PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sammy Benson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Trager (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.

Benson
vs
Trager

195 cm
18
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sammy Benson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alex Trager!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Trager shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Benson pinned against the cage. Benson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Trager stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Trager wants it to stay on the feet.
Trager tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Benson was well out of range. Poor timing from Trager.
Trager shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Benson as he jumps to the side.

Trager gets tackled into the cage by Benson. Benson maintains the clinch.
Benson avoiding damage as Trager throws knees to the body.

Benson gets control of Trager's arms and successfully pulls guard. Benson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Trager has gone for a leg lock! Benson slips out almost immediately though and dives into Trager's guard.
Benson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Trager on the ground.
Benson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Trager throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Benson trying to control but Trager is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson wants to pass the guard but Trager is keeping the position.
Benson content to stall in guard here.
Benson trying to control the position from guard on top but Trager is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Sammy Benson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Trager shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Benson but Benson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sammy Benson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Trager.
Nice sprawl there from Benson as Trager shoots in.
Trager changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Benson tries to avoid it but Trager manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Benson to the ground. Benson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Benson.

Benson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Trager is trying to stall.
Trager looking for a takedown.
Trager is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Benson pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Benson pulls Trager into guard.

Benson wriggles free and stands up.
Trager fails with an attempt to clinch.
Trager misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Trager.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Trager avoids the body shot from Benson.
Alex Trager seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benson swats away the attempt to clinch by Trager.

Benson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Trager!
Trager tries to improve his position but instead Benson has taken his back!
Trager wants to control his opponent's hands but Benson gets his hands free.
Trager staying busy and making it hard for Benson to control.
Benson doesn't have the hooks in and Trager manages to turn into his guard.
Trager tries to free his leg and advance position but Benson is retaining full guard.

Trager is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Trager looks gassed!
Trager trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Trager tries to free his leg and advance position but Benson is retaining full guard.
Trager is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Trager drops back looking for a leg! Benson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Benson manages to kick Trager off! Trager jumps back into Benson's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Trager won't allow Benson to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Trager stands and throws Benson's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Trager tries for a kimura but Benson is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sammy Benson will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Trager tries to close the distance and clinch but Benson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Trager shoots in looking for a takedown but Benson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Trager's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Trager showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benson.

Benson shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Sammy Benson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Benson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Trager keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Trager is not content to let Benson control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson not doing much here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Sammy Benson has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Trager tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Benson was well out of range. Poor timing from Trager.
Trager shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Benson as he avoids it easily.
A clash of legs there as Benson blocks the low kick.

Trager throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Benson was covering up waiting for the punch and Trager finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Benson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Trager defends well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Trager looking to sit in guard and control but Benson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Trager is controlling Benson's posture.
Trager trying to keep a closed guard but Benson is proving a slippery customer.
Trager manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Benson manages to get himself to full guard.
Benson is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Trager thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Trager passes Benson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Trager frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Trager is working for a guillotine from mount but Benson frees his head quite easily.

Trager is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Benson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Trager is working close to his opponent, looking to work a submission by the looks of things. Oh, he's managed to get a guillotine from mount as his opponent reached up! That looks tiiiiight! Will he tap? YES, he's tapped! Impressive submission by Trager!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Alex Trager!