PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Alberto Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Benoit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lopez comes to the cage accompanied by Apeman. Benoit has chosen Praise as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Lopez
vs
Benoit

175 cm
27
146 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

170 cm
26
140 lbs
22 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

- - - - - All Nutrients 160 - - - - -

SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alberto Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Michael Benoit!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Donatello Bradman and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benoit throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Alberto Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benoit takes a swing at Lopez's ribcage but misses.
Benoit tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fighters circle momentarily. Lopez darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Lopez thows a body shot but no joy.
Benoit moves away from the strike by Lopez.
Benoit doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.
Decent striking displayed by Lopez there.
Benoit bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Benoit closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lopez counters with an inside leg kick.
Lopez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lopez throws a leg kick
and Benoit connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like Alberto Lopez has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benoit closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lopez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Benoit misses with a punch on the inside.
Benoit doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lopez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Benoit misses with some punches.
Lopez blocks an uppercut.
Benoit swings wildly with an uppercut but Lopez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benoit prevents the takedown attempt.
Lopez blocking some punches.
Benoit holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Lopez blocking some punches.

Lopez manages to pull guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Benoit stays in close to Lopez's body and controls the position.
Lopez 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lopez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Benoit doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Benoit manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Benoit controls from within his opponent's guard.
Benoit postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benoit would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lopez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Lopez wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez being controlled here, momentarily.

Michael Benoit has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Benoit throws a combination that misses
and Lopez counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Lopez throws a body punch but Benoit moves out of range.
Benoit misses the shot to the body.
Benoit is looking to clinch but Lopez is avoiding it.
Benoit loads up on a big right hand but Lopez slips the punch.
Benoit misses with a hook.
Lopez walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Benoit checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Benoit darts in trying to clinch
and Lopez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit misses with a hook. Lopez ducked under it nicely.
Michael Benoit is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Benoit throws a series of punches but Lopez moves out of range.
Benoit tries to clinch there but Lopez circles away.
Lopez doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Benoit swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Lopez counters with a straight right hand.
Benoit tries to clinch up but Lopez circles away and keeps his distance.
Lopez dodges the punch combination from Benoit.
Benoit is looking to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benoit checks a low kick from Lopez.
Lopez keeps Benoit at a distance using the push kick.
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!
Benoit fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Benoit dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alberto Lopez's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Lopez buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Lopez lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Lopez throws a leg kick which misses Benoit's front leg but catches the back leg as Benoit tries to avoid it.
Benoit wants to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Lopez lands a leg kick that knocks Benoit off balance momentarily.
Lopez pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Lopez jabs Benoit right on the nose. Benoit blinks but takes it well.
Benoit fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Lopez looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Benoit throws a series of punches but Lopez avoids them all with ease.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Lopez - that will leave a mark!
Benoit tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit jabs Lopez to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Lopez paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Benoit fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lopez throws a front kick aimed at Benoit's knee but Benoit avoids it well.

Benoit gets a clinch.
Lopez lands with a right to the head.
Benoit goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Benoit lands on the inside with an uppercut.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lopez - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Stalling in the clinch from Benoit.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Benoit lands a body shot in the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Benoit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benoit has a couple of punches blocked by Lopez.
Lopez is trying to pull guard but Benoit has him pressed against the cage.
Benoit throws a head punch that misses.
Benoit working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benoit swings wildly with an uppercut but Lopez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benoit swings wildly with an uppercut but Lopez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benoit prevents a body shot from Lopez.
Lopez prevents a body shot from Benoit.
Lopez misses with a body punch.
Benoit slowing the pace effectively.
Lopez throws a punch but it's blocked by Benoit.
Lopez lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Benoit backwards.
Benoit throws a head punch that misses.
Benoit misses with the head strike.
Benoit can't find room to land a body shot as Lopez controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lopez.
Benoit scores with a nice hook to the head.
Benoit doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Benoit slows down the pace here.
Lopez jumps guard but Benoit turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Michael Benoit seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Benoit trying to stall but Lopez improves his position.
Benoit stalling.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Benoit lands a nice shot to the body.
Benoit stalling in the clinch but Lopez improves position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Michael Benoit.
Benoit lands with a good body shot.
Lopez misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez misses with a wild body shot.
Lopez pivots, looking for a leg kick but Benoit is out of range and Lopez settles back down.
Benoit closes the distance but Lopez moves to the side
and Lopez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lopez scores with a jab to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Benoit doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.
Lopez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alberto Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lopez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Benoit manages to avoid it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A leg kick checked by Benoit.
Benoit doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.
Lopez circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Benoit showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alberto Lopez's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Lopez on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Lopez thows a body shot but no joy.

Benoit moves into the clinch successfully.
Lopez lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Benoit or not.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Lopez.
Lopez lands a shot to the body.
Still in the clinch, Benoit scores with a nice short uppercut.
A right hand to the body from Benoit.
Benoit is trying to maintain a safe position but Lopez gets an underhook and turns Benoit into the cage.
A shot in the inside from Benoit.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head punch on the inside from Benoit fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Benoit.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Lopez as Benoit tries to tie him up.
Lopez stalling in the clinch but Benoit improves position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Benoit pressing his opponent against the cage.
Benoit goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Benoit misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Benoit swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lopez working aggressively here.
Lopez blocking some punches.
Benoit tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Benoit blocking some punches.
Benoit misses with some punches.
Benoit swings wildly with an uppercut but Lopez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lopez misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Lopez misses with a punch on the inside.
Alberto Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benoit prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lopez working aggressively here.
Lopez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Benoit misses with a punch on the inside.
Benoit tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Benoit fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Lopez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Benoit misses with some punches.
Benoit lands an uppercut.
Lopez is looking to break free of the clinch but Benoit has double underhooks.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Lopez as Benoit tries to tie him up.
Lopez softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benoit lands a left hand that snaps the head of Lopez backwards.
Lopez lands with a left to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Lopez.
A head punch on the inside from Benoit fails to land.
Lopez struggles to land a body shot inside as Benoit controls his hands.
Lopez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Lopez blocks an uppercut.
Benoit doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Benoit.
Benoit blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Benoit can't find room to land a body shot as Lopez controls the action.
Benoit swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lopez tries to score a body lock takedown but Benoit shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Lopez ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lopez no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Benoit stays in close to Lopez's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit advances to half guard.
Benoit slows the pace down in half guard.
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!
Benoit tries to stand but can't do so whilst Lopez controls his leg.
Michael Benoit is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Lopez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Benoit avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benoit looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Benoit comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Benoit has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Benoit!
Our winner, Michael Benoit, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.