PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between John Bennett (ranked 2677 p4p, 17733 weight class) and Jacques Durand (ranked 350 p4p, 676 weight class). Durand is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Kaaris - S.E.V.R.A.N.. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bennett
vs
Durand

187 cm
27
214
18 - 3 - 0

201 cm
36
214
40 - 14 - 1

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Granite chin

Gatoroids

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Bennett!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 40 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jacques Durand!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Alyssa Summers and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Durand listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Durand blocks a low kick nicely.
Nice defenses there by Bennett.
A slow jab from Bennett misses its intended target.
Bennett drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Bennett lands with a thumping leg kick.
Durand avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Durand throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Durand throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bennett's head.
Durand scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Bennett finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Durand lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice inside leg kick there by Bennett. That's going to slow Durand down.
Bennett throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Durand fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bennett manages to avoid it.
Bennett appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Bennett waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Durand.
Durand ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Durand cracks Bennett with a good jab.
John Bennett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durand slips under a jab from Bennett.
Durand jabs at Bennett's body.
Bennett throws a poor cross that misses

and Durand counters by clinching up.

Bennett breaks the clinch.
Durand throws a leg kick which misses Bennett's front leg but catches the back leg as Bennett tries to avoid it.
Bennett on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Durand has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

Durand has managed to clinch.

Bennett manages to break the clinch.
Bennett looks to throw the jab but Durand is out of range.
Durand feints a counter leg kick.
Durand scoring well with a low kick there.
Bennett throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Durand slips a jab from Bennett.
Bennett backing away here, and Durand unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Durand slips under a jab from Bennett.

Durand has managed to clinch.
Durand digs a right hand underneath Bennett's ribcage. Bennett let out a lung full of air as it connected.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Durand lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Durand lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Durand.

It looks like John Bennett has been cut.

Durand's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bennett throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Durand was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Durand displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bennett throws out the jab.
Bennett tries to move into range but Durand moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Durand has taken the fight to the clinch.
Durand struggles to land a body shot inside as Bennett controls his hands.
Durand misses with some punches.
Durand lands with a light punch inside.
Durand lands a shot to the body.
Bennett is breathing heavily.
Durand pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Bennett trying to control the position but instead, Durand has worked for underhooks and has pushed Bennett into the ropes.
Bennett wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Durand has him pressed against the ropes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bennett working aggressively here.
Durand lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bennett backwards.
Bennett works on Durand's body with a couple of short punches.
Bennett is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Durand's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Durand throws an elbow but it misses.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Durand just misses with a elbow thrown towards Bennett's brow.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jacques Durand dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Bennett's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Durand lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Bennett misses the jab.
Durand throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Durand missing with a left hand there. Bennett was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Durand avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bennett misses the shot to the body.
Durand thuds a left hand into Bennett's body.
Bennett throws a hook but Durand avoids it easily.
Bennett thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bennett fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Durand on the side of the head.
Bennett thows a left - swing and a miss!
It seemed like Durand was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Durand has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No joy there for Bennett, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bennett looks to land a combination but Durand avoids it well.
Bennett blocks the body kick.
Bennett looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Bennett circles away from the clinch attempt.
A good leg kick by Durand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennett avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Durand is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Bennett lands a nice hook to Durand's body. Durand takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Durand throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Durand fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A jab from Bennett misses.
Bennett is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Durand.
Durand throws the kick towards the body but Bennett avoids it.
Durand avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Durand swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Durand connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Bennett keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A big left from Bennett misses.
Durand fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Bennett is out of range.
Durand avoids the body shot from Bennett.
An inside leg kick from Durand misses.
Bennett steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Durand. That one must have hurt.
Durand uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bennett.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Durand throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Durand lands with an overhand left.
Durand thumps Bennett with a low kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bennett blocks a head kick by Durand.
Durand stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Bennett.
Durand misses with a wild body shot.
Bennett is looking to chop away at Durand's legs.
Bennett looks to land a left hand but Durand moved out of range nicely.
Durand throws a fast counter high kick but Bennett manages to duck under it in time.
Bennett takes one to the side of the head.
Jacques Durand seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bennett fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Durand checks it well.
Durand avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Durand closes the distance and clinches.
Bennett doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Durand using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bennett has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Durand working Bennett over with knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Durand lands a hook that snaps the head of Bennett backwards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jacques Durand showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Bennett's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Durand lunges at Bennett with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Bennett's hand.
Durand cracks Bennett with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Durand uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Durand looks to score with a jab to the body but Bennett is just out of range.
Bennett moves out of range as Durand throws a body kick.
Bennett attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Bennett takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Bennett looks to land a right hand but Durand moved out of range.
Durand cracks Bennett with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Durand tries to bum rush Bennett with a series of wild strikes but Bennett uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Durand throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durand defending well as Bennett loads up on a big left hand.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Bennett crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Durand - the referee stops the clock and Bennett gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Durand. Bennett manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Bennett scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bennett misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bennett throws a right and a left that Durand avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durand bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Durand throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Durand throws a body punch but Bennett moves out of range.

Durand moves into the clinch successfully.
Bennett with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Jacques Durand has been cut.
Durand putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Bennett in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Durand missing with knees to the body.

Bennett breaks the clinch.
Bennett swings widly with a right hand
and Durand counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Durand moves out of range as Bennett strikes.
Bennett loads up on a big right hand but Durand slips the punch.
Bennett misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Durand.
Bennett throws a jab but it's blocked by Durand.
Bennett checks the leg kick.
Durand is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Bennett.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bennett swings for the body but Durand moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bennett looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Durand tries a quick counter leg kick but Bennett is wise to it.
Bennett misses the body punch
and Durand counters with a nice uppercut.

Durand moves into the clinch.
Bennett with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Bennett on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Bennett misses with a knee strike.
A shot in the inside from Durand.
Durand lands a body punch in the clinch.
Durand lands a damaging elbow.

Durand's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Durand lands a high kick!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bennett throws a lazy right hand but Durand sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Durand with a nice cross.
Durand avoids the body shot from Bennett.
Durand uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bennett.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jacques Durand really dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Durand jabs at Bennett's body.
Bennett throws a right hand that misses
enabling Durand to counter with a crisp jab.
Durand moves out of range as Bennett strikes.
Durand connects with a body shot.
Durand throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Bennett on the side of the head.
Bennett moves forwards but Durand connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Durand tries a head kick but it misses.
Durand connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Durand throws a nice outside leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bennett. Durand does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bennett takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Bennett throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Durand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Durand is looking to land body kicks.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Durand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durand throws a body punch but Bennett moves out of range.
Durand lands with a slapping head kick.
Sloppy strikes from Bennett. Those never looked like landing.
Durand appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Bennett throws an off balance right hand
and Durand counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A slow jab from Bennett misses its intended target.
Durand tries to close the distance and clinch but Bennett swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Durand fails with an attempt to clinch.
Durand misses with an attempted mid kick.
Bennett throws a lazy uppercut
and Durand counters with a stiff right hand.
Durand checks a leg kick.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Bennett.
Durand swings for the body but Bennett moves out of range.
Bennett throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bennett thows a left - swing and a miss!
Durand throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durand takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Nice body kick from Durand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A low kick from Durand misses
and Bennett counters with a straight right hand.
Bennett swings widly with a right hand
and Durand counters with a nice body kick.
Bennett swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Bennett displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Durand throws out the jab.
Bennett takes a kick to the side of the head.
Bennett swings away with a body shot that misses
and Durand connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bennett misses with a hook to the body
and Durand counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Durand turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Durand lands a nice looking kick to the body. Bennett takes a step back to recover.
Bennett throws out a loose jab but Durand uses good head movement to avoid it.
Durand moves away from the strike by Bennett.
Durand is trying to counter with his kicks.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Durand lands a nice looking kick to the body. Bennett takes a step back to recover.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jacques Durand dominated that fourth round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Bennett's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Durand avoids a punch combination nicely.
Durand uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bennett.
Durand swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Bennett misses with a right hand
and Durand counters with a good low kick that Bennett was not able to check.
Bennett just misses with a punch to the body.
Bennett misses with a body shot.
Durand takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Durand pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bennett is out of range and Durand settles back down.
Bennett is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Bennett on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Durand. Durand obviously looking to wear him down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bennett pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bennett misses with a wild body shot.
Bennett misses with an uppercut. Durand saw that one coming.
Durand raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Bennett throws a leg kick but Durand sees it coming and moves out of range.
Bennett misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Durand.
John Bennett has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennett walks into a jab.
Bennett misses with a body punch
and Durand makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Bennett really felt that one!
Durand punishes Bennett's body with a nice straight punch.
Bennett throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Durand to counter with a crisp jab.
Durand throws a head kick that misses.
Bennett fails to land with a series of punches.
Bennett throws a poor cross that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Bennett throws an overhand right that lands on Durand's shoulder, as Durand tries to avoid the shot.
Durand tests Bennett's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Bennett will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Bennett throws a series of punches but Durand moves out of range.
A lazy left from Durand finds it's target.
Bennett throws the left hand but Durand avoids the punch easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bennett lands with a right hand.
Durand lands a nice looking body kick.
Durand shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bennett takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Nice defenses there by Durand.
Durand works the jab nicely.
Bennett thows a leg kick but Durand checks it
and Durand counters with a straight right hand.
Bennett throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Durand tries to clinch but Bennett is having none of it.
Bennett dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Jacques Durand is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Bennett gets tackled into the ropes by Durand. Durand maintains the clinch.
Bennett is trying to push Durand away but Durand has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Durand lands a knee to the body.
Durand lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Durand breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Durand connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Durand connects with a body shot that sends Bennett's belly button to the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacques Durand comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Durand has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Jacques Durand!
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight for Jacques Durand!
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight for Jacques Durand!

Jacques Durand wins by unanimous decision!
Jacques Durand is the new light heavyweight champion!
A relieved looking Jacques Durand thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.