PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between CJ Benn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kimbo Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Benn
vs
Smith

175 cm
21
155 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
156 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

Syndicate Drugs

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 6 - 1 - 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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kimbo Smith!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Mauricio Rocha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benn will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Benn drops Smith with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Smith looks back up at him and smiles so Benn waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

It looks like Kimbo Smith has been cut.
CJ Benn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Smith circles away quickly and effectively.

Smith looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Benn blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smith.
Benn is trying to stand up here but Smith is controlling him well.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benn keeps working.
Smith might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Benn kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Smith wants to free his trapped foot but Benn is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn is looking to escape.
Smith performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Smith throws a strike but Benn avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benn.
Benn swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's two 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.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benn.

Smith shoots in and bounces Benn off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Smith throws and elbow that misses. Benn uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Smith's guard. Nice move by Benn!
Benn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Smith works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Smith preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Smith wants to hit a switch here but Benn passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Smith there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Benn throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Benn throws some wild stikes that Smith manages to avoid easily.
Smith 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.
Benn sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Benn throwing strikes here but Smith is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Benn throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Smith can do anything to dispel that myth.
Smith tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Benn throwing strikes here but Smith is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Benn throws some wild stikes that Smith manages to avoid easily.
Benn thowing shots but they're missing.
Smith looks gassed!
Smith wants to hold on but Benn pushes him away.
Smith blocking the ground and pound.
Benn throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Benn misses with a head shot.
Smith avoids a series of strikes thrown by Benn.
Benn throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

CJ Benn dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kimbo Smith's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Benn.
Benn misses with a double jab.
Benn swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Benn misses with a series of wild punches.
Benn looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Benn misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Smith wants to slow Benn down by chopping away at his legs.
Benn misses with a wild combination.
Benn throws a series of punches but Smith avoids them all with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benn looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Benn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smith.
Benn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smith.
CJ Benn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Benn defends it nicely.
No joy there for Benn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Some wild striking there from Benn.
Benn misses with a series of wild punches.
Smith throws out a leg kick but Benn moves out of range and Smith only half commits.

Smith scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Smith is trying to ground and pound but Benn uses the momentary lack of control by Smith to regain half guard.
Smith is trying to control. Benn wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Smith not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Smith with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Benn wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Benn is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith controlling the action here.
Smith stalling away here and it's allowed Benn to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

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.
Smith trying to control but Benn is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Kimbo Smith.
Smith slips a jab and a cross from Benn.
Smith avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Benn throws a right hand that Smith ducks under and follows up with a left that Smith also avoids with ease.
Benn missing with a left hand there. Smith was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Smith closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Benn to the mat! Benn manages to get full guard.
Smith trying to control but Benn is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Benn wants to stand but Smith is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kimbo Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kimbo Smith's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Left hook, right uppercut from Benn.
Benn rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smith moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Benn misses with a wild combination.

Smith closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Benn to the mat! Benn manages to get full guard.
Benn wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.
Smith showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Smith takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.
Smith wants to control from the top but Benn keeps moving.
Benn wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

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.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Benn is retaining full guard.
Smith throws and elbow that misses. Benn uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Smith's guard. Nice move by Benn!
Smith preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Benn works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Benn thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Smith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Benn.
Benn looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Smith avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Benn.
Smith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Benn.
Benn throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Benn thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Benn looks to land a combination. Smith sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benn missing with a left hand there. Smith was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Benn looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Benn throws a nice looking combination but Smith bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Benn tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Benn misses with the combination.
Benn tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Smith closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Benn did well to prevent Smith getting side control.
Smith is looking to pass Benn's guard but actually Benn recovers to full guard.
Smith trying to control but Benn is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
CJ Benn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Benn 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... CJ Benn!