PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between CJ Benn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benson Hamaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Benn
vs
Hamaka

175 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

177 cm
21
157 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, CJ Benn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Benson Hamaka!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hamaka drives through and clinches with Benn against the cage.
Hamaka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Hamaka connects with a knee to the head.
Hamaka landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Hamaka slowing the pace effectively.
Benn tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hamaka just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hamaka taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hamaka working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Benn wants a takedown but no success here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The crowd are getting on Hamaka's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Benn takes a shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamaka stalling the fight.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Benson Hamaka.
The fight stays on the outside here - Benn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hamaka wants to clinch but Benn slips to the side
and Benn counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Hamaka takes the fight into the clinch.

Hamaka breaks from the clinch.
Hamaka closes the distance but Benn moves to the side

and Benn moves into the clinch.
Hamaka pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benn on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hamaka holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Hamaka throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Hamaka using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hamaka.
Benn on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Benn tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hamaka smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for CJ Benn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benn shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hamaka as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hamaka swivels and escapes.

Hamaka pushes Benn up against the cage in a clinch.
Hamaka lands a shot to the body.
Hamaka tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hamaka lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Benn wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Hamaka.
Hamaka tries to land knees in the clinch but Benn avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benn tries to pull guard but Hamaka holds him up against the cage and eventually Benn drops back down to his feet.
Hamaka manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Benn takes a knee to the side of the body.
Hamaka lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Benn or not.
Benn tries to work over Hamaka's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hamaka connects with a nasty looking knee right to Benn's face.
Hamaka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Hamaka leaning against his opponent.
Hamaka lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Benn fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Hamaka lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benson Hamaka dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Benn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Benn circles away from the clinch attempt
and Benn counters with a three punch combo that has Hamaka backing up. Hamaka nods at Benn to acknowledge the strikes.
Benn looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hamaka is fending him off so far but Benn persists. Nope, Hamaka circles away and we're back to standing.
Hamaka tries to clinch

and Benn counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn is trying to control. Hamaka wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Hamaka is looking to escape.
Benn wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hamaka keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hamaka is trying to stand back up but Benn is controlling him
Benn trying to control from half guard but Hamaka is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hamaka tries to clinch

and Benn counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Benn is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hamaka keeping moving, preventing Benn from controlling successfully.
Hamaka wants to get back to his feet but Benn is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benn trying to control but Hamaka is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

CJ Benn dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Hamaka rushes Benn and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hamaka lands a hook that snaps the head of Benn backwards.
Hamaka stalling against the cage.
Benn tries to pull guard but Hamaka won't allow it.
Benn tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hamaka just stands there and leans against the cage.
Benn is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hamaka pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for CJ Benn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benn tries to pull guard but Hamaka holds him up against the cage and eventually Benn drops back down to his feet.
Hamaka will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Benn up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamaka lands a nice elbow.
Hamaka using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Hamaka stalls.
Hamaka 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.
Hamaka pressing his opponent against the cage.
Hamaka is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benn being controlled against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Benson Hamaka.
Benn looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Benn shoots in but Hamaka avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hamaka tries to clinch up

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hamaka wants to get back to his feet.
Benn controlling the action here.
Hamaka wants to get back to his feet.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Benn is controlling the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Benson Hamaka.
I think Hamaka has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Benson Hamaka!