PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antony Duke (ranked 24651 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lexington Banda (ranked 5556 p4p, 433 weight class). Banda has chosen DMX - We Right Here as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Duke
vs
Banda

179 cm
24
279 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

174 cm
25
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antony Duke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lexington Banda!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Banda moves into range and clinches up with Duke.
Banda lands a left hand that snaps the head of Duke backwards.
Banda tries to pull guard but Duke holds him up against the cage and eventually Banda drops back down to his feet.
Banda goes for a takedown attempt but Duke pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Banda closes the distance and clinches.
Banda tries a knee to the head but Duke blocks it.
Banda is working for takedown but Duke is calmly controlling the position for now.
Antony Duke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lexington Banda.
Duke prevents a takedown attempt there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banda is trying to drag Duke to the mat but Duke just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Duke wants a takedown but no success here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banda lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Banda lands with a right to the head.
Banda lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Banda dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Duke blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Banda lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Banda lands a hook that snaps the head of Duke backwards.
Banda tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Duke smiles and moves away.

Banda clinches with his opponent.
Banda tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Duke breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Banda throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Duke's waist but Duke gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Banda off to one side.
It looked like Duke was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Banda clinches with his opponent.
Banda throws a punch but it's blocked by Duke.
A body shot lands from Banda.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Banda working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Duke dodges an elbow strike from Banda.
Duke stalling in the clinch but Banda improves position.
A body shot lands from Banda.
Duke is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Banda is keeping busy.
Duke tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Banda lands with a short shot to the head.
Banda tries to land a knee to the head but Duke blocks with his arms.
Banda tries to pull guard but Duke holds him up against the cage and eventually Banda drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Banda pulls guard successfully.
Banda is trying to keep Duke in close.
Duke really is a fat lump.
Banda seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Banda really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Duke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Duke's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Duke decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Duke gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Banda.
Banda stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Banda pushes Duke up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banda is trying to break the clinch but Duke has him pressed against the cage.
Banda is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Duke pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Banda swings wildly with an uppercut but Duke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Banda tries to pull guard but Duke holds him up against the cage and eventually Banda drops back down to his feet.
Banda lands with a short shot to the head.

Duke breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Banda has Duke up against the cage in a clinch.
Duke blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Banda tries to pull guard but Duke holds him up against the cage and eventually Banda drops back down to his feet.
Banda fails to pull the fight into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Banda moves into the clinch successfully.
Banda fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Banda swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Duke is looking to control Banda's arms but Banda gets an underhook and turns him. Now Duke has his back to the cage.
A short left from Banda.
Banda jumps guard but Duke turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Banda lands a left hand that snaps the head of Duke backwards.
Banda tries to break the clinch but Duke is controlling the position.
Banda is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Duke to keep the fight standing.
Antony Duke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lexington Banda.
A frustrated look appears on Duke's face as he tries to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banda wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Banda scores with a shoulder strike.
Banda jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Duke walks away with a smile on his face. Banda gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Banda gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banda throws an elbow but it misses.
Duke is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Banda working aggressively here.
Lexington Banda seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Duke can't break the clinch.
Duke's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Banda lands a hook that snaps the head of Duke backwards.
Banda lands an uppercut.
Banda pushes Duke back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Duke wants to break free but Banda has control.
Duke blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Banda.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Duke.
Duke has had enough of the clinch but Banda keeps him there for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banda throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Banda throws a punch but it's blocked by Duke.
Banda digs a right hand underneath Duke's ribcage. Duke let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Banda keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Duke's efforts to push away.
Banda tries to pull guard but Duke holds him up against the cage and eventually Banda drops back down to his feet.
Banda tries to circle away but Duke has him pinned against the cage.
Banda dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Banda is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Duke to keep the fight standing.
Duke tries to break the clinch but Banda is controlling the position.
Banda misses with a knee strike.
Banda has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banda lands a hook to the side of the head.
Banda is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Duke to keep the fight standing.
Banda swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Banda drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Banda tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Duke smiles and moves away.

Banda has closed the distance and engaged Duke in a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Banda.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Banda has Duke pushed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Banda.
Banda swings wildly with an uppercut but Duke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Duke avoids a wild elbow strike from Banda.
Duke avoids a wild elbow strike from Banda.
Banda looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Banda throws a punch but it's blocked by Duke.

Banda escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Banda moves into the clinch.
Banda is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Duke to keep the fight standing.
Banda misses with a hook from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lexington Banda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Banda closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Banda wants to get back to striking at distance but Duke won't allow it.
Banda tries to land a knee to the head but Duke blocks with his arms.
Duke trying to land knees to the body.
Banda lands a left hand that snaps the head of Duke backwards.
Banda dodges an elbow strike from Duke.
Duke is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Banda works on Duke's body with a couple of short punches.
Banda makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Duke blocks an elbow strike from Banda.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banda lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Duke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Banda has Duke up against the cage in a clinch.
Banda keeps control of Duke as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banda pushes Duke back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A shot in the inside from Banda.
Duke blocks an elbow strike.
Banda makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Banda pulls guard successfully.
Duke preventing the sweep.
Banda is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Duke sitting in guard here, content to control.
Banda is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Banda can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banda is adopting a defensive guard.
Duke trying to control but Banda is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Banda controlling the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Duke throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Banda's waist but Banda gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Duke off to one side.

Banda has Duke up against the cage in a clinch.
Banda tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Banda lands a hook to the side of the head.
Duke taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Banda lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banda scores with a shoulder strike.
Banda is pushing Duke up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A shot in the inside from Banda.
Duke lands a good knee to the midsection. Banda won't want to take too many of those.
The referee is keeping an eye on Banda - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Duke misses with a hook to the ribs.
Banda throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Duke blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Banda blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short uppercut from Banda.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banda tries to pull guard but Duke won't allow it.
Banda scores with a shot to the side of Duke's head.
Banda misses with the head strike.
Banda softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Lexington Banda is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Banda has Duke pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Duke manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Banda takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Duke fails to pull guard.
Banda just leaning against Duke, taking a breather.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Banda lands a body shot.
Antony Duke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banda wants to break the clinch but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lexington Banda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Banda 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lexington Banda!
A victorious Lexington Banda thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.