PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Will Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Garvey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Banks's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, All I do Is win. Garvey has chosen One Loaf of Bread -- Damian Marley as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Banks
vs
Garvey

175 cm
26
156 lbs
14 - 6 - 1

170 cm
24
152 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 14 - 6 - 1, fighting out of New York, Will Banks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marcus Garvey!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, John Kavanagh and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Banks crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Garvey - the referee stops the clock and Banks gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Garvey. Banks manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A slapping leg kick lands for Garvey.
Garvey throws a hook but Banks avoids it easily.
Will Banks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Banks shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Garvey eats them both and turns towards Banks to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Banks will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Garvey darts in and clinches Banks up against the cage.
Banks tries for a takedown. No joy.
Garvey misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Banks has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Garvey lands a left hand.
Banks is trying to break the clinch but Garvey is controlling him.
Garvey struggles to land a body shot inside as Banks controls his hands.

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

Garvey moves into the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Banks.
Garvey goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Garvey lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Banks looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banks misses with a hook to the ribs.
Garvey swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Garvey tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Banks's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garvey works on Banks's body with a couple of short punches.

Banks breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Banks misses with a looping right.
Garvey connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Garvey tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Banks paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A big right from Banks misses.
Banks shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Garvey pinned against the cage. Garvey gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Will Banks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banks misses with a body punch
and Garvey counters with a leg kick.
Banks keeps the fight on the outside.
Garvey is looking to clinch but Banks is avoiding it.
Banks rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Garvey counters with a nice low kick that buckles Banks's knee momentarily.
Banks throws out a leg kick but Garvey moves out of range and Banks only half commits.
Banks throws an overhand right that lands on Garvey's shoulder, as Garvey tries to avoid the shot.
Garvey checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Banks swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Garvey throws a sloppy head kick and Banks moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garvey throws a low kick but Banks moves out of range easily.
Banks scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Garvey doesn't seem bothered though.
Nice body punch from Garvey.
Banks throws a right hand that misses
and Garvey counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Banks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garvey was well out of range. Poor timing from Banks.
Banks moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Banks drives through with a takedown into guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Garvey manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Garvey controlling from the full mount.
Banks sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Banks is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Banks holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Banks wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Garvey is figuring out what he wants to do next.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Banks throws a jab but it's blocked by Garvey.
Banks takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Banks jabs at Garvey's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garvey connects with a high kick.
Garvey slips a straight right by Banks.
A punch combination from Garvey misses.
Banks avoids the head kick by Garvey.
Garvey stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Garvey wants it to stay on the feet.
Banks just misses with a punch to the body.
Banks moves out of range of the leg kick from Garvey.
Garvey misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Banks.
Garvey misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Garvey throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Banks stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Garvey attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Banks misses with a looping left.
Banks scores with a body shot.
Banks lands with a good body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Marcus Garvey will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Garvey looks to land a combination but Banks avoids it well.
Garvey takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Banks misses with a low kick.
Banks shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Garvey but Garvey pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A telegraphed right hand from Banks misses the target.
An inside leg kick lands from Garvey.
Garvey looks for the body kick but Banks saw that one coming.
Garvey fakes the leg kick and cracks Banks in the body.
Banks shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Garvey sprawls well. Garvey wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Banks gets slowly back to his feet.
A nice inside leg kick there by Garvey. That's going to slow Banks down.
Garvey staying out of range there.
Garvey punishes Banks's body with a nice straight punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garvey keeps Banks at a distance using the push kick.
Banks avoids the head kick by Garvey.
Garvey is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Banks rather than just go for the knockout.
Banks keeps the fight on the outside.
Garvey dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Garvey throws a leg kick but Banks sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Banks throws a series of punches but Garvey moves out of range.
Garvey throws a head kick that Banks semi-blocks.
Banks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garvey was well out of range. Poor timing from Banks.
Banks throws a lazy right hand but Garvey sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Banks just misses with a punch to the body.
Garvey misses with a head kick.
Garvey walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Banks checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Banks misses with a looping right.
Garvey throws a leg kick but Banks checks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Garvey moves away.
Garvey lands a glancing blow to the side of Banks's head.
Banks tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Garvey darts in and clinches Banks up against the cage.
Banks prevents a body shot from Garvey.
Garvey blocks a body shot from Banks.
Garvey blocks an uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garvey gets through Banks's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Garvey stops a takedown attempt from Banks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Will Banks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Garvey tries a body shot but Banks blocks it.
Garvey lands a right hand.

Banks manages to break the clinch.
Garvey misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Banks keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Garvey avoids the body shot from Banks.
Banks connects with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garvey misses with a head kick.
Garvey lands with a nice body punch.
Banks avoids the head kick by Garvey.
Garvey lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Banks circles away quickly and effectively.
Banks throws the left hand but Garvey avoids the punch easily.
Garvey misses with a wild body shot.
Garvey moves out of range as Banks throws a body kick.
Garvey tries to bum rush Banks with a series of wild strikes but Banks uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Garvey moves out of range of the strikes.
Garvey moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Garvey closes the distance and clinches.
Garvey struggles to land a body shot inside as Banks controls his hands.
Garvey misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Garvey breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garvey with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Banks to score with a decent uppercut.
Garvey ducks under a wild hook from Banks.
Banks throws a big shot that misses.
A good leg kick by Banks.
Banks looks to land a left hand but Garvey moved out of range nicely.
Garvey tries to clinch there but Banks circles away.
Banks ducks right into an uppercut from Garvey.
Banks looks to land a right hand but Garvey moved out of range.
Banks is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
The fighters circle momentarily. Banks darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garvey scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A head kick misses from Garvey.
Banks lands with a nice body punch.
Banks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garvey was well out of range. Poor timing from Banks.
Banks lands a nice hook to Garvey's body. Garvey takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Garvey 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!

Garvey throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Banks.
A shot to the body from Banks misses
and Garvey counters with a head kick. That will keep Banks thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Banks throws a combination that misses
and Garvey counters with a thumping low kick.

Garvey drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Banks has Garvey pulled in close to control his posture.

Banks is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Garvey defends well.
Garvey would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Banks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banks is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Garvey defends well.
Banks wants to sweep here but Garvey controlling him for the moment.

Banks looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Banks looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Banks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Garvey is one step ahead there.
Banks is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banks wants to free his trapped foot but Garvey is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Garvey wants to control but Banks is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Banks is pressing down on Garvey's thigh, looking to free his foot. Garvey is holding on for now.
Banks not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Banks working Garvey over with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Garvey keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Garvey avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Banks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Banks in particular looking to stall.
Banks not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Banks throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Garvey to regain full guard.
Will Banks overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Banks wants to control from the top but Garvey keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Banks accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Will Banks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Banks trying to control but Garvey is working from the bottom.
Banks postures up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Garvey is on top in guard.
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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garvey forces his way into half guard.
Banks gets full guard.

Banks escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Garvey gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Banks looking to control but Garvey passes into half guard.
Banks is not content to let Garvey control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banks missing with punches from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will Banks showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Garvey has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Marcus Garvey!
Marcus Garvey seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.