PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lamont Banner (ranked 6381 p4p, 442 weight class) and Shane Graham (ranked 4039 p4p, 341 weight class). Banner kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Goin' Baby- DaBaby. Lamont Banner had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 147.1lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Banner
vs
Graham

172 cm
23
156 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

225 cm
26
145 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lamont Banner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shane Graham!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Glass and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Graham shoots in and gets a takedown into Banner's guard.
Banner is trying to control the position but Graham postures up.
Graham has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Banner is proving hard to escape from.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Banner looking to control.

Banner looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Banner throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Graham stopping the sweep attempt from Banner.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Banner is working an open guard so Graham takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Graham keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Banner has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graham is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Banner to keep the fight standing.
Graham looks winded!

Graham jumps guard.
Graham tries to strike from the bottom.
Banner wants to pass the guard but Graham is keeping the position.
Graham preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Banner wants to control from the top but Graham keeps moving.
Graham controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Banner sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Graham's guard.
Banner is pressing down on Graham's thigh, looking to free his foot. Graham is holding on for now.
Banner trying to control from Graham's half guard. Graham has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Banner looking to pass the guard.
Graham has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Graham not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nice sprawl there from Graham as Banner shoots in.
Banner moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromGraham.
Banner closes the distance and clinches up with Graham, looking for a takedown. Banner pushes Graham against the cage but Graham circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lamont Banner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banner takes a jab right on the kisser.
Banner tries to clinch there but Graham circles away.

Banner gets a clinch.
Graham is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Graham is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Banner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick by Banner misses
and Graham counters with a nice uppercut.
Graham is looking to clinch but Banner is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Graham, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Banner dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Graham. That did some damage!
Graham is trying hard to land a takedown here. Banner sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Graham uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Banner.
Graham steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Banner.

Banner moves into the clinch successfully.
Banner leaning his opponent against the cage.

Banner breaks from the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graham moves out of range of the strikes.

Banner closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Graham did well to prevent Banner getting side control.

Graham pushes Banner off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Shane Graham will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Graham fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Banner avoids it really well and circles away.
Banner throws a sloppy head kick and Graham moves out of range easily.
Graham wants to counter the offense by Banner and move into the clinch position.
Banner dives in for a single leg takedown but Graham sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Banner fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Graham feints the counter takedown.

Banner gets a takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graham keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner winds up and cracks Graham with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Shane Graham has got the better of the ground game so far.
Banner wants to take a breather but Graham is having none of it.
Graham is looking to control Banner's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Graham avoid being mounted?
Graham tries to roll over but Banner keeps him under control.
Banner working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Graham's thigh. Graham counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Graham is looking for a triangle but Banner pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Banner sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Banner wants to control from the top but Graham keeps moving.
Graham wants to sweep here but Banner controlling him for the moment.
Banner postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Banner swats away the attempt to clinch by Graham.
Banner shoots for a double leg takedown but Graham sprawls well. He's pushed Banner's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lamont Banner. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Graham drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Graham being controlled here momentarily.
Banner looking for a sweep. Not yet Banner, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Graham decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Banner fails with the takedown.

Graham drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Graham creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Graham has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Banner!
Graham sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Graham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Banner connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Graham feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Banner is looking for a triangle but Graham pushes his legs off easily.

Banner is looking for a triangle but Graham pushes his legs off easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graham stopping the sweep attempt from Banner.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Graham engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner looking to control.

Banner looking for subs off his back but Graham has passed one foot through into half guard.
Graham working over Banner with some ground and pound. Banner looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Graham seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Graham blocks the strikes from Banner.
Graham wants to control but Banner is keeping him busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Banner misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Graham is looking for the big counter here.
Banner throws a right and a left that Graham avoids nicely.

Graham looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Banner is trying to escape back to his feet but Graham uses the scramble to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Graham decides to stand back up.
Graham tries for a takedown but Banner sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
It looked like Banner was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Banner rushes Graham and presses him up against the cage.

Banner breaks from the clinch.
Lamont Banner is winning the standup battle so far.
Banner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Graham moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Banner takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Graham wants to clinch up but Banner keeps it at a distance.
No luck for Banner with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Graham changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Banner looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Graham controls the position.

Graham decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Graham shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Graham showed some decent athleticism there.

Graham is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Banner sees it coming and defends easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Shane Graham.
I've got Graham winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Shane Graham!
In defeat, Lamont Banner stepped up to the mic, saying 'I'll be back. This is just a set back in my journey to the belt.'.