PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ken Banners (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Banners comes to the cage accompanied by Rage Against The Machine - Bombtrack. Howell has chosen American Badass as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Banners
vs
Howell

194 cm
26
275 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

200 cm
30
255 lbs
14 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ken Banners!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Howell!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Steve Erwin and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A thudding body kick lands there by Banners!
Banners works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Howell on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Banners tries to land a front kick but Howell steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Howell throws a series of punches but Banners avoids them all with ease.
Howell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Howell slips a jab from Banners.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Howell keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Banners.
Nice cross by Banners.
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!
Howell takes a jab right on the kisser.

It looks like Josh Howell has been cut.
Howell misses with a few strikes there.
Howell misses with a wild body shot.
Banners ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Howell moves away.
Banners swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Banners lands with a shot to the body.
Howell takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Banners throws a hook but Howell blocks it.
Howell misses with a low kick.
Banners lands a leg kick that knocks Howell off balance momentarily.
Banners scores with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell just misses with a punch to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Howell 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Howell just misses with a punch to the body.
Banners looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A jab from Banners does it's job there.
Howell uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Banners.
Howell lands a nice looking body shot.
Banners misses with a wild combination.
Banners misses with a hook.
Howell missing with a left hand there. Banners was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Banners connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Howell momentarily.
Banners is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Howell looks to land a left hand but Banners moved out of range nicely.
Good shot there by Banners.
Banners dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Howell. That did some damage!
Howell throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Banners sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Howell throws a head kick but Banners moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Jab from Banners.
Howell displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Banners throws out the jab.
Howell slips under a jab from Banners.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howell. Banners does a little dance to reset his feet.
Banners lands with a shot to the body.
Howell cracks Banners with an open hand slap.
Banners throws a nice inside leg kick.
Howell misses with a head kick.
Ken Banners seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Howell cracks Banners with a good jab.
Howell uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Banners.
Banners thows a body kick. Howell tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Howell looks gassed!
A chopping leg kick lands by Banners.
Banners lands with a straight right. Howell didn't see that one coming.
Banners stuns Howell with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Banners takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Banners scores with a crisp jab that stopped Howell in his tracks.
Banners scores with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banners throws a leg kick which misses Howell's front leg but catches the back leg as Howell tries to avoid it.
Howell dodges the punch combination from Banners.
Banners lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Banners pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Howell back to the cage. Banners follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That has opened up Josh Howell's cut even more.
Howell slips a jab and a cross from Banners.
Howell misses with a body shot.
Good work by Banners as he checks the leg kick.
Howell takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banners jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Banners lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Howell backs up against the cage.
Banners lands with a kick to the ribs.
The crowd cheers as Banners lands an impressive looking overhand right. Howell doesn't seem phased though.
Banners uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Howell.
Banners throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Banners dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banners connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Howell has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Howell misses with a straight left.
Howell on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Banners. Banners obviously looking to wear him down.
Howell takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Howell walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

The cut above Josh Howell's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Banners connects with a body shot that sends Howell's belly button to the back.
Banners getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Banners keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Howell is rocked!
Howell gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Howell is still on wobbly legs! Can Banners finish him?
Howell fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Banners manages to avoid it.
Banners jabs Howell to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Banners feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Howell sprawling to the canvas! Howell rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Banners finish him?!

Josh Howell's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Banners dances in with a quick combination. Howell is being worked over with jabs and crosses. Oooh, a right straight from Banners snaps Howell's head back. Howell stumbles backwards against the cage. Banners steps forward and delivers a right cross that connects with Howell's jaw, simultaneously knocking him out and sending his mouthpiece into the crowd! There's a worthy souvenir for the fans. This one is over folks. Howell just didn't come prepared.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Ken Banners!