PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jose Benevidez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Felipe Cruz was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Benevidez
vs
Cruz

170 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
20
140 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jose Benevidez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Emerson Jorge and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benevidez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cruz looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Cruz tries to clinch there but Benevidez circles away.

Benevidez tries to keep at a distance but Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.

Benevidez jumps into guard, dragging Cruz to the mat.
Cruz is fighting to break Benevidez's control of his arms but Benevidez is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benevidez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cruz is one step ahead there.
Cruz wants to stand and escape but instead Benevidez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benevidez trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Benevidez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cruz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Benevidez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Benevidez seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Cruz wants to get back to full guard.
Benevidez performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jose Benevidez just wasn't active enough.
Cruz throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Benevidez.

Benevidez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cruz looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz being controlled for a moment.
Benevidez lands a decent elbow from side control.

Benevidez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cruz has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as Benevidez stalls from top position.
Benevidez advances to mount.
Benevidez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Benevidez working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Benevidez controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Benevidez cracks Cruz with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benevidez controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Benevidez dominated that round.
That's time! Benevidez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

No luck with that takedown attempt from Benevidez.
Benevidez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cruz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Benevidez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Benevidez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Benevidez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Benevidez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cruz pinned against the cage. Cruz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice sprawl there from Cruz as Benevidez shoots in.

Benevidez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Cruz prevents Benevidez from improving position.
Benevidez cracks Cruz with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Benevidez is looking to take a break and control but Cruz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz wants to control but Benevidez postures up.
Cruz is trying to improve his position.
Benevidez controlling the position from side mount.
Cruz trying his best to control but Benevidez has mounted him.
Jose Benevidez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Benevidez controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Benevidez postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cruz looks a forlorn figure.
Benevidez controlling from the full mount.
Benevidez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cruz is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benevidez punishing his opponent with strikes.
Benevidez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cruz really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Benevidez controlling from mount.
Benevidez trying to control but Cruz is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benevidez content just to control the position here.
Cruz is bucking up trying to escape but Benevidez cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Cruz wants to hold on but Benevidez pushes him away.
Benevidez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Benevidez looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Benevidez dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Benevidez fails with the takedown.
Benevidez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cruz avoids it really well and circles away.
Cruz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Benevidez.
Cruz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Benevidez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Benevidez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benevidez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Benevidez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Benevidez takes one to the chin there.
Cruz tries to clinch but Benevidez moves out of range.
Benevidez closes the distance and clinches up with Cruz, looking for a takedown. Benevidez pushes Cruz against the cage but Cruz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Jose Benevidez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz throws a series of strikes that have Benevidez backpedaling.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz lets loose with a powerful body kick. Benevidez will feel that in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benevidez wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Horrible takedown by Cruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Benevidez which made him look bad.
Benevidez wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Benevidez shoots in and drives through. Cruz sprawls well.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Benevidez is avoiding it.
Horrible takedown by Benevidez or perhaps it was just good defense by Cruz which made him look bad.
Benevidez takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Benevidez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cruz as he jumps to the side.
Cruz lands with a kick to the ribs.
Benevidez shoots for a takedown but Cruz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cruz lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Benevidez shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Horrible takedown by Benevidez or perhaps it was just good defense by Cruz which made him look bad.
Felipe Cruz seems to be getting the better of the standup.
No luck for Benevidez with that takedown attempt.
Benevidez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cruz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruz scores with a three punch combo!
Benevidez fails with the takedown.
Benevidez shoots for a takedown but Cruz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Benevidez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
No luck for Benevidez with that takedown attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Benevidez. No joy for Cruz on that attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Cruz. No joy for Benevidez on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benevidez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cruz defends it nicely.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Benevidez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Benevidez fails with a takedown attempt.

Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Benevidez, pushing him back against the cage.

Cruz breaks from the clinch.
Benevidez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Cruz moves into the clinch.
Cruz landing knees to the head.

Benevidez pulls guard.
Cruz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Benevidez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Felipe Cruz hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Cruz has a takedown stuffed.
Cruz slaps away a takedown attempt from Benevidez, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Benevidez gets tackled into the cage by Cruz. Cruz maintains the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benevidez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cruz walks away with a smile on his face. Benevidez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Felipe Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jose Benevidez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Benevidez gets tackled into the cage by Cruz. Cruz maintains the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz lands an elbow that stopped Benevidez in his tracks for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Felipe Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Benevidez 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Benevidez!
Jose Benevidez took some time post fight to say the following; 'Soy el mejor en todo, no hay nadie nunca va a traerme abajo!'.