PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Korn Benn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Vasher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Benn
vs
Vasher

170 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
158 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Korn Benn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marcus Vasher!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Jonathan Paton and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benn doesn't manage to clinch there - Vasher circles away.
Vasher throws an overhand right that lands on Benn's shoulder, as Benn tries to avoid the shot.
Benn misses with a head kick.
Benn misses with a takedown attempt - Vasher sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A punch combination from Vasher misses.

Vasher rushes Benn and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Vasher lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Korn Benn has been cut.
Vasher holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Benn tries to break free but Vasher pushes him back against the cage.
Vasher comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Vasher obliges.
Benn lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Benn wants to stall.
Benn using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vasher has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vasher using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Benn has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Benn has had enough of the clinch but Vasher keeps him there for the moment.
Benn has had enough of the clinch but Vasher keeps him there for the moment.
Vasher tries a knee to the head but Benn blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn wants to break the clinch but can't.
Vasher lands a nice knee to the body.
Vasher throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vasher controlling the action here for a moment.
Vasher lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Benn wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Vasher has him pressed against the cage.
Vasher leaning against his opponent.
Vasher gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Benn working hard to break the clinch.
Benn takes an elbow to the forehead.
Vasher dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Vasher lands an elbow that stopped Benn in his tracks for a moment.

Korn Benn's cut is getting worse.
Vasher lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Vasher lands a knee to the head.
Benn tries for a takedown. No joy.
Vasher throws a knee to the head but misses.

Benn jumps into guard, dragging Vasher to the mat.
Vasher wants to stand but Benn has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Benn wants to sweep here but Vasher controlling him for the moment.
Benn is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benn working for a triangle but Vasher defends it easily.
Vasher tries to stand but Benn is controlling from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasher really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Benn. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Vasher gets to his feet. Benn looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Benn closes the distance looking to clinch
and Vasher counters with a right hand to the body.
Vasher tries to clinch up but Benn circles away and keeps his distance.
Benn clinches but Vasher breaks the clinch

and Vasher counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Vasher.
Benn is trying to break the clinch but Vasher is controlling him.
Vasher tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vasher pushes Benn back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Vasher with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasher slowing the pace effectively.
Vasher throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Benns head.
Vasher works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Vasher makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Vasher takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Vasher throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Benn blocks it with crossed arms.
Benn jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Vasher walks away with a smile on his face. Benn gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Korn Benn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vasher swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Vasher punishes Benn's body with a nice straight punch.
Benn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Benn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Vasher rushes Benn and presses him up against the cage.
Vasher stalls.
Benn takes an elbow to the temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Vasher dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Korn Benn's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Vasher drives through and clinches with Benn against the cage.
Vasher taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Vasher fails to land.
Vasher lands a knee to the body.
Benn takes an elbow to the temple.
Nice body punch from Vasher.
Vasher crunches a lovely knee into Benn's ribcage.
Benn can't break the clinch.
Vasher tries to land a knee to the head but Benn blocks with his arms.
Vasher working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Benn tries to circle away but Vasher has him pinned against the cage.
Benn tries to pull guard but Vasher won't allow it.
A knee to the head by Vasher.
Vasher has Benn pushed against the cage.
Nice elbow from Vasher.
Vasher connects with a knee to the head.
Benn tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vasher is pressed up against the cage. Benn has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Vasher down to the mat. Vasher avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Korn Benn. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Vasher darts in and clinches Benn up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Vasher is pushing Benn up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Vasher looking to throw knees to the head but Benn is blocking nicely.
Vasher is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Benn is defending well for now.
Vasher utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Vasher misses with a knee strike.
Vasher lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Vasher throws a knee to the head but misses.
Benn is trying to maintain a safe position but Vasher gets an underhook and turns Benn into the cage.
Vasher lands a nice shot to the body.
Benn is trying to stall.
Vasher gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vasher gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vasher swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Benn takes a knee right on the jaw!
Vasher pushes Benn back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benn takes an elbow to the temple.
Vasher manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Vasher lands an elbow inside that Benn shrugs off.
Benn is trying to break free.
Vasher gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Benn.
Vasher's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Knees to the body from Vasher.
Vasher lands a left hand.
Vasher avoiding damage.
Vasher lands an elbow just above Benn 's eye.
Benn wants to get back to striking at distance but Vasher won't allow it.
Vasher controlling the action here for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Vasher lands a knee to the body.
Vasher scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Benn tries to pull guard but Vasher holds him up against the cage and eventually Benn drops back down to his feet.
Vasher lands an elbow that stopped Benn in his tracks for a moment.
Vasher creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Benn's defenses.
Vasher with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Vasher.
A knee to the head by Vasher.
Vasher stalls.
Benn jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Vasher walks away with a smile on his face. Benn gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Benn doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Vasher counters by clinching up.
Vasher working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasher is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Benn changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Vasher fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Marcus Vasher is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Vasher is looking to clinch but Benn is avoiding it.
Vasher swings for the body but Benn moves out of range.
Vasher is looking to clinch but Benn is avoiding it.
Vasher throws a hook but Benn avoids it easily.

Vasher moves into range and clinches up with Benn.
Vasher using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Benn has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A short right from Vasher.
Benn tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Vasher controlling the action here for a moment.
Vasher scores a nice knee to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Vasher showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Korn Benn's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Benn shoots and misses

and Vasher counters by moving into the clinch.
Benn tries to break the clinch but Vasher is controlling the position.
Vasher effectively controlling the action here.
Vasher lands an elbow inside that Benn shrugs off.
Vasher with a knee to the head.
Vasher lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Benn tries to score a body lock takedown but Vasher shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Vasher connects with a nasty looking knee right to Benn's face.
Vasher stalls.
A head punch on the inside from Vasher fails to land.
Vasher working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Vasher lands an elbow that stopped Benn in his tracks for a moment.
Benn jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Vasher walks away with a smile on his face. Benn gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Korn Benn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benn jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Vasher tries to close the distance and clinch but Benn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vasher throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vasher takes the fight into the clinch.
Benn tries to pull guard but Vasher holds him up against the cage and eventually Benn drops back down to his feet.
Vasher keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Benn's efforts to push away.
Vasher lands a nice elbow.
Vasher tries a knee to the head but Benn blocks it.
Vasher is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Vasher lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Benn.
Vasher with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Vasher gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vasher looking to throw knees to the head but Benn is blocking nicely.
Vasher with a knee to the head.
Vasher with a knee to the head.
Benn wants to get back to striking at distance but Vasher won't allow it.
Vasher misses with an elbow strike.
Vasher tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Benn avoids it.

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.
Vasher looking to throw knees to the head but Benn is blocking nicely.
Vasher connects with a nasty looking knee right to Benn's face.
Benn tries to pull guard but Vasher holds him up against the cage and eventually Benn drops back down to his feet.
Vasher has Benn pressed against the cage, preventing Benn from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Vasher is struggling to control the position.
Vasher using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Benn is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The referee calls for Vasher to work.
Benn looking to stall.
Vasher lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Benn tries to pull guard but Vasher holds him up against the cage and eventually Benn drops back down to his feet.
Benn wants a takedown.
Vasher is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Vasher.
A knee to the head by Vasher.
Vasher misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Benn.
Benn is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Vasher gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Vasher putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Benn in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Vasher stalls.
Benn is trying to drag Vasher to the mat but Vasher just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A left hand lands to the body for Vasher.

That's four 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.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Vasher obliges.
Vasher lands a good knee to the midsection. Benn won't want to take too many of those.
Benn is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Vasher pushes Benn back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The referee calls for Vasher to work.
Marcus Vasher seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Benn takes an elbow to the temple.
Vasher lands a damaging elbow.
Vasher working aggressively here.
Vasher unloads a knee to the mid-section. Benn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Vasher stalling.

Benn drags the fight down to the ground.
Benn is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Vasher is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vasher won't allow Benn to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Vasher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Vasher 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 26:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Vasher!