PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lamont Banner (ranked 735 p4p, 95 weight class) and Mukhtar Sirawazi (ranked 1268 p4p, 155 weight class). Mukhtar Sirawazi told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Banner
vs
Sirawazi

171 cm
23
160 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

170 cm
23
167 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lamont Banner !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mukhtar Sirawazi!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banner thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sirawazi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sirawazi ducks under a wild hook from Banner .
Sirawazi digs a good hook to Banner 's body.
Lamont Banner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sirawazi looks to score with a jab to the body but Banner is just out of range.
Sirawazi lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Banner thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sirawazi throws a hook to the side of Banner 's head but Banner sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A cross from Sirawazi lands.
Sirawazi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Banner looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Banner keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sirawazi.
Banner just misses with a punch to the body.
Sirawazi blocks a jab.
Banner looks to land a right hand but Sirawazi moved out of range.
Banner connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Banner throws a hook but Sirawazi blocks it.
Sirawazi takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Crunch! Banner slams his shin into Sirawazi's torso.
We've been told by Banner 's head coaches at Big Bear Fight Factory that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Sirawazi throws a hook but Banner avoids it easily.
Sirawazi moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner misses with an uppercut.
A big left from Sirawazi misses.
Sirawazi just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Banner . That snapped Sirawazi's head back.
Banner 's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sirawazi under the eye.
No joy there for Banner , who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sirawazi misses the jab.
Sirawazi takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Banner throws a jab when Sirawazi was well out of range.
Jab from Banner .
Sirawazi moves away from the strike by Banner .
Banner swings widly with a right hand
and Sirawazi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Banner uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sirawazi.
Banner misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sirawazi throws out a counter right but Banner avoids it with no problem.
Banner lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Banner avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Banner takes a swing at Sirawazi's ribcage but misses.
Banner cracks Sirawazi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Sirawazi swings for the body but Banner moves out of range.
Banner throwing a counter right hand but Sirawazi manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner throws a jab when Sirawazi was well out of range.
Banner lands a glancing blow to the side of Sirawazi's head.
Banner throws a hook but Sirawazi avoids it easily.
Sirawazi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
An attempted straight right counter from Banner misses the target.
Sirawazi takes one to the chin there.
Banner stuffs the takedown.
Sirawazi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Banner throws a jab but it's blocked by Sirawazi.
A big left from Banner misses.
Banner uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sirawazi.
Banner cracks Sirawazi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Banner loads up on a big right hand but Sirawazi slips the punch.
Sirawazi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Banner was well out of range. Poor timing from Sirawazi.
Banner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sirawazi looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Banner .
Sirawazi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Banner .
Banner thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sirawazi takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sirawazi darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Sirawazi ducks under a wild hook from Banner .
Sirawazi lands the left hand.
Banner scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Sirawazi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Banner is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Banner throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sirawazi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Banner looks to throw the jab but Sirawazi is out of range.
Banner jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Lamont Banner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sirawazi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Banner circles away quickly and effectively.
A little feinted left hand from Banner on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Banner throws a jab when Sirawazi was well out of range.
Banner ducks under a wild hook from Sirawazi.
Sirawazi throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Banner on the side of the head.
Banner ducks under a wild hook from Sirawazi.
Sirawazi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
That kick from Banner tenderised Sirawazi's leg. Sirawazi is trying to keep his angry face on.
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 explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Banner scores with a punch to the head.
Sirawazi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Banner .
Banner lands a nice looking body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sirawazi walks into a jab.
Banner ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The fighters circling - Banner throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sirawazi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
An attempted straight right counter from Banner misses the target.
Sirawazi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Banner .
Sirawazi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Banner .
Banner throws a looping overhand right but Sirawazi ducks down to avoid it.
Sirawazi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Banner was well out of range. Poor timing from Sirawazi.
Banner is looking to counter punch.
Sirawazi misses the shot to the body.
Banner throws a poor cross that misses
and Sirawazi counters with a nice body shot.
Sirawazi takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Sirawazi throws a body punch but Banner moves out of range.
Banner lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Banner throws a shot from downtown. Sirawazi moves away and avoids it.
Banner throws a jab but it's blocked by Sirawazi.
Sirawazi looks to score with a jab to the body but Banner is just out of range.
Sirawazi throws a body punch but Banner moves out of range.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Banner throws the left hand but Sirawazi avoids the punch easily.
Banner throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Sirawazi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Banner tests Sirawazi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sirawazi misses with an uppercut. Banner saw that one coming.
Sirawazi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Banner .
Sirawazi looks to land a right hand but Banner moved out of range.
Sirawazi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Banner .
Sirawazi misses with an uppercut. Banner saw that one coming.
Sirawazi throws a jab when Banner was well out of range.

Sirawazi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Banner trying to control but Sirawazi postures up.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Banner is looking to improve his position.
Banner is doing well to control the position and prevent Sirawazi from advancing to side control.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Banner actively working from the bottom here.
Sirawazi wants to control but Banner is keeping him busy.
Sirawazi stalling away here and it's allowed Banner to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Banner looking for a guillotine here but Sirawazi defends easily.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sirawazi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Banner preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Banner is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Banner escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sirawazi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sirawazi lands a couple of elbows.
Sirawazi keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Banner 's head.

Banner throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sirawazi working some strikes from top position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sirawazi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sirawazi trying to control the position from guard on top but Banner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Banner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sirawazi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Banner is pulling down on Sirawazi's head. It's preventing any offense from Sirawazi, at least for the moment.

Banner looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sirawazi wants to control from the top but Banner keeps moving.
Banner controls Sirawazi momentarily but Sirawazi frees himself.
Sirawazi looking to sit in guard and control but Banner gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Banner gets to his feet. Sirawazi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Banner takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A telegraphed right hand from Sirawazi misses the target.
Sirawazi lands a nice shot to the body.
Sirawazi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Banner .
Banner throws a half hearted mid kick.
Banner throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Banner looks to score with a jab to the body but Sirawazi is just out of range.
Sirawazi tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
A slow jab from Banner misses its intended target.
Sirawazi ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Sirawazi throws a shot from downtown. Banner moves away and avoids it.
Sirawazi misses with a hook.
An attempted straight right counter from Banner misses the target.
Banner scores with a nice right hand.
Sirawazi's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Banner connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sirawazi scrambles back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lamont Banner dominated that 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!

Sirawazi takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Banner tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sirawazi was well out of range. Poor timing from Banner .
Sirawazi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A big right from Banner misses.
Sirawazi scores with a shot to the body.
Sirawazi lands a slapping body shot.
Banner thuds his right hand into Sirawazi's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Banner misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sirawazi looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Sirawazi throws an overhand right that lands on Banner 's shoulder, as Banner tries to avoid the shot.
Sirawazi drops his hands momentarily and Banner takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Banner gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Sirawazi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sirawazi working the head and body with strikes.
Banner is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sirawazi can do to turn this around?
Sirawazi wants to take a breather but Banner is having none of it.
Sirawazi is thwarting Banner 's attempts to control the position.
Banner gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sirawazi postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Banner wants to stand and escape but Sirawazi is having none of it.
Sirawazi controls from within his opponent's guard.

Banner is looking for a triangle but Sirawazi pushes his legs off easily.
Sirawazi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sirawazi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Banner manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sirawazi manages to get himself to full guard.

Sirawazi is trying to control the position but Banner postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banner tries to stand but Sirawazi is controlling from the bottom.
Sirawazi is trying to control the position but Banner postures up.
Banner preventing the sweep.
Sirawazi wants to control the position but Banner says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Lamont Banner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Banner prevents Sirawazi from improving his position.
Sirawazi keeps trying to improve his position.
Sirawazi is looking to control Banner 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sirawazi avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sirawazi is looking to improve his position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sirawazi ducks under a wild hook from Banner .
Banner cracks Sirawazi with an open hand slap.
Banner throws a jab but it's blocked by Sirawazi.
Banner lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Sirawazi slips under a jab.
Sirawazi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Banner .
Banner scores with a body shot.
Banner throws a hook but Sirawazi blocks it.
It seemed like Sirawazi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sirawazi takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Sirawazi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Banner .
Banner darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Sirawazi fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Sirawazi takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The fighters circling - Sirawazi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Banner throwing a counter right hand but Sirawazi manages to avoid it.
Banner lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sirawazi's sensitive parts.
Sirawazi just misses with a punch to the body.
Banner pushes Sirawazi away with a front kick.
Sirawazi throws an overhand right that lands on Banner 's shoulder, as Banner tries to avoid the shot.
Banner throws a jab but it's blocked by Sirawazi.
Banner misses with a wild body shot.
A combination from Sirawazi does no damage.
Banner missing with a left hand there. Sirawazi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Banner misses with a straight left.
Sirawazi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banner listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sirawazi has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Banner .
Sirawazi misses with a hook.
Sirawazi tries to clinch but Banner moves out of range.
Banner connects with a nice looking jab.
Nice defenses there by Sirawazi.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Banner .
Banner changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Banner throws a right and a left that Sirawazi avoids nicely.
Banner throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sirawazi throws out a counter right but Banner avoids it with no problem.
Banner ducks under a wild hook from Sirawazi.
Sirawazi takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Banner scores with a hook to the body. Sirawazi takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Sirawazi thows a left - swing and a miss!
A swing and a miss from Banner .
Banner scores with a hook to the body. Sirawazi takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Banner misses with a straight left.
Sirawazi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Banner .
Sirawazi appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Sirawazi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A swing and a miss from Sirawazi.
Sirawazi misses the shot to the body.
Sirawazi misses with a straight left.
A slow jab from Banner misses its intended target.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
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!
Sirawazi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Banner takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Banner scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Sirawazi misses with a straight right.
Lamont Banner is winning the standup battle so far.
Banner throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sirawazi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sirawazi missing with a left hand there. Banner was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
It looked like Banner wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Sirawazi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Banner works the jab nicely.
Sirawazi looks to land a right hand but Banner moved out of range.

Sirawazi moves into range and clinches up with Banner .
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Banner as Sirawazi tries to tie him up.

Sirawazi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A swing and a miss from Sirawazi.
Sirawazi slips under a jab from Banner .
Banner lands with a cross.
A telegraphed right hand from Banner misses the target.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Banner throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Sirawazi misses with a hook.
Sirawazi ducks under a wild hook from Banner .
Sirawazi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
It looked like Banner wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Banner works the jab nicely.
Sirawazi scores with a nice head shot.
Sirawazi paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Banner connects with the punch.
Sirawazi throws an overhand right that lands on Banner 's shoulder, as Banner tries to avoid the shot.
Sirawazi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Banner sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sirawazi walks into a straight right hand from Banner .
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sirawazi crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Banner - the referee stops the clock and Sirawazi gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Banner . Sirawazi manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Banner is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sirawazi.
Sirawazi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Banner .
Banner looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Banner swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sirawazi swings for the body but Banner moves out of range.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Sirawazi blocks a jab.
Banner moves out of range of the strikes.

Sirawazi shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Banner 's guard.

Sirawazi is sitting in close to Banner 's body. Banner has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Sirawazi is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Sirawazi is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Banner .

Ladies and gentlemen, after 8:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Lamont Banner !
Lamont Banner decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.