PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Will Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Rugg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Will Banks has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Banks
vs
Rugg

175 cm
22
152 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

174 cm
23
155 lbs
10 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Will Banks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Rugg!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Luis Engracia and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Banks shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Banks with the ground and pound but Rugg uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Banks trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Banks throws and elbow that misses. Rugg uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Banks's guard. Nice move by Rugg!
Rugg trying to control but Banks is working from the bottom.

Banks wriggles free and stands up.
Banks moves out of range of the strikes.
Banks tries to clinch there but Rugg circles away.
Banks fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rugg avoids it really well and circles away.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rugg moves in looking to clinch but Banks pushes him off.
Banks circles away from the clinch attempt.

Banks closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Banks misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Banks looking to control but instead Rugg has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Banks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rugg defending well though.
Banks looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Banks is looking to take a break and control but Rugg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks controlling the action here.
Rugg tries to kick Banks off but Banks keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rugg is refusing to be controlled, as Banks sits in half guard.

Will Banks has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Banks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rugg swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Banks misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rugg fails with an attempt to clinch.

Banks clinches with his opponent.
Rugg unloads a knee to the mid-section. Banks lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Banks is working for takedown but Rugg is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Will Banks. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks is trying to break the clinch but Rugg has him pressed against the cage.
Rugg tries to land a knee to the head but Banks blocks with his arms.
Rugg is pressed up against the cage. Banks has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rugg down to the mat. Rugg avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Banks blocks a jab.
Rugg fails in his attempt to clinch.
Banks circles away from the clinch attempt.
Banks throws a series of punches but Rugg moves out of range.
Banks keeps the fight on the outside.
Banks shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rugg as he jumps to the side.
Rugg wants to clinch.
Banks swats away the attempt to clinch by Rugg.
The fight stays on the outside here - Banks looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Banks is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Rugg tries to keep at a distance but Banks has taken the fight into the clinch.
Banks drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rugg pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rugg fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rugg fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rugg moves to clinch but Banks breaks away

and Banks counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rugg wants to get back to his feet but Banks is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Banks throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Banks throwing strikes from guard but Rugg blocks nicely.
Banks thows a big elbow that misses.
Banks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rugg is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Banks dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Banks uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rugg has time to react.
Banks moves in looking to clinch but Rugg pushes him off.
Banks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rugg slaps away a takedown attempt from Banks, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Banks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rugg swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rugg fails in his attempt to clinch.

Rugg clinches with his opponent.
Rugg throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rugg scores with a knee to the head.
Rugg lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Banks has had enough of the clinch but Rugg keeps him there for the moment.
Rugg throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rugg tries to land knees in the clinch but Banks avoids the damage to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rugg misses with a knee strike.
Banks avoiding damage as Rugg throws knees to the body.
Rugg utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Banks avoiding damage as Rugg throws knees to the body.
Banks is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rugg throws a knee to the head but misses.
Banks is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks wants to break free but Rugg has control.
Rugg throws an elbow that misses.
Banks is trying to push Rugg away but Rugg has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rugg is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Banks is defending well for now.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Banks is trying to break the clinch but Rugg is controlling him.
Rugg landing knees to the head.
Banks is trying to push Rugg away but Rugg has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rugg throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rugg is breathing heavily.
A knee to the head by Rugg.
Rugg connects with a nasty looking knee right to Banks's face.
Rugg misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Banks.
Rugg lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rugg tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Banks has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rugg lands a knee to the head.
Banks has had enough of the clinch but Rugg keeps him there for the moment.
Rugg misses with a knee to the head.
Banks wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Banks jumps guard but Rugg stands there with Banks around his waist. Banks gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Banks tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rugg smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Will Banks. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rugg avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Banks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rugg swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Banks looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Banks throwing shots but Rugg is blocking nicely.
Banks with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Banks's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Banks throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Banks is looking to take a break and control but Rugg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Will Banks wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Rugg tries to clinch

and Banks counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Banks missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Banks is taking a breather. Rugg says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Banks has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Banks throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Banks throwing shots but Rugg is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Banks missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rugg is trying to stand.
Rugg avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Banks.
Banks has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Banks 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.

Will Banks dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Banks tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rugg manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rugg tries to close the distance and clinch but Banks swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Banks closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rugg did well to prevent Banks getting side control.
Ground and pound from Banks.
Will Banks overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Banks landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Banks gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Banks changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rugg tries to avoid it but Banks manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rugg to the ground. Rugg escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Banks shoots in and bounces Rugg off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rugg keeping moving, preventing Banks from controlling successfully.
Rugg takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rugg works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Banks working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Banks missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Banks advances position into side control!
Rugg taking punishment in the form of punches.
Banks misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Banks in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Banks misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Banks scoring with punches and elbows.
Banks trying to control the action but Rugg is working from the bottom.
Rugg regains half guard, as Banks was trying to land strikes.
Banks throwing shots but Rugg is blocking nicely.
Banks throwing shots but Rugg is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks throwing shots but Rugg is blocking nicely.
Banks seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Banks thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rugg's head.
Rugg keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Banks not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Banks sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Banks decides to stand and escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks misses with a wild combination.
Rugg displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Banks.

Banks bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Banks is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Banks lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Banks sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Rugg is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Banks throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Matt Rugg has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Banks decides to take the fight back to the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will Banks showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Banks, 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Will Banks!