PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Henri Bender (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ali King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ali King struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 171.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Henri Bender has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Bender
vs
King

185 cm
22
175 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

174 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Henri Bender!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ali King!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Nard Betker and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from King does no damage.
King fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bender slips a jab and a cross from King.
King moves in looking to clinch but Bender pushes him off.

King closes the distance and clinches.
A frustrated look appears on King's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bender wants a takedown.
Bender tries for a takedown but King manages to get underhooks.
King is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bender tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henri Bender. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bender is looking for a takedown up against the cage. King gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King has had enough of the clinch but Bender keeps him there for the moment.
Bender is trying to work for a single leg takedown but King pulls him back up using the underhooks.

King breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bender misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King misses with a wild combination.

King tries to keep at a distance but Bender has taken the fight into the clinch.
Bender goes for a takedown attempt but King pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bender tries to clinch there but King circles away.
Horrible takedown by Bender or perhaps it was just good defense by King which made him look bad.

King moves into the clinch.
Bender has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. King avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
King is trying to break the clinch but Bender has him pressed against the cage.
Bender tries to score a body lock takedown but King shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Bender drops to a knee looking for a takedown but King gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bender is looking for a takedown up against the cage. King gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
King wants to break free but Bender has control.
King prevents the takedown attempt.
Bender tries for a takedown but King manages to get underhooks.
Bender is breathing heavily.
King swings wildly with an uppercut but Bender uses good head movement to avoid it.
King wants to get back to striking at distance but Bender won't allow it.
King wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Bender struggles to land a body shot inside as King controls his hands.
King gets underhooks to prevent Bender's takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Bender holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Bender wants a takedown.
Bender is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but King is keeping busy.
King is trying to break free.
Bender is working for takedown but King is calmly controlling the position for now.
King prevents a takedown attempt there.
King has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four 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.
King wants to get back to striking at distance but Bender won't allow it.
Bender can't get the takedown.
King wants to get back to striking at distance but Bender won't allow it.
King is looking to break free of the clinch but Bender has double underhooks.
Bender wants to stall.
King should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
King tries to break the clinch but Bender is controlling the position.
King prevents the takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bender is trying to stall.
Bender has King pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. King manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ali King dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A combination from King does no damage.
King scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Bender waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract King.
King misses with a combination
and Bender makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
King doesn't manage to clinch there - Bender circles away.
King closes the distance looking to clinch
letting Bender counter with a right hand.
Bender swings for the body but King moves out of range.
Bender looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
King tries to clinch but Bender moves away

and Bender moves into the clinch.
Bender drops down looking for an ankle pick but King pulls his leg out and moves away.
King throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Bender counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
No joy there for King, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
King leaves Bender with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henri Bender. That's going to take a lot out of him.
King looks to clinch

and Bender holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bender wants a takedown.
King tries to circle away but Bender has him pinned against the cage.
Bender tries to pull guard but King won't allow it.
King wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
King wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bender has him pressed against the cage.
Bender wants a takedown.
Bender drops down looking for an ankle pick but King pulls his leg out and moves away.
King looks to land a combination but Bender avoids it well.
King fails in his attempt to clinch.
King leaves Bender with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
King swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Bender moves into the clinch.
King working hard to break the clinch.
King can't break the clinch.
Bender tries to pull guard but King won't allow it.
Bender pressing his opponent against the cage.
King blocks a body shot from Bender.
Bender is trying to maintain a safe position but King gets an underhook and turns Bender into the cage.
Bender goes for a takedown attempt but King pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bender has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

King rushes Bender and presses him up against the cage.
King is trying to break the clinch but Bender is controlling him.
King tries to break the clinch but Bender is controlling the position.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Bender has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. King is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Bender misses with a body punch.
Bender keeps control of King as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Come on Bender - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Bender tries for a takedown. No joy.
King tries to circle away but Bender has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
King prevents the takedown attempt.
Bender tries to pull guard but King won't allow it.
King has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
King wants to break free but Bender has control.
Bender goes for a takedown attempt but King pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
King lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by King.
King throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
King scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
King closes the distance but Bender moves to the side

and Bender counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bender wants to free his trapped foot but King is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henri Bender dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

King clinches up against the cage.
Bender tries to throw a body punch but King avoids it by throwing Bender back against the cage.
Bender wants a takedown but no success here.
A frustrated look appears on King's face as he tries to break the clinch.
King letting Bender take a breather here.
Bender goes for a takedown attempt but King pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King tries to clinch but Bender is having none of it.
Bender dodges the punch combination from King.
Bender showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from King.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bender fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. King sprawls well initially but Bender persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Bender wants to free his trapped foot but King is holding on for dear life with his legs.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if King can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bender sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. King defending well though.
King is trying to get back to full guard.

Bender is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bender trying to pass the guard but King defending well.
Bender stops King from getting back to his feet.

Bender decides to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King throws a series of strikes that have Bender backpedaling.
King tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
King throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Bender counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A left and a right from King both land. Nice combination.
King falls off balance throwing a combination

so Bender counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
King is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Bender dives into side control.
Bender tries to move to mount but King blocks the move with his legs.
Bender advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King is trying to stand.

King defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Bender.

Bender gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

And that's the end of the fight!
Henri Bender showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bender 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Henri Bender!