PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jakub Cara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seth Bender (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Cara
vs
Bender

192 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
165 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jakub Cara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Seth Bender!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bender with a lazy takedown attempt

and Cara counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bender won't be happy with that.
Bender sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Cara tries to stand but can't do so whilst Bender controls his leg.
Bender has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cara is working away from the top position though.
Cara throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Bender is trying to maintain the position but Cara is very close to passing his half guard.
Cara wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bender keeps working.
Bender trying to control but Cara postures up.
Bender wants to get back to full guard.
Cara wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bender keeps working.
Cara sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jakub Cara has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Cara looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cara tries to free his leg and advance position but Bender is retaining full guard.
Bender tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Bender has his feet on Cara's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Cara fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bender sprawls well initially but Cara persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Bender is looking to improve his position.
Bender trying to control from the bottom.
Cara seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cara sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bender defending well though.
Cara wants to control but Bender is keeping him busy.
Cara stalling away here and it's allowed Bender to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Cara trying to control but Bender is working from the bottom.
Cara is really struggling to control Bender but he's trying to hold on to the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bender has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cara can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bender controls Cara momentarily but Cara frees himself.
Cara trying to control but Bender is working from the bottom.
Cara will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cara is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bender is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Cara wants to improve his position but Bender is controlling well.
Bender wants to stand up but Cara is controlling the position.
Cara on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Cara tries to get out of the position.

Bender is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Bender passes the guard and advances to mount!
Bender can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cara is looking to escape.

That's four 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.
Bender breaks from Cara's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Bender punishing his opponent with strikes.
Cara tries to lock up and control but Bender gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bender controlling from mount.
Bender has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Cara's face.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bender with a couple of short strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Seth Bender will probably get the nod.
That's time! Cara's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bender tries to clinch but Cara is having none of it.

Cara manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bender on his heels. He'll look to pass Bender's guard now, I'm sure.
Cara trying to control but Bender is working from the bottom.
Bender trying to control the position.
Bender is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bender tries to clinch up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Cara shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bender's guard.
Bender manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cara manages to get himself to full guard.

Bender gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bender is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bender fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bender throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Cara takes the fight into the clinch.
Cara looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Cara lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Cara sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bender defending well though.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bender manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Bender is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Bender's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cara trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bender's guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Bender is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cara is controlling him.
Bender controls Cara momentarily but Cara frees himself.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Seth Bender hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Bender has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bender misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cara.
Bender connects with a knee to the head.
Bender wants a takedown.
Cara really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cara wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Bender tries for a takedown but Cara manages to get underhooks.
Bender fails to pull guard.
Jakub Cara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Seth Bender.
Cara misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bender.
Bender fails to pull guard.
Bender tries for a takedown but Cara manages to get underhooks.

Cara pulls guard.
Bender showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cara keeping moving, preventing Bender from controlling successfully.
Jakub Cara overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Bender decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Bender misses with a takedown attempt - Cara sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bender gets a takedown into half guard.
Cara is looking for a sweep. Bender is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cara keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Bender moves into full mount! Cara won't be happy about that!
Bender pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bender punishing his opponent with strikes.

Bender is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Cara is surviving well by controlling Bender's body position as best he can.
Bender looking to finish Cara with some ground and pound. This is bad for Cara!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Seth Bender will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

The fight stays on the outside here - Bender looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bender tries to close the distance and clinch but Cara swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bender shoots in for a double leg but Cara sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Cara darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Cara tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Cara is pressing down on Bender's thigh, looking to free his foot. Bender is holding on for now.

Cara seems to be working for a kimura but Bender defends the submission attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bender keeping control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bender gets full guard.

Bender looking for a guillotine here but Cara defends easily.
Cara is fighting to break Bender's control of his arms but Bender is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

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.
Bender lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cara!
Bender lands a nice shot to the head.
Bender lands a big elbow.
Bender trying to control but Cara is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bender avoids the attempt from Cara to control.

Bender is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Cara can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Bender looking to control but Cara is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bender putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Bender wants to control the pace but Cara is squirming around nicely.
Cara manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bender works his foot free and advances to mount.
Seth Bender is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bender controlling from the full mount.
Cara tries to hold on but Bender postures up.
Bender controlling from the full mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Seth Bender comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bender 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:30

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