PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tyson Ephrahim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marshall Banks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ephrahim
vs
Banks

165 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tyson Ephrahim !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Marshall Banks!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Richard Clark and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banks throws a body kick that misses.
Ephrahim throws a body kick that misses.
And Banks tries to counter it with a takedown but Ephrahim pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Banks tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ephrahim defends well and Banks ends up having to push Ephrahim into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Banks shoots for a double leg takedown but Ephrahim sprawls well. He's pushed Banks's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ephrahim misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Banks is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Ephrahim has a takedown stuffed.
Banks closes the distance and clinches up with Ephrahim , looking for a takedown. Banks pushes Ephrahim against the cage but Ephrahim circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ephrahim tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Banks manages to circle out of the way.
Tyson Ephrahim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marshall Banks.

Banks moves into the clinch.
Banks stalling.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banks gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ephrahim .
Banks jumps guard but Ephrahim turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ephrahim jumps into guard, dragging Banks to the mat.
Ephrahim trying to strike off his back.
Ephrahim could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Banks throws a big elbow that misses.
Banks must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Banks sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Banks wants to control from the top but Ephrahim keeps moving.
Banks really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ephrahim . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ephrahim controls Banks momentarily but Banks frees himself.
Banks looking to pass the guard.

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.
Ephrahim managing to control the position.

Ephrahim is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ephrahim keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Banks moves into range and clinches up with Ephrahim .
Banks is trying to break the clinch but Ephrahim is controlling him.
Banks is looking to break free of the clinch but Ephrahim has double underhooks.
Banks tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ephrahim just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ephrahim trying to control the position but instead, Banks has worked for underhooks and has pushed Ephrahim into the cage.
Banks wants a takedown.
Banks fails to pull guard.

Ephrahim pulls guard effortlessly.

Ephrahim looking for a guillotine here but Banks defends easily.
Banks wants to stand and escape but instead Ephrahim has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Ephrahim throwing strikes from guard but Banks blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Banks is pulling down on Ephrahim 's head to control his posture.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ephrahim working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ephrahim 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.

Ephrahim stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Banks throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Ephrahim counters by moving into the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Banks takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Banks has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

No luck for Ephrahim with that takedown attempt.
Ephrahim avoids the head kick by Banks.
Banks lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Banks pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Banks fails to land the takedown.
Banks shoots for a takedown but Ephrahim saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ephrahim swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ephrahim blocks a head kick by Banks.
Ephrahim closes the distance and clinches up with Banks, looking for a takedown. Ephrahim pushes Banks against the cage but Banks circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ephrahim looks for a takedown but Banks sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tyson Ephrahim . That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banks darts in looking for a takedown but Ephrahim gets double underhooks and turns Banks into the cage.
Banks is breathing heavily.
Ephrahim displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Banks.
Nice takedown defense from Banks. No joy for Ephrahim on that attempt.
Banks fails with the takedown.

Ephrahim clinches with his opponent.
Ephrahim wants a takedown but no success here.

Ephrahim jumps into guard, dragging Banks to the mat.

Ephrahim looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ephrahim seems keen to control Banks's posture.
Banks wanted to stand there but Ephrahim had control of the position.
Ephrahim bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Banks's guard.

Ephrahim drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ephrahim jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ephrahim trying to control but Banks is working from the bottom.

Ephrahim stands up and waves to Banks to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ephrahim tries to clinch there but Banks circles away.
Banks looks for a takedown but Ephrahim sprawls well.
Ephrahim throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tyson Ephrahim is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Banks misses with a body kick.
As Banks tries to get set, Ephrahim tries to push him back and clinch up but Banks manages to avoid the attempt.
Banks is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ephrahim tries to clinch up.
Banks lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Ephrahim fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banks shoots for a takedown but Ephrahim saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ephrahim throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ephrahim .
Ephrahim fails with a takedown attempt.
Ephrahim is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Banks can do to turn this around?
Ephrahim doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Banks counters with a left to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Banks shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Banks cracks Ephrahim with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Banks moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marshall Banks will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Banks takes the fight into the clinch.

Banks breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Banks looks to land a body kick but Ephrahim moved away.
Banks shoots in but Ephrahim avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Banks looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Banks darts in and clinches Ephrahim up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banks has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Ephrahim avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Tyson Ephrahim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marshall Banks.
Banks takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A frustrated look appears on Banks's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Banks can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ephrahim tries to break the clinch but Banks is controlling the position.
Banks tries to pull guard but Ephrahim won't allow it.
Banks has Ephrahim pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ephrahim manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Banks is looking for a takedown.
Ephrahim drops down looking for an ankle pick but Banks pulls his leg out and moves away.
No luck for Ephrahim with that takedown attempt.
Ephrahim closes this distance looking for a takedown but Banks circles away.
Banks swats away the attempt to clinch by Ephrahim .
A countering left hand to the body from Banks misses.
Ephrahim shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Banks pinned against the cage. Banks gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Banks.
Banks misses with a wild body shot.
Ephrahim misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Banks shoots in looking for a takedown but Ephrahim manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Banks's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Banks defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ephrahim .
Ephrahim shoots in looking for a takedown. Banks tries to sprawl out of it but Ephrahim keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Banks manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Banks shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ephrahim as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ephrahim keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Banks swats away the attempt to clinch by Ephrahim .
Banks unleashes a big counter combination but Ephrahim bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ephrahim .
Banks tries to clinch up but Ephrahim circles away and keeps his distance.
Ephrahim jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Banks throws a body kick that misses.
Banks throws a leg kick but Ephrahim checks it.
Ephrahim will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Banks misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ephrahim appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ephrahim looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Banks closes the distance and clinches up with Ephrahim , looking for a takedown. Banks pushes Ephrahim against the cage but Ephrahim circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Banks. No joy for Ephrahim on that attempt.
Ephrahim shoots in looking for a takedown. Banks tries to sprawl out of it but Ephrahim keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Banks manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Banks moves into the clinch successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marshall Banks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Banks 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 James Atkins scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Marshall Banks!