PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dado Mata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nash Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Mata might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to 和楽器バンド / 千本桜. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Mata
vs
Banks

172 cm
30
145 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

169 cm
30
150 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dado Mata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nash Banks!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Joseph Jones and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mata throws a lazy uppercut
and Banks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fighters circling - Mata throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Banks appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Banks misses with a hook
and Mata counters with a straight right hand.
Mata lands the left hand.
Mata walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Mata drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Banks scrambles and gets 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!
A big right from Banks misses.
Mata is looking to counter punch.
Mata throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Banks defending well as Mata loads up on a big left hand.
Banks looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Mata is looking to clinch but Banks is avoiding it.
Mata misses the shot to the body.
Despite the aggression on Banks's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Mata pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Banks let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks takes a swing at Mata's ribcage but misses.
Banks throws an off balance right hand
and Mata counters with a stiff right hand.
Mata scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A right-left combo lands from Mata.
Mata swings away with a body shot that misses
and Banks cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mata throws a body shot but no joy.
Banks is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Mata throws a hook to the side of Banks's head but Banks sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Banks swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Banks throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mata sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Mata stuns Banks with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mata misses with an uppercut
enabling Banks to counter with a crisp jab.
Banks on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Mata has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Martial Arts Dojo in the buildup to the fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Banks connects with a body shot that sends Mata's belly button to the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mata misses with a straight left.
Mata lands with a good body shot.
Mata ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Banks moves away.
Banks doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
A shot to the body from Mata misses
and Banks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mata cracks Banks with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Mata throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Banks was covering up waiting for the punch and Mata finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Mata wants to control from the top but Banks keeps moving.
Banks has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Bi-Polar Asylum LV's #1 Public Training Center . Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Mata looking to pass the guard.
Mata trying to control the position from guard on top but Banks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mata wants to pass the guard but Banks is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks controls Mata momentarily but Mata frees himself.

Mata thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Banks is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mata is controlling him.
Mata is pushing down on Banks's leg trying to pass to half guard. Banks is fighting to maintain full guard but Mata has managed to sneak the leg through.
Mata prevents Banks from improving his position.
Mata passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Banks!
Mata tries to control but Banks wriggling away.
Banks prevents Mata from taking his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks is trying to escape the mount.
Banks is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mata trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mata won't let Banks get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Banks is squirming around, avoiding Mata's attempts to control the action.
Mata fails to move to back control.
Banks tries to control the position but Mata now has his back.
Banks is trying to stand back up.

Mata working for a choke but Banks is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dado Mata dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mata looks to land a left hand but Banks moved out of range nicely.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mata darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Banks's corner calls for a 1-2. Banks obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Banks throws a leg kick that is checked
and Mata counters with a nice body shot.
Mata fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Mata cracks Banks with an open hand slap.
Mata slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Banks closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Dado Mata is winning the standup battle so far.
Banks throws a low kick but it's checked well by Mata.
Banks avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mata connects with a body shot that sends Banks's belly button to the back.
Mata is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Banks can do to turn this around?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Banks swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Banks misses.
Banks displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mata throws out the jab.
Mata throws a jab but it's blocked by Banks.
Mata misses with an uppercut. Banks saw that one coming.
Mata misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mata throws a big shot that misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mata. Banks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mata misses with a shot to the body
and Banks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mata misses with a jab to the body
and Banks counters with a straight right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mata. Banks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Banks swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Mata misses with a body shot
and Banks counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mata connects with a single shot there.
Banks misses with a combination
and Mata counters with a stiff right hand.
Mata looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Banks is fending him off so far but Mata persists. Nope, Banks circles away and we're back to standing.
Banks takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mata misses the body punch
and Banks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Banks moves away from the strike by Mata.
A lazy left from Mata finds it's target.
Mata throws a sloppy body shot
and Banks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mata misses with a straight left.
Mata throws a right hand that misses
and Banks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mata misses with a straight left.
A little jabbing left from Banks on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Mata misses
and Banks counters with a left to the body.
Banks connects with a single shot there.
Banks avoids the body shot from Mata.
Banks misses with an uppercut.
Mata throwing a counter right hand but Banks manages to avoid it.
Mata throws a hook but Banks blocks it.
Mata shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Banks but Banks pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dado Mata. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mata tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Banks paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mata misses with a right hand
and Banks counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Banks looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Banks feints a jab promting Mata to slip. Banks then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Mata slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks connects with a jab.
Mata throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mata throws a head kick that misses
and Banks connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mata misses with an uppercut
and Banks counters with a right hand to the body.
Mata misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Banks to counter with a crisp jab.
Banks throws a body shot but no joy.
Banks slips under a jab from Mata.
Mata misses with a takedown
and Banks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Banks uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mata.
Banks throws out a counter right but Mata avoids it with no problem.
A left lands for Mata.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nash Banks will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. This is the final round!

Mata keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dado Mata seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mata blocks a jab.
Mata misses with a body shot
and Banks counters with a straight right hand.
Banks blocks a jab.
Banks only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Banks throws out a leg kick but Mata moves out of range and Banks only half commits.
Mata displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Banks throws out the jab.
Banks lands a jab to Mata's midsection.
A big right from Banks misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mata lands with a kick to the temple. Banks shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Mata has Banks up against the cage in a clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Mata.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mata tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Mata tries for a takedown. No joy.
Banks blocks a body shot from Mata.
A short body shot lands from Mata as the two fighters clinch.
Mata doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mata misses with a punch to the body.
A short body shot lands from Mata as the two fighters clinch.
Mata fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mata lands with a short punch from the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Mata.
Mata misses with a body punch.
Banks wants to break free but Mata has control.
Banks can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mata lands with a light punch inside.
Mata tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Banks blocks a body shot from Mata.
A short left from Mata.
Mata struggles to land a body shot inside as Banks controls his hands.
Banks blocks a body shot from Mata.
Mata doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Banks wants to get back to striking at distance but Mata won't allow it.

Banks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Banks lands a jab-cross combination.
Mata jabs Banks to the body, keeping him at a distance.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Banks misses with a combination
and Mata counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks works Mata's body with a nice hook.
Mata swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Banks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Banks lands with a hook. Mata tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Mata lands a nice looking body shot.
Mata looks to land a combination but Banks avoids it well.
Mata tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mata drops his hands momentarily and Banks takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mata misses with a looping right.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Banks! But no joy.
Mata missing with a left hand there. Banks was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mata misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Banks takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mata throws a looping overhand right but Banks ducks down to avoid it.
A countering left hand to the body from Banks misses.
Mata swings widly with a right hand
and Banks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mata misses with a left hand
letting Banks counter with a right hand.
Mata slips a straight right by Banks.
Banks throws an overhand right that lands on Mata's shoulder, as Mata tries to avoid the shot.
Nash Banks is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A slow jab from Mata misses its intended target.

Mata rushes Banks and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mata lands a left hand.

Banks manages to break the clinch.
Mata connects with a nice looking jab.

Mata is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Banks's half guard.

Banks has one foot on Mata's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nash Banks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!