PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Iury Rachmaninov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and jerome le banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rachmaninov
vs
le banner

190 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Iury Rachmaninov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, jerome le banner!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Steve Smith and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

le banner closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - le banner lands in his opponent's guard.
le banner is stalling in the full guard.
Rachmaninov not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
le banner sitting in guard, not really doing much.
le banner wants to control from the top but Rachmaninov keeps moving.
le banner makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
le banner wants to control from the top but Rachmaninov keeps moving.
le banner not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

le banner gets to his feet - Rachmaninov follows without any prompting.
Rachmaninov fails with an attempt to clinch.
le banner shoots in looking for a takedown. Rachmaninov tries to sprawl out of it but le banner keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rachmaninov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rachmaninov tries for a takedown but le banner circles away easily

and le banner counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rachmaninov's guard now.
le banner postures up.

le banner stands up and waves to Rachmaninov to follow him.
le banner shoots in for a double leg but Rachmaninov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
le banner looks gassed!
le banner shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rachmaninov pinned against the cage. Rachmaninov gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Iury Rachmaninov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of jerome le banner.

le banner looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rachmaninov wants to get back to full guard.
le banner blocks the strikes from Rachmaninov.
Rachmaninov is trying to maintain the position but le banner is very close to passing his half guard.
le banner is looking to pass Rachmaninov's guard but actually Rachmaninov recovers to full guard.
Rachmaninov avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
le banner won't allow Rachmaninov to sweep him here.
Rachmaninov is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst le banner is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rachmaninov pulls le banner in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rachmaninov closes this distance looking for a takedown but le banner circles away.
Rachmaninov throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and le banner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

le banner decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Rachmaninov shoots in looking for a takedown. le banner tries to sprawl out of it but Rachmaninov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. le banner manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
le banner does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Rachmaninov tries to clinch up but le banner circles away and keeps his distance.
Rachmaninov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but le banner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rachmaninov tries to clinch up but le banner circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
le banner is looking to clinch.
Rachmaninov misses with a takedown

and le banner counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by le banner.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rachmaninov keeping moving, preventing le banner from controlling successfully.
le banner wants to pass the guard but Rachmaninov is keeping the position.
Rachmaninov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rachmaninov working a defensive guard here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

jerome le banner dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

le banner fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rachmaninov sprawls well initially but le banner persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
le banner throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rachmaninov moves into full guard.
le banner looking to sit in guard and control but Rachmaninov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

le banner had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rachmaninov is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. le banner Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rachmaninov's back instead.

le banner looking for the choke from the back.
le banner is breathing heavily.
Rachmaninov is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
le banner avoiding Rachmaninov 's attempts to control his hands.
Rachmaninov manages to reverse the position and now he's in le banner's guard. Nice work there by Rachmaninov.
Rachmaninov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rachmaninov trying to control but le banner is working from the bottom.

le banner working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rachmaninov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rachmaninov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
le banner is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rachmaninov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with le banner but le banner pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rachmaninov is looking to clinch but le banner is avoiding it.

le banner shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rachmaninov looking for a sweep. Not yet Rachmaninov, not yet.

le banner lying in Rachmaninov's guard like a wet fish here, stalling away. Rachmaninov decides he's had enough of all that nonsense - he escapes his hips and locks up an armbar! Wow, that was slick! le banner taps! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Iury Rachmaninov!