PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Minowa Man (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pat Benatar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benatar comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Hit Me With Your Best Shot kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Minowa Man had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 186.6lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Man
vs
Benatar

185 cm
22
197 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
189 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Gifts of the Rainforest

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 Rio de Janeiro, Minowa Man!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pat Benatar!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Edson Gomes and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Benatar gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Man wants to control from the top but Benatar keeps moving.

Man decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Benatar, up you get!

Man changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Benatar looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Man is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Benatar knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Man wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benatar keeps working.
Benatar throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Benatar is not content to let Man control the position.

Man decides to stand back up. Man steps back and let's Benatar get back to his feet.
Man is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Man shoots in and bounces Benatar off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Benatar wants to stand but Man is controlling the position.
Man has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Benatar is proving hard to escape from.
Benatar looking for a sweep. Not yet Benatar, not yet.
Man passes into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Benatar can do anything to dispel that myth.

Benatar manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Man just misses with a punch to the body.
Man takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Benatar swinging wilding here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benatar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Benatar moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Pat Benatar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Man throws a combination that misses
and Man takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Man drives through with a takedown into guard.

Man stands and steps away. Benatar gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Man tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Man tries for a takedown but Benatar sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Man feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Man gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Benatar displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Man throws out the jab.
Man fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Minowa Man. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Man throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Benatar lands a front kick.
Benatar lands a two punch combo.

It looks like Minowa Man has been cut.
Man misses with a combination
and Benatar counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man circles away from the clinch attempt.
A punch combination from Benatar misses.

Man drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Man stops Benatar from standing up.

Man gets to his feet - Benatar follows without any prompting.

Benatar gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Benatar controls Man momentarily but Man frees himself.
Man tries to stand but Benatar is controlling from the bottom.
Benatar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Man stopping the sweep attempt from Benatar.
Man scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Man gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
A jab from Benatar does it's job there.
Man shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Benatar fails in his attempt to clinch.
Benatar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Benatar lands with a slapping head kick.
Man rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Benatar moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Benatar fakes the leg kick and cracks Man in the body.
A combination from Benatar does no damage.
Man rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Benatar counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Benatar.
Man is trying to break free.

Man manages to break the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Man tries to land a leg kick but Benatar saw it coming and moves away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Man looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Benatar!
Benatar is trying to escape the mount.
Man controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Minowa Man dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Minowa Man's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Man shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Man showed some decent athleticism there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benatar trying to control here.
Benatar is not content to let Man control the position.
Benatar on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Man wants to get back to his feet.
Benatar really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Man. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Man seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Benatar does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Benatar on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Benatar wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man trying to mount his opponent but Benatar defends it.

Man is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Benatar is pressing down on Man's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Benatar working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benatar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Benatar throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Man shoots in but Benatar avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Benatar lands a nice leg kick that just misses Man's sensitive parts.

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.
Man fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Benatar is out of range.
Benatar throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Man.
Man shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Benatar pinned against the cage. Benatar gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Benatar closes the distance but Man moves to the side

and Man counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Man is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Benatar defends it well.
Man not doing much here.
Man slips a nice elbow through Benatar's hands, connecting with Benatar's forehead.
Ground and pound from Man.
Minowa Man overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Man content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Man decides to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benatar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Minowa Man. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benatar lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Man backs up against the cage.
Man shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Benatar as he avoids it easily.

Man gets the takedown into side control.

Man tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Benatar is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Man trying to control the action but Benatar is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benatar manages to work his way to half guard, despite Man's best efforts.
Man tries to pass the half guard into mount. Benatar knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Man is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Benatar manages to get to full guard.
Man wants to control from the top but Benatar keeps moving.
Man pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Benatar is keeping the position for now.

Benatar pushes Man off and gets back to his feet.
Man misses with a combination
and Benatar counters with a left and a right that stings Man.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Man throws a right and a left that Benatar avoids nicely.
Benatar misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Minowa Man dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Minowa Man's cut.
That's time! Man's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Benatar avoids the head kick by Man.
Man shoots in but no luck this time.
Man misses with a takedown attempt - Benatar sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Benatar misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Man feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Benatar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Man looking to pass the guard.
Man won't allow Benatar to get back to his feet.
Benatar has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Man scoring with punches to the head and body.
Man won't allow Benatar to sweep him here.
Man tries to free his leg and advance position but Benatar is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benatar looking for a sweep. Not yet Benatar, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Man shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Benatar counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Minowa Man. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Man doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Benatar counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Benatar swinging wilding here.
Benatar throws a nice outside leg kick.
Man throws a left and a right that both miss
and Benatar counters with a three punch combo that has Man backing up. Man nods at Benatar to acknowledge the strikes.

Man gets the takedown into side control.
Man wants to take a breather but Benatar manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Man.
Benatar manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Man slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Man slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Benatar must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Man pushes Benatar off and gets back to his feet.
Minowa Man seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Man bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Benatar is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Benatar wants to control but Man postures up.
Benatar is trying to improve his position.
Man throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Benatar works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Benatar wants to control but Man is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Man is going to stand back up.
Man controlling the pace.
Benatar is staying active underneath Man, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Man shoots and misses
and Benatar counters with a one-two to the body.
Man uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Benatar.
Man tries a head kick but it misses.
Man fails with a takedown attempt.
Decent striking displayed by Benatar there.
Benatar throws a series of punches but Man avoids them all with ease.
Benatar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Man misses with a takedown attempt - Benatar sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Pat Benatar seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Man closes the distance and clinches up with Benatar, looking for a takedown. Man pushes Benatar against the cage but Benatar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Man has a takedown stuffed.
Man with a lazy takedown attempt

and Benatar holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Benatar looking to slow down the pace here.
Man changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Benatar fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Some wild striking there from Benatar.
Man misses with a combination
and Benatar counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Benatar stuffs the takedown attempt from Man. Man gets slowly back to his feet.
Benatar displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Man misses with a combination
and Benatar counters with a two punch combo.
Man has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Man fails with the takedown
enabling Benatar to counter with a crisp jab.
Man fails with the takedown
and Benatar counters with a nice body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pat Benatar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Man has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Minowa Man!