PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lamont Banner (ranked 3161 p4p, 338 weight class) and Justin Orel (ranked 5699 p4p, 493 weight class). Banner comes to the cage accompanied by Goin' Baby- DaBaby. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Banner
vs
Orel

172 cm
22
156 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

177 cm
20
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Dark Knight Nutrition

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lamont Banner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Justin Orel!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Alec Ball and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Orel scores with a sloppy right hand. Banner should have avoided that one.

Banner pushes Orel up against the cage in a clinch.
Orel wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Banner has him pressed against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Orel's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Banner breaks the clinch.
Banner misses with the combination.
Orel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Banner went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Nice jab there from Orel.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Banner.
Orel cracks a nice hook into Banner's ribs.
Banner has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Orel finds it's way round the side to connect with Banner's head.

Banner takes the fight into the clinch.
Nice elbow from Banner.

It looks like Justin Orel has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Banner fails with an attempt to clinch.
Banner looks to land a combination but Orel avoids it well.
Banner gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Orel fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Banner on the side of the head.
Banner dives in and grabs Orel's left leg, looking for a takedown. Orel pushes down on Banner's head and hops out.
Banner slips a jab and a cross from Orel.
Banner tries to counter by clinching up but Orel breaks away and moves out of range.
Orel avoids the head kick by Banner.
Orel let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Banner has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Cozad MMA Los Angeles in the buildup to the fight.
Banner fails to land the takedown.
Orel throws out a counter right but Banner avoids it with no problem.
Banner moves forwards but Orel connects with a nice, crisp jab.

It looks like Lamont Banner has been cut.
Banner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Orel manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Orel throws out a counter right but Banner avoids it with no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Orel stuffs the takedown attempt from Banner. Banner gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lamont Banner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Banner is breathing heavily.
Banner misses with a series of wild punches.
Orel is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Banner with a body shot.
Orel works Banner's body with a nice hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Orel throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Banner stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Banner slips a jab and a cross from Orel.
Banner shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Orel sprawls well. Orel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Banner gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Orel.
Orel lands a body shot.
Orel scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Banner doesn't seem bothered though.
Orel misses with a jab, cross combination.
Banner drops down looking for a counter takedown but Orel sprawls and moves away.
Orel scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Orel misses with a double jab.
Banner gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Orel connects with a body shot that sends Banner's belly button to the back.
Orel lands with a good body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Banner has his takedown stuffed
letting Orel counter with a right hand.
Orel stuns Banner with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Orel scores with a jab to the body.
Orel jabs Banner to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Orel bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
We've been informed that Orel has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Banner takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Orel connects with a good right hand that stumbles Banner. Banner circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Orel is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Banner had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Banner on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Orel wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Orel dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Banner tries for a takedown but Orel circles away easily
and Orel makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Orel is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Banner rather than just go for the knockout.
Orel digs a good hook to Banner's body.
Orel looks to score with a jab to the body but Banner is just out of range.
Banner is looking to clinch but Orel is avoiding it.
Orel swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Orel comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Banner misses with a head kick.
Banner tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Orel makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Lamont Banner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes from Orel. Those never looked like landing.
Banner swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Orel defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Banner.
Orel catches Banner with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Banner takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Orel lands a slapping body shot.
Justin Orel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Donk. Orel catches Banner right on the button with a cross.
Banner walks into a left hand.
Justin Orel seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Horrible takedown attempt by Banner or perhaps it was just good defense by Orel, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lamont Banner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banner takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Orel lands a right hook to the body.
Orel jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Orel with a hook.
Banner takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Orel throws a right hand that Banner ducks under and follows up with a left that Banner also avoids with ease.
Banner walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Orel connects with a body shot that sends Banner's belly button to the back.
Banner shoots for a double leg takedown but Orel sprawls well. He's pushed Banner's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Orel scores with a shot to the body.
Orel fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Banner looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Orel scores with a punch to the head.
Orel lands a body shot.
Banner with a lazy takedown attempt
and Orel counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Banner on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Orel circles away from the clinch attempt
and Orel counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orel throws a shot to the body.
Orel lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Orel gets tackled into the cage by Banner. Banner maintains the clinch.
Orel wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Banner has him pressed against the cage.
Orel is trying to break the clinch but Banner has him pressed against the cage.
Banner fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Orel lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Banner lands a nice knee to the body.
Orel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Banner is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banner fails to pull guard.
Orel lands with a left to the head.
Orel is looking to break free of the clinch but Banner has double underhooks.
Banner jumps guard but Orel turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Banner wants to stall.
Orel is trying to push Banner away but Banner has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Banner prevents Orel from breaking the clinch.
Orel struggles to land a body shot inside as Banner controls his hands.
Orel is trying to break the clinch but Banner is controlling him.
Banner with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Banner goes for a takedown in the clinch but Orel prevents it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Orel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Orel misses with a two punch combination.
Orel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Banner.
Orel looks to land a combination but Banner avoids it well.
Banner wants to clinch.

Banner clinches up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Orel misses with some punches.
Banner tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Orel just stands there and leans against the cage.
Banner lands an elbow inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Orel is pushing Banner up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Banner tries to pull guard but Orel holds him up against the cage and eventually Banner drops back down to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Banner prevents Orel from breaking the clinch.
Banner looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Banner controlling the action here for a moment.
Orel wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Banner has him pressed against the cage.
Orel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Banner wants to take the fight to the mat but Orel manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lamont Banner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Banner looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Orel is trying to break the clinch but Banner is controlling him.

Banner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Orel keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Banner shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Orel as he jumps to the side.
Orel lands a nice looking body shot.
Orel scores with a jab to the body.
Orel feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Banners jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Banner avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Orel dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Banner takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Orel listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Orel cracks a nice hook into Banner's ribs.
Banner showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Orel.
Banner takes a jab right on the kisser.
Orel catches Banner with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Orel throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Orel.
Orel fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Banner looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Banner gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Banner has Orel pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Orel manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Banner. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Orel is trying to break free.
Orel is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Justin Orel is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Banner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Banner shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Banner fails with a takedown attempt.
Lamont Banner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Orel cracks Banner with a good jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Orel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Orel 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Orel!
After the fight, Justin Orel was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
The defeated Lamont Banner had this to say: 'I'll be back. This is just a set back in my journey to the belt.'.