PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Izzy Bangin (ranked 3922 p4p, 395 weight class) and Maki Tantor (ranked 1680 p4p, 207 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bangin
vs
Tantor

184 cm
20
177 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
180 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Great low kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Izzy Bangin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Maki Tantor!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Colin Fotheringham and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bangin slips a straight right by Tantor.
Some bone on bone action there as Bangin checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Bangin fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tantor looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Bangin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tantor was well out of range. Poor timing from Bangin.
Bangin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tantor cracks the inside of Bangin's front leg.
Bangin takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tantor.
Bangin throws a lazy right hand but Tantor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Tantor looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tantor moves forwards but Bangin connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Bangin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tantor manages to avoid it.
Tantor thinks about the counter body kick.
Bangin throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tantor moves out of range as Bangin strikes.
Tantor looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Bangin gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Bangin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tantor.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tantor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bangin thows a leg kick but Tantor checks it
and Tantor counters with a nice body kick.
Bangin fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Tantor checks it well.
Tantor scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Tantor lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A jab from Tantor misses.
Bangin misses with a head kick.
Bangin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tantor.
Tantor scores with a nice strike.
Bangin misses with a left hand
enabling Tantor to counter with a crisp jab.
Tantor with a hook.
Tantor connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Bangin momentarily.
Tantor swings widly with a right hand
and Bangin counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bangin checks the leg kick nicely there.
Bangin attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Bangin looks to land a right hand but Tantor moved out of range.
Bangin takes a swing at Tantor's ribcage but misses.
Tantor counters with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bangin lands with a hook. Tantor tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Tantor throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Bangin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tantor blocks an uppercut.
Bangin misses with some punches.
Bangin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Bangin lands a body punch in the clinch.
Bangin lands a nice uppercut.
Good body shot from Bangin.
Bangin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A right hand to the body from Bangin.
Bangin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tantor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Tantor fails to land.
Bangin lands a right hand.
Tantor lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Tantor is pushing Bangin up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Tantor blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bangin.
Bangin can't find room to land a body shot as Tantor controls the action.
Bangin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Tantor breaks from the clinch.

Bangin rushes Tantor and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Tantor misses with a body punch.
Tantor is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Bangin blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Bangin.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bangin.

Tantor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tantor throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Bangin takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Tantor moves out of range of the body kick from Bangin.
Bangin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tantor shapes to counter with a head kick.
Bangin thuds a left hand into Tantor's body.
Tantor circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bangin throws a leg kick
and Tantor counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Bangin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tantor, pushing him back against the cage.
A short left from Tantor.
Bangin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tantor blocking some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bangin.
I was talking to Bangin's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Bangin struggles to land a body shot inside as Tantor controls his hands.
Bangin can't find room to land a body shot as Tantor controls the action.
Tantor trying to control the position but instead, Bangin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Tantor into the cage.
Tantor takes a shot to the head.
Bangin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Tantors head.
Bangin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tantor looking to stall.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bangin.
Bangin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bangin misses with a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Izzy Bangin will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tantor feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Bangins jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Tantor takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Tantor gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Tantor avoids a kick to the body.
Tantor misses the jab.
Bangin throws a hook but Tantor blocks it.
Tantor walks into a straight right hand from Bangin.
Bangin ducks under a wild hook from Tantor.
Bangin looks to score with a jab to the body but Tantor is just out of range.
Bangin lands with an overhand left.
Tantor will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bangin throws the kick towards the body but Tantor avoids it.
Tantor ducks right into an uppercut from Bangin.
Tantor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Some bone on bone action there as Bangin checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Bangin jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Tantor tries to land a front kick but Bangin steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bangin takes the fight into the clinch.
Tantor prevents a body shot from Bangin.
Tantor is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Bangin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tantor can do to turn this around?
Tantor stalling the fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tantor.
Bangin 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.
Tantor is trying to stall.
Tantor blocking some punches.
Tantor stalling in the clinch but Bangin improves position.
Bangin misses with a punch on the inside.
Tantor tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tantor lands with a right to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Bangin fails to land.
Izzy Bangin has scored more points in the clinch so far.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Tantor creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Tantor can't find room to land a body shot as Bangin controls the action.
Tantor lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short right from Bangin.
Tantor makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bangin misses with the head strike.
Tantor has a couple of punches blocked by Bangin.
Tantor is looking to control Bangin's arms but Bangin gets an underhook and turns him. Now Tantor has his back to the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bangin.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bangin.
Bangin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bangin throws a head punch that misses.
Bangin takes a shot to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Tantor fails to land.
Tantor misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tantor is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Bangin misses with a punch on the inside.
Tantor can't break the clinch.
Bangin throws a head punch that misses.
Bangin softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Tantor wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

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

Bangin closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bangin works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Tantor's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Good body shot from Bangin.
Bangin misses with a body punch.
Bangin makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bangin has a couple of punches blocked by Tantor.
Bangin scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A head punch on the inside from Tantor fails to land.
Bangin has Tantor pressed against the cage, preventing Tantor from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Tantor trying to control the position but instead, Bangin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Tantor into the cage.
Bangin throws a punch but it's blocked by Tantor.
Bangin digs a right hand underneath Tantor's ribcage. Tantor let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Tantor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Bangin gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tantor lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bangin backwards.
A short uppercut from Tantor.
Bangin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tantor tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bangin scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Tantor looking to stall.
Bangin throws a punch but it's blocked by Tantor.
Tantor prevents a body shot from Bangin.
A right handed body shot lands from Bangin.
A right hand to the body from Bangin.
Bangin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tantor struggles to land a body shot inside as Bangin controls his hands.
Tantor is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Tantor misses with a punch to the body.
Bangin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Bangin scores with a nice hook to the head.
Bangin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tantor blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Tantor trying to control the position but instead, Bangin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Tantor into the cage.
Bangin lands a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Izzy Bangin dominated that second round.
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!

Tantor checks the leg kick nicely there.

Bangin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bangin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tantor throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bangins head.
Bangin misses with a punch on the inside.
Tantor is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bangin.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Bangin as Tantor tries to tie him up.
Bangin takes a shot to the head.
Bangin misses with the head strike.
Tantor misses with a short punch on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tantor scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Tantor scores with a shot to the side of Bangin's head.
Bangin scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Tantor breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
An inside leg kick lands from Bangin.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bangin takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tantor fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Bangin checks it well.
Tantor tried to score with a low kick but Bangin checks it.
Jab by Tantor.
Bangin scoring well with a low kick there.
Tantor checks a leg kick nicely.

Bangin pushes Tantor up against the cage in a clinch.
Tantor blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Bangin fails to land.
Tantor lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bangin tries to throw a body punch but Tantor avoids it by throwing Bangin back against the cage.
Tantor wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bangin blocking some punches.
Bangin misses with the head strike.
Tantor throws a punch but it's blocked by Bangin.
Bangin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Tantor throws a head punch that misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Bangin lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tantor blocks an uppercut.
Bangin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A short right from Tantor.
Bangin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bangin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bangin.
Bangin throws a punch but it's blocked by Tantor.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Tantor looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bangin lands with a light punch inside.
Izzy Bangin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tantor stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Tantor is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Bangin.
Bangin throws a head punch that misses.
Tantor is looking to control Bangin's arms but Bangin gets an underhook and turns him. Now Tantor has his back to the cage.
Nice body punch from Bangin - that landed with a thud.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Tantor.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Bangin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Tantor is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Tantor swings wildly with an uppercut but Bangin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tantor works on Bangin's body with a couple of short punches.
Bangin working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Tantor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Bangin pushes Tantor back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Bangin swings wildly with an uppercut but Tantor uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bangin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tantor breaks the clinch.
Bangin punishes Tantor's body with a nice straight punch.
Bangin lands with a straight right. Tantor didn't see that one coming.
Bangin comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Bangin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tantor.
Tantor misses with a hook. Bangin ducked under it nicely.
Maki Tantor seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tantor throws a lazy right hand but Bangin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Tantor swings away with a body shot that misses
enabling Bangin to counter with a crisp jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Good leg kick by Bangin there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Nice body kick there by Bangin.
Tantor throws a leg kick which misses Bangin's front leg but catches the back leg as Bangin tries to avoid it.
Tantor sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A low kick from Tantor is predictable there
and Bangin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Maki Tantor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bangin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
A punch lands to the side of Tantor 's head but he takes it in his stride.

And that's the end of the fight!
Izzy Bangin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bangin, 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Izzy Bangin!
Izzy Bangin thanked the fans post fight for their support.