PBP Commentary

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

Riley
vs
Benton

176 cm
22
153 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

165 cm
22
150 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Granite chin

Fighters Formula

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, CJ Riley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jack Benton!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benton avoids the head kick by Riley.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riley looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riley tries to close the distance and clinch up but Benton swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Riley fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Riley is looking to clinch.
Riley tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benton ducks under a wild hook from Riley.
CJ Riley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riley tries to clinch there but Benton circles away.
Riley tries to clinch there but Benton circles away.
Riley misses with a takedown attempt - Benton sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Riley paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Riley misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Benton fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Riley clinches up with Benton and pushes him back against the cage.
Riley drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for CJ Riley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benton is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Benton gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Riley.

Riley lands a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benton is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Riley tries to free his leg and advance position but Benton is retaining full guard.

Riley drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Riley jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Riley is breathing heavily.
Benton looking to control.
Riley tries to free his leg and advance position but Benton is retaining full guard.
Benton manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Riley manages to get himself to full guard.
Benton preventing the sweep.
Benton lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Riley tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Benton gets to his feet - Riley follows without any prompting.
Benton fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A head kick by Benton misses

and Riley counters with a shoot takedown. Benton fights it but they end up in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riley works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Riley tries to pass the half guard into mount. Benton knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Riley seems to be working for a kimura but Benton defends the submission attempt.

Benton is defending against the submission attempts here by Riley.
Riley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Riley scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Benton tries to get to full guard but Riley has control of the leg.

Riley is looking for a kimura but Benton is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Riley to get the leverage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Benton can do anything to dispel that myth.
Benton is trying to stand up here but Riley is controlling him well.

Riley looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Riley has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benton in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Riley has control of Benton's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Benton regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Benton defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Riley.
Riley scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

CJ Riley dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Riley misses with a head kick.
Benton fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Riley misses with a head kick.
Benton throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Benton misses the shot to the body.
Benton moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Riley throws the left hand but Benton avoids the punch easily.
Riley tries a head kick but it misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Riley misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Riley.

Benton feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Benton wanted to stand there but Riley had control of the position.
Riley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Riley is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Riley sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Benton defending well though.

Riley seems to be looking for submissions.

Riley is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Riley thows a huge punch but Benton dodges it nicely.
Benton slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benton wants to stand up but Riley is controlling him.
Riley stands and throws Benton's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Riley is working Benton over with some ground and pound from side control.
Riley connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Benton some visible discomfort.
Riley tries to move into full mount but can't pass Benton's legs.

Riley is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Benton knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Riley tries to score with some ground and pound. Benton controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Riley will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Riley is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Benton is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benton manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Riley is looking for a kimura but Benton is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Riley to get the leverage.
Benton punching from the bottom.
Riley has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Riley wants to free his trapped foot but Benton is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Riley is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Benton has managed to free his arm - good work.
Riley landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Riley lands with a punch from half guard.
CJ Riley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Riley is working for a kimura but Benton is defending it quite comfortably.
Riley not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riley is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Benton!
Riley lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

Riley goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Benton is on top in guard.

Riley escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Benton gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Benton scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Riley has his foot on Benton's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Benton works his way back into a safe position though.
Benton content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Benton decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benton throws a right hand that Riley ducks under and follows up with a left that Riley also avoids with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jack Benton will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Riley closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Benton to counter with a crisp jab.

Riley shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Riley missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Riley avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Riley landing some decent shots from guard.
Riley works over Benton with some ground and pound from guard.

Benton has his feet on Riley's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Riley doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Benton counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Benton misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Benton fails in his attempt to clinch.
Riley tries to clinch there but Benton circles away.
Riley with a poor takedown
and Benton counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Riley thinking.

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.
Benton ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Riley moves away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Benton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riley misses with a head kick.

Riley looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Riley working over Benton with some ground and pound. Benton looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Riley is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Riley lands with a punch from half guard.
Nice strikes from Riley there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riley is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Riley is working for a kimura but Benton is defending it quite comfortably.
Riley missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Benton regains full guard. Nicely done.
Riley won't allow Benton to get back to his feet.
Riley advances position into side control!

Riley goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Benton rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Riley's guard! Nice work there by Benton!
Benton postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riley looking to hit a scissor sweep but Benton is one step ahead there.
Benton stands and throws Riley's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Riley on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Benton decides to stand back up.
Benton fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Riley feints and as Benton raises his hands in defense, Riley changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Benton looking for a sweep. Not yet Benton, not yet.
Riley tries to free his leg and advance position but Benton is retaining full guard.
Riley advances to half guard.
Benton is trying to stand.
Riley winds up and cracks Benton with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
CJ Riley showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Riley 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28

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