PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Don Hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Banks is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by All I do Is win. Will Banks 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!

Hall
vs
Banks

175 cm
32
155 lbs
28 - 13 - 0

175 cm
29
156 lbs
22 - 12 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Legion of Pain Nutrition

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 28 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Don Hall!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Will Banks!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Gregory Folan and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hall throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hall tries a head kick but it misses.
Good standup being displayed there by Banks as he connects with a hook.
Hall thuds his right hand into Banks's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Banks throws a predictable looking body shot
and Hall counters with a left to the body.
Banks misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Hall counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Banks keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Banks avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hall moves in looking to clinch but Banks pushes him off.
A left and a right from Hall both land. Nice combination.
Banks avoids the head kick by Hall.
Banks fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hall manages to avoid it.
Banks lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Banks misses with a looping right.
Banks throws a series of punches but Hall avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hall.
Hall looks to land a body kick but Banks moved away.
Banks tries to land a leg kick but Hall saw it coming and moves away.
Hall shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Banks defends it nicely.
Hall throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banks uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Hall has time to react.
Banks is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hall.
Banks lands with a thumping leg kick.
A jab from Banks misses.
Banks fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hall manages to avoid it.
Hall avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Banks.
Hall throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Banks feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Halls jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Banks swings for the body but Hall moves out of range.
Hall connects with a nice looking jab.
Banks on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
A nice inside leg kick there by Banks. That's going to slow Hall down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Banks misses with a body kick.
Banks throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Banks lands with a shot to the body.
Hall misses with a body shot.
Banks looks to land a combination but Hall avoids it well.
Banks shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall moves out of range of the strikes.
Hall ducks under a wild hook from Banks.

Hall has closed the distance and engaged Banks in a clinch.
Hall tries to break the clinch but Banks is controlling the position.

Hall manages to break the clinch.
Hall tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Banks paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hall throws a right and a left that Banks avoids nicely.
Hall throws a series of punches but Banks moves out of range.
Banks thuds his right hand into Hall's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Banks misses with an uppercut
and Hall counters with a low kick, right behind Banks 's knee.
Banks misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Hall counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Banks thinking.
Hall is looking to wear down Banks with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Hall uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Banks has time to react.
Banks throws a shot from downtown. Hall moves away and avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hall on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Banks is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hall.
Banks plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Hall throws a right and a left that Banks avoids nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hall throws a series of punches but Banks avoids them all with ease.
Hall misses with a straight left.
Hall works the jab nicely.
Banks scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hall ducks under a wild hook from Banks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banks displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hall throws out the jab.
Hall avoids a kick to the body.
Banks misses with a wild body shot.
Hall lands with a kick to the temple. Banks shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Don Hall will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hall throws a body punch but Banks moves out of range.
Banks swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hall thows a body shot but no joy.
Banks swats away the attempt to clinch by Hall.
Banks throws a leg kick but Hall checks it.
Banks thows a body shot but no joy.
Hall swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Banks to counter with a crisp jab.
Banks takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Hall throws a push kick but Banks slaps the foot to one side.
Hall misses with a kick to the body.
Hall closes the distance but Banks moves to the side
and Banks counters with a one-two to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall scores with a sloppy right hand. Banks should have avoided that one.
Banks misses with a hook.
Banks feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Halls jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Banks shoots in for a takedown but Hall shows good takedown defense.
Hall misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hall.
Nice shot by Hall.
Hall shoots in looking for a takedown but Banks manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hall's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Banks thows a body shot but no joy.
Banks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hall was well out of range. Poor timing from Banks.
Hall walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Banks checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Banks needs to keep his hands up - Hall had a free shot at his head there.
Hall walks into a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Banks misses with a body shot.
Hall closes the distance and lands a one-two.
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!

Banks closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hall quickly recovers to half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Hall moves into full guard.
Hall has Banks pulled in close to control his posture.
Hall keeping moving, preventing Banks from controlling successfully.
Banks throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hall works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banks throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hall pulls Banks in close to his closed guard and prevents Banks from doing any damage or advancing position.
Hall trying to keep a closed guard but Banks is proving a slippery customer.
Banks wants to control from the top but Hall keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Banks takes a swing at Hall's ribcage but misses.
Banks moves out of range as Hall strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hall throws a jab when Banks was well out of range.
Banks moves into range and connects with a jab.
Banks scores with a nice strike.
Hall throws a right and a left that Banks avoids nicely.
Hall leaves Banks with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Hall moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Banks throws a body punch but Hall moves out of range.
Banks connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Hall's hands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banks shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Don Hall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Will Banks.
Hall misses with the combination.
Hall misses with a right hand
and Banks counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hall throws a head kick that half lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Don Hall will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Banks works Hall's body with a nice hook.
Banks misses with a looping right.
Hall bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Banks has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hall finds it's way round the side to connect with Banks's head.
Hall swings widly with a right hand
letting Banks counter with a right hand.
Will Banks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hall throws a sloppy head kick
and Banks cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Banks misses the shot to the body.
Hall looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Banks lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hall throws a jab when Banks was well out of range.
Hall tries to move into range but Banks moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Hall connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hall lands a slapping body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Banks.
Hall lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Banks circles away quickly and effectively.
Banks avoids a kick to the body.
Banks throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Hall's head.
Hall fails with a takedown attempt.
Banks throws a shot from downtown. Hall moves away and avoids it.
Don Hall is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hall scores with the left hand. Banks knows he should have avoided that one.
Banks looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Don Hall is winning the standup battle so far.
Hall lands the left hand.
A low kick from Hall misses
and Banks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Banks getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall misses with a wild body shot.
Nice body punch from Hall.
Banks thuds a left hand into Hall's body.
Banks takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Hall instigates a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Banks lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hall is trying to break the clinch but Banks is controlling him.
Banks misses with a hook to the ribs.
Banks has Hall pressed against the cage, preventing Hall from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Banks has a couple of punches blocked by Hall.
Hall changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Banks fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hall steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Banks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A combination from Hall does no damage.
Hall swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A telegraphed right hand from Banks misses the target.
Will Banks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hall will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Banks fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Banks misses with a body shot.
Hall throws a right and a left that Banks avoids nicely.
Hall misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks misses with an uppercut.
Hall keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hall gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Nice defenses there by Hall.
Banks throws a body punch but Hall moves out of range.
Hall slips under a jab.
Don Hall is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A decent looking cross lands there for Hall.
Banks misses with a looping left.
Hall looks to land a combination. Banks sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hall!
Hall moves out of range as Banks strikes.
Hall uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Banks.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Don Hall.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hall, 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Hall!
Don Hall thanked the fans post fight for their support.