body punch.
Banner tries to land knees in the clinch but Yuu avoids the damage to the body.
Banner has a couple of punches blocked by Yuu.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Banner misses with a short punch on the inside.
Banner is trying to pull guard but Yuu turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Banner swings wildly with an uppercut but Yuu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yuu blocking some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Banner dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Banner lands with an overhand left.
Yuu lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Banner at a distance.
Yuu lands a nice looking body kick.
Nice defenses there by Yuu.

Banner gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Banner has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Yuu prevents a body shot from Banner.
Banner missing with knees to the body.
Yuu blocking some punches.
Banner throws an elbow that misses.
Banner keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Yuu's efforts to push away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice left hand lands by Banner.
Yuu wants to get back to striking at distance but Banner won't allow it.
Banner tries to work over Yuu's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Yuu smiles and moves away.

Banner clinches up with Yuu and pushes him back against the cage.
Banner misses with an elbow strike.

Banner manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

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

Banner had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yuu defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Banner working for submissions but it's allowed Yuu to get to half guard.

Banner actively working from the bottom here.
Banner is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Yuu's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Yuu's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner has good solid back control here.
Yuu is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Banner dominated that second round.
That's time! Banner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Yuu walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Yuu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Banner tries to clinch but Yuu moves out of range.
Yuu scores with a jab.
Yuu lands with a straight right. Banner didn't see that one coming.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Banner swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Banner misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Yuu.
Banner is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yuu can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banner with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Banner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Yuu's elbow.
Banner blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Yuu tries to break the clinch but Banner is controlling the position.
A body shot lands from Banner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yuu is trying to force a seperation but Banner has the dominant position.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Banner.
Banner keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Yuu's efforts to push away.
Yuu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice body punch from Banner - that landed with a thud.
Yuu prevents a body shot from Banner.
Banner lands with a right to the head.
Banner tries to pull guard but Yuu holds him up against the cage and eventually Banner drops back down to his feet.
Nice body punch from Yuu.
Yuu on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Banner missing with knees to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Yuu's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Toshi Yuu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rick Banner has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Banner lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Banner blocks a body shot from Yuu.
Yuu avoiding damage as Banner throws knees to the body.
Banner missing with knees to the body.
Banner is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Yuu is defending well for now.
Yuu's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Banner tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Yuu smiles and moves away.
Yuu lands a lovely overhand right.
Banner jabs Yuu right on the nose. Yuu blinks but takes it well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banner avoids the body shot from Yuu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner catches Yuu with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Yuu scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Yuu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Banner.
Banner moves out of range as Yuu throws a body kick.
Banner wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Yuu moves out of range as Banner strikes.
Banner tries to clinch but Yuu moves out of range.
A lazy left from Yuu finds it's target.
Yuu on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Banner walks forward, straight into a front kick from Yuu.

Yuu tries to keep at a distance but Banner has taken the fight into the clinch.
Banner misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Banner.
Banner misses with an elbow over the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Banner misses with a hook to the ribs.
Banner lands with a right to the head.
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!
Banner prevents Yuu from breaking the clinch.
Banner lands an uppercut.
Yuu managing to block the knees to the body from Banner.
Banner throws an elbow but it misses.
Yuu prevents a body shot from Banner.
Banner throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Banner missing with knees to the body.
Banner misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Yuu.
Yuu dodges an elbow strike from Banner.
Rick Banner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Knees to the body from Banner.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Banner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Banner, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Banner!
After winning the bout, Rick Banner thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.