PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Malik Benjamin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Benjamin
vs
Jackson

172 cm
25
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

184 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Dynamic Nutrition $25 159 Recovery

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Malik Benjamin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lyoto Jackson!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Chris Saunders and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jackson has Benjamin up against the cage in a clinch.
Benjamin looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Jackson tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Jackson lands an elbow inside that Benjamin shrugs off.
Benjamin blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Jackson.
Nice elbow from Jackson.
Benjamin tries to circle away but Jackson has him pinned against the cage.
Jackson throws a head punch that misses.
Jackson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Benjamin's elbow.
Jackson pushes Benjamin back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Jackson lands an elbow inside.
Jackson creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Benjamin's defenses.
The referee is keeping an eye on Jackson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Jackson scores with a shoulder strike.
Jackson effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Jackson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jackson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Benjamin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A slapping body kick lands there for Jackson.

Jackson moves into range and clinches up with Benjamin.

Jackson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Benjamin swats away the attempt to clinch by Jackson.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Jackson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Benjamin takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Lyoto Jackson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jackson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Jackson has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Jackson.
Jackson misses with a body punch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jackson manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Benjamin takes an elbow to the forehead.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Jackson.
Benjamin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Jackson scores with a knee to the head.

Jackson breaks from the clinch.
Jackson connects with a leg kick. Benjamin looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Jackson has Benjamin up against the cage in a clinch.
Jackson landing knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jackson breaks the clinch.

Jackson forces Benjamin back against the cage and clinches.
Benjamin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Jackson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A bit of stalling here from Jackson.
Jackson landing knees to the head.
Jackson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Benjamin dodges an elbow strike from Jackson.
Benjamin struggles to land a body shot inside as Jackson controls his hands.
Jackson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Jackson landing knees to the body.
Jackson misses with a hook to the ribs.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Jackson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Jackson.
Benjamin tries to land a knee to the head but Jackson blocks with his arms.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Jackson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Jackson tries a body shot but Benjamin blocks it.
Jackson lands an elbow that stopped Benjamin in his tracks for a moment.
Knees to the body from Jackson.
Jackson has Benjamin pressed against the cage, preventing Benjamin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Jackson lands a knee to the body.

Jackson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jackson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jackson misses with a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Jackson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Benjamin circles away from the clinch attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Benjamin is defended easily by Jackson.
Jackson wants to clinch.
Jackson is looking to clinch.
Jackson wants to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lyoto Jackson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Benjamin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Jackson lands an elbow inside that Benjamin shrugs off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson lands a damaging elbow.
Benjamin takes an elbow to the forehead.
Jackson lands a right hand that snaps the head of Benjamin backwards.
Jackson lands a knee to the head.
Jackson unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Jackson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Jackson.
Jackson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Jackson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Jackson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Jackson lands a damaging elbow.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Jackson lands an elbow that stopped Benjamin in his tracks for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jackson crunches a lovely knee into Benjamin's ribcage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Jackson obliges.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Jackson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Jackson closes the distance and clinches.
A short right from Jackson on the inside.
Jackson landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Jackson unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Benjamin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jackson lands an elbow just above Benjamin 's eye.
Jackson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Jackson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Jackson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Jackson is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Benjamin takes an elbow to the temple.
Jackson tries to throw a body punch but Benjamin avoids it by throwing Jackson back against the cage.
Jackson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Jackson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Benjamin takes a knee to the side of the body.
Jackson lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson stalling against the cage.

Jackson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jackson tries to clinch there but Benjamin circles away.
Jackson tries to close the distance and clinch but Benjamin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jackson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Jackson takes the fight into the clinch.
Jackson putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Benjamin in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jackson misses with a hook from the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Nice elbow from Jackson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Jackson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Jackson clinches up with Benjamin and pushes him back against the cage.

Jackson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Benjamin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Jackson has managed to clinch.
Jackson lands a nice knee to the body.
Jackson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Jackson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Jackson with a knee to the head.

Jackson breaks the clinch.
Jackson with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Jackson fails with an attempt to clinch.

Jackson moves into the clinch successfully.
Jackson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jackson lands a nice knee to the body.
Jackson crunches a lovely knee into Benjamin's ribcage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson lands a knee to the head.
Jackson using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Jackson lands a damaging elbow.
Jackson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Jackson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Jackson lands an elbow inside.
Jackson lands an elbow that stopped Benjamin in his tracks for a moment.
Jackson working Benjamin over with knees to the body.
Jackson unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Jackson creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Benjamin's defenses.
Nice elbow from Jackson.
Jackson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jackson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jackson tries to clinch but Benjamin is having none of it.

Jackson gets a clinch.
Jackson digs a right hand into Benjamin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Benjamin's gas tank.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jackson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Jackson in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Jackson lands a knee to the body.

Jackson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Benjamin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jackson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Benjamin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jackson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Benjamin walks into a stiff left hand from Jackson.
Jackson fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jackson closes the distance and clinches.
Jackson landing knees to the body.
Jackson lands an elbow inside.

Jackson manages to break the clinch.

Jackson moves into range and clinches up with Benjamin.
Jackson landing knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Jackson.
Jackson with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Jackson tries a knee to the head but Benjamin blocks it.
Jackson comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Jackson manages to break the clinch.
Jackson tries to clinch but Benjamin is having none of it.
Benjamin swats away the attempt to clinch by Jackson.
Lyoto Jackson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Benjamin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jackson tries to clinch up.
Jackson is looking to clinch.
Jackson tries to clinch up but Benjamin circles away and keeps his distance.

Jackson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Benjamin can't break the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Jackson misses with a hook from the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lyoto Jackson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Jackson 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 24:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 24:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyoto Jackson!
Lyoto Jackson really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Dynamic Nutrition $25 159 Recovery logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.