PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Horatio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and CJ Benn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Benn

165 cm
22
145 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
155 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
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, Horatio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, CJ Benn!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Luis Engracia and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benn throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Benn throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Benn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gracie circles away quickly and effectively.
Some wild striking there from Benn.
Benn fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Benn throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Benn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
CJ Benn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benn throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Benn misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Gracie darts in and clinches Benn up against the cage.

Gracie turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Gracie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but Benn sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benn has gone for a leg lock! Gracie slips out almost immediately though and dives into Benn's guard.
Gracie is looking to advance position but Benn has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Benn thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Benn thowing shots but they're missing.
Benn throwing strikes here but Gracie is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gracie working to try and regain half guard.
Benn thowing shots but they're missing.
The referee warns Gracie that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Gracie postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Benn is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gracie, into his guard.
Benn with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn throwing strikes but missing.
Gracie is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Benn is one step ahead there.

Benn postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Gracie is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Benn, into his guard.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Benn can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Benn wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Horatio Gracie dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gracie tries to clinch there but Benn circles away.
A punch combination from Benn misses.
Benn stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
A combination from Benn does no damage.
Benn misses with the combination.
Benn misses with a double jab.
Benn throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.
Benn fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Benn looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benn.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Benn gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gracie to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Benn is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Benn has escaped and now he's on top!
Benn is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie has his foot on Benn's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Benn works his way back into a safe position though.
Benn with a flurry of punches that miss.
Benn won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Benn defends it easily.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benn scoring with punches to the head and body.
Benn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gracie tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Benn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Benn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Benn can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Benn missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Benn's guard.

Gracie drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Benn manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Gracie has Benn in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Benn working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gracie's head.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Benn defends it easily.
Benn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Benn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Benn!

Gracie is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Benn has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Benn!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benn wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Benn postures up in Gracie's guard and throws a big left but Gracie blocks it.
Benn lands a couple of digs.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Benn from controlling successfully.
Benn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Horatio Gracie will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie slips under a jab.
Benn misses with the combination.
Benn throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Benn throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Benn looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Benn cracks Gracie with an open hand slap.
Benn throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
Benn misses with a looping left.
Benn looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Benn misses with a few strikes there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gracie darts in and clinches Benn up against the cage.

Gracie pulls guard successfully.
Benn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Benn must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Benn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Gracie goes for an armbar but Benn turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Benn.

Gracie isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Benn stacks Gracie on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Benn!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benn has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Gracie!
Benn throws some wild stikes that Gracie manages to avoid easily.
Poor strikes thrown by Benn there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Horatio Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Benn throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Gracie is in all sorts of trouble here.
A nice elbow there by Benn.
Gracie in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Benn wants to control the pace but Gracie is squirming around nicely.
Gracie is in a horrible position here. Benn smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gracie is desperately trying to improve his position but Benn has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn working Gracie over with strikes here.
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Benn working the ground and pound effectively.
Benn looking to finish with strikes here!
Benn throwing strikes but Gracie recovers to half guard. A much better position.
Benn trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Benn looks to land a strike but Gracie avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie working for submissions but it's allowed Benn to get to half guard.
Benn is looking to stall here but Gracie recovers full guard.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Benn throws a big right hand that misses.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Benn postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Benn thows a big elbow that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
CJ Benn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight for CJ Benn!
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight for Horatio Gracie!
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight for CJ Benn!

CJ Benn wins by split decision!