PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ralte Bentea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesse Thielke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ralte Bentea had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 136.5lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Jesse Thielke enters the cage!

Bentea
vs
Thielke

174 cm
19
143 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
20
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ralte Bentea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jesse Thielke!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Gregory Folan and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice shot by Thielke.

Bentea looking to score a takedown here. Thielke is defending well but Bentea drives through and ends up in Thielke's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Bentea postures up in Thielke's guard and throws a big left but Thielke blocks it.

Thielke kicks Bentea off and gets to his feet.
Bentea shoots in looking for a takedown. Thielke tries to sprawl out of it but Bentea keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thielke manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Thielke throws a series of punches but Bentea moves out of range.

Bentea gets caught napping as Thielke dives in and scores a takedown. Bentea manages to retain guard.
Thielke throwing strikes from guard but Bentea blocks nicely.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thielke trying to control the position from guard on top but Bentea is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thielke throws a big elbow that misses.
Thielke has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bentea wants to control the position but Thielke says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Bentea keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Bentea is looking for a sweep. Thielke is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bentea is trying to maintain the position but Thielke is very close to passing his half guard.
Bentea wants to improve his position but Thielke is controlling well.
Bentea on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bentea tries to get out of the position.
Bentea is breathing heavily.
Bentea is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Thielke's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Thielke's back!
Thielke trying to control the position but Bentea manages to sink in the hooks.
Thielke manages to scramble and ends up in full guard, under a barage of strikes . Great composure from Thielke.

Bentea avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Bentea lands a couple of digs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thielke is trying to keep Bentea in close.
Thielke looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bentea missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bentea pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thielke is keeping the position for now.
Bentea throws an elbow that misses. Thielke uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bentea's guard. Nice move by Thielke!
Bentea looking for a sweep. Not yet Bentea, not yet.
Thielke throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thielke postures up in Bentea's guard and throws a big left but Bentea blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bentea wants to stand up but Thielke is controlling him.
Thielke with a flurry of punches that miss.
Thielke working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thielke working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bentea throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Thielke is stalling in the full guard.
Thielke throws a big right hand that misses.
Bentea looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thielke is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bentea wants to improve his position but instead Thielke has moved into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thielke is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Thielke trying to control from half guard but Bentea is working away.
Thielke working Bentea over with strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thielke seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Thielke is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Thielke dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Bentea darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Bentea throws a strike but Thielke avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Bentea postures up in Thielke's guard and throws a big left but Thielke blocks it.
Bentea throws an elbow that misses. Thielke uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bentea's guard. Nice move by Thielke!
Thielke is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Jesse Thielke has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bentea wants to control but Thielke passes easily into half guard.
Bentea is looking for a sweep. Thielke is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Thielke thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thielke is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Thielke is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Bentea knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Thielke on the ground.
Bentea is trying to get back to full guard.
Thielke passes into side control, despite Bentea's attempt to control the position.
Thielke looks up at the clock and then as Bentea takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Thielke smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bentea struggling a bit here.
Thielke throws an elbow but Bentea slips to the side and avoids it well.
Bentea is looking to reverse the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Thielke.
Thielke grinds an elbow into Bentea's temple.
Bentea tries to buck Thielke off but Thielke is having none of it.
Thielke cracks Bentea with a big right hand but Bentea just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Thielke working the ground and pound.
Bentea tries to buck Thielke off but Thielke is having none of it.
An elbow from Thielke crashes against the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thielke in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Thielke works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Bentea tries to buck Thielke off but Thielke is having none of it.
Thielke tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Thielke working away.
Thielke working the head and body with strikes.
Bentea tries to buck Thielke off but Thielke is having none of it.
Thielke cracks Bentea with a big elbow.

Thielke tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Thielke has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Bentea is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bentea is trying to get back to his feet.
Thielke is looking to take a break and control but Bentea is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bentea is trying to escape the position but Thielke is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Thielke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Thielke gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Bentea tries to circle away but Thielke has him pinned against the cage.
Bentea gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Thielke.
Thielke drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bentea gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Thielke wants the takedown. Bentea is fighting it off but Thielke persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Bentea's guard against the cage.
Bentea keeping moving, preventing Thielke from controlling successfully.
Thielke postures up.
Bentea wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bentea working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thielke throws a big right hand that misses.
Bentea working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thielke.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Thielke stopping the sweep attempt from Bentea.
Thielke throws a big elbow that misses.
Thielke trying to control but Bentea is working from the bottom.
Bentea looking for a sweep. Not yet Bentea, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thielke lands a body shot.
Jesse Thielke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Bentea with that takedown attempt.
Thielke throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Thielke lands a nice shot to the body.

Thielke moves into the clinch successfully.
Thielke lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Bentea wants a takedown.
Thielke lands a body punch in the clinch.
Thielke is struggling to control the position.

Thielke gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Bentea regains guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thielke trying to control the position from guard on top but Bentea is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bentea wants to hit a switch here but Thielke passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Bentea there!
Jesse Thielke is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bentea is trying desperately to improve position.
Thielke takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Bentea really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Thielke trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Thielke tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bentea is wriggling around trying to escape.
Thielke sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Bentea is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ralte Bentea has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thielke controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesse Thielke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thielke 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesse Thielke!