PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gage Bennett (ranked 2256 p4p, 1810 weight class) and Seppo Ilmarinen (ranked 312 p4p, 250 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Bennett
vs
Ilmarinen

189 cm
28
206
9 - 8 - 0

192 cm
27
210
12 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Fast

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Close Combat Fight gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gage Bennett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Seppo Ilmarinen!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Winston Howard and Darius Henderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
We've got one fighter who appears to only be looking to counter and the other not looking particularly aggressive either, so we could be in for a dull fight.

Ilmarinen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bennett to the mat! Bennett manages to get full guard.
Ilmarinen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bennett wants to get back to his feet but Ilmarinen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ilmarinen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bennett is keeping the position for now.
Ilmarinen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bennett's head.
Ilmarinen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ilmarinen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Ilmarinen with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilmarinen trying to control but Bennett is working from the bottom.
Ilmarinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ilmarinen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilmarinen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ilmarinen throws a big right hand that misses.
Ilmarinen postures up in Bennett's guard and throws a big left but Bennett blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ilmarinen throwing strikes but missing.
Ilmarinen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ilmarinen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ilmarinen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ilmarinen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Ilmarinen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ilmarinen trying to control but Bennett is working from the bottom.
Ilmarinen distracts Bennett with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ilmarinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bennett utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ilmarinen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ilmarinen wants to control from the top but Bennett keeps moving.
Ilmarinen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ilmarinen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ilmarinen pushes down on Bennett's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Ilmarinen passes to side control.
Ilmarinen trying to control the action but Bennett is working from the bottom.
Ilmarinen landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen throws a strike aimed at the side of Bennett's head but Bennett avoids it well.
Ilmarinen cracks Bennett with a big right hand but Bennett just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Ilmarinen sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Bennett is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Ilmarinen landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Ilmarinen in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Bennett is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:37 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Seppo Ilmarinen!
Seppo Ilmarinen seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.