PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleskander Murko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Banner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Murko
vs
Banner

200 cm
23
236 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

199 cm
23
262 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Aleskander Murko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bruce Banner!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Dean Styles and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banner tries to bum rush Murko with a series of wild strikes but Murko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Murko wants to clinch up but Banner keeps it at a distance.

Banner closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Banner lands in his opponent's guard.
Murko is trying to keep Banner in close.
Banner throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Banner wants to control from the top but Murko keeps moving.
Murko bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Banner's guard.
Banner is pulling down on Murko's head to control his posture.
Murko trying to stand up but can't free himself from Banner's guard.
Murko is fighting to break Banner's control of his arms but Banner is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murko is looking to stand up but Banner won't let him.
Banner tries to strike from the bottom.
Banner wants to sweep but no luck.
Banner throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Banner circles away from the clinch attempt.
Banner misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Murko slips a jab and a cross from Banner.
Banner tries to move into range but Murko moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

It looks like Bruce Banner has been cut.
Banner fails to land the takedown.
Murko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Banner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Banner scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Murko misses with the combination.
Aleskander Murko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Murko wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murko doesn't manage to clinch there - Banner circles away.
Murko throws a big shot that misses.
Murko is looking to clinch but Banner is avoiding it.

Banner gets a takedown into half guard.
Banner stops Murko from getting back to his feet.
Banner trying to mount his opponent but Murko defends it.
Banner missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Murko is staying active underneath Banner, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Banner missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Banner looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banner landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Murko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Banner.
Banner keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Banner sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Murko defending well though.
Banner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Banner missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Banner slips a nice elbow through Murko's hands, connecting with Murko's forehead.
Murko is refusing to be controlled, as Banner sits in half guard.
Banner looks gassed!
Murko trying to control from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Murko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Murko doesn't manage to clinch there - Banner circles away.
Murko is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Banner.

It looks like Aleskander Murko has been cut.

Murko rushes Banner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Banner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Banner closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Banner lands in his opponent's guard.
Murko controls Banner momentarily but Banner frees himself.
Banner won't allow Murko to get back to his feet.
Murko keeping moving, preventing Banner from controlling successfully.

Murko is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Banner blocks an uppercut.
Nice elbow from Murko.
Murko digs a right hand underneath Banner's ribcage. Banner let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Murko working aggressively here.

Banner manages to break the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fight stays on the outside here - Murko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Banner dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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.

A combination from Murko does no damage.
Murko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Banner clinches with his opponent.
Murko pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Banner tries for a takedown but Murko manages to get underhooks.
Murko digs a right hand underneath Banner's ribcage. Banner let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Murko is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Banner lands a shoulder strike.
Banner lands with a right to the head.
Banner lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Murko backwards.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Murko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Banner's brow.
Banner throws a head punch that misses.
Murko pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Murko works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Banner misses with a hook from the clinch.

Banner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Murko throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Banner is breathing heavily.

Murko moves into range and clinches up with Banner.

Banner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A combination from Murko does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murko moves away from the strike by Banner.

Murko moves into the clinch.
Murko is trying to break the clinch but Banner has him pressed against the cage.
Banner goes for a takedown in the clinch but Murko prevents it.
Murko gets underhooks to prevent Banner's takedown attempt.
Aleskander Murko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruce Banner.
Banner blocks an elbow strike.
Banner trying to control the position but instead, Murko has worked for underhooks and has pushed Banner into the cage.
Still in the clinch, Banner scores with a nice short uppercut.
Murko misses with an elbow strike.
Banner takes a knee right on the jaw!

Murko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Murko closes the distance but Banner moves to the side
letting Banner counter with a right hand.
Murko bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Banner's head backwards.

That has opened up Bruce Banner's cut even more.
Murko darts in trying to clinch
and Banner makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Aleskander Murko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murko wants to clinch

and Banner counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Banner.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Murko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Banner's brow.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Murko.

Murko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murko tries to clinch but Banner moves away

and Banner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Murko tries to roll over but Banner keeps him under control.
Banner prevents Murko from standing back up.
Murko is pressing down on Banner's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Banner wants to pass the guard but Murko is keeping the position.
Banner prevents Murko from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Murko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Banner can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Banner!

Banner scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murko tries to roll over but Banner keeps him under control.
Murko is working hard here to advance position.
Murko scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Banner manages to mount him!
Murko is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Murko can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
A nice elbow there by Banner.
Banner can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Murko is looking to escape.
Banner with a couple of short strikes.
Banner lands a heavy elbow.
Banner working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Bruce Banner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Murko wants to try and get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Banner working the ground and pound effectively.
Murko takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bruce Banner will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Murko closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Banner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Banner scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Banner shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Murko as he avoids it easily.
A low kick from Murko is predictable there

and Banner counters with a shoot takedown. Murko fights it but they end up in guard.
Banner tries to free his leg and advance position but Murko is retaining full guard.
Murko is looking to stand up but Banner isn't so interested in that idea.
Murko keeping moving, preventing Banner from controlling successfully.
Murko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Banner is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Banner with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banner works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Banner wants to take a breather but Murko is having none of it.
Banner prevents Murko from standing back up.
Murko taking some punishment here, with Banner in his half guard.
Murko looks like he's trying to stand up.
Still in half guard, Banner seems content to control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Banner lands a nice short elbow.
Banner throwing shots but Murko is blocking nicely.
Banner has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Murko blocking the ground and pound attempt from Banner.
Murko wants to get back to his feet.

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.

Banner is working for an americana but Murko has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Banner was thinking about the submission.

Murko is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Murko looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Murko trying to control the position but instead, Banner has worked for underhooks and has pushed Murko into the cage.

Banner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Banner misses with a series of wild punches.

Banner closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Murko dodges the ground and pound from Banner.
Murko is pushing Banner's head away, looking to escape. Banner manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murko tries to bench press Banner off him but Banner keeps the position.
Murko is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Banner has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Banner advances to full mount.
Murko is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Murko is trying to escape the mount.
A nice elbow there by Banner.
Murko really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Banner lands with some strikes.

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.

Banner is going olschool here, as he tries to force Murko to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Murko shrugs it off.
Murko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Aleskander Murko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Murko wants to hold on but Banner pushes him away.
Murko is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Bruce Banner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The referee warns Murko that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Banner working the ground and pound effectively.
Banner controlling the pace for now.
Banner is landing with some decent strikes but Murko is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Banner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Banner winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Banner!