PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dave Benevides (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brad Darren (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 Brad Darren was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Benevides
vs
Darren

170 cm
31
150 lbs
12 - 12 - 0

165 cm
26
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Decent elbows
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

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 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Dave Benevides!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Brad Darren!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Phil Schofield and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Darren closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Darren enables Benevides to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Darren manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Darren has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Benevides can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Darren avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Benevides throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Darren works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Benevides postures up in Darren's guard and throws a big left but Darren blocks it.
Darren not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Benevides postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Darren is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Benevides, into his guard.
Darren looking to pass the guard.
Darren postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Darren wants to control from the top but Benevides keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benevides preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Benevides had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Darren defends it easily.

Benevides escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Darren gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Benevides is looking for a triangle but Darren pushes his legs off easily.
Benevides is breathing heavily.
Darren stands up over Benevides, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Benevides is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Darren defends well.
Darren postures up and lands a big shot to Benevides's brow.

Benevides working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Darren doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Darren manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Benevides throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darren trying to control the position from guard on top but Benevides is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darren throws a strike but Benevides rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Darren is trying to keep Benevides in close.
Darren manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Benevides manages to get himself to full guard.

Benevides escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Darren gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Benevides thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Darren must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benevides bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Darren's guard.
Darren wants to sweep here but Benevides controlling him for the moment.
Benevides throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benevides scoring with some ground and pound.

Darren is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Darren wants to sweep but no luck.

Darren throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Darren utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Benevides stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Darren wants to clinch

and Benevides counters with a single leg into guard. Darren didn't expect that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benevides chips away with some ground and pound.

Darren is looking for a triangle but Benevides pushes his legs off easily.
Benevides preventing the sweep.

Benevides avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Benevides thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Benevides is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Benevides with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Benevides is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Darren really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Benevides. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Benevides postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Benevides dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Darren tries to clinch but Benevides moves away

and Benevides counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Benevides.

Benevides gets to his feet - Darren follows without any prompting.

Benevides shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benevides wants to pass the guard but Darren is defending well.
Darren wants to control but Benevides is keeping busy.
Dave Benevides overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Darren is looking to improve his position.
Benevides wants to pass to mount but Darren is defending the position.

Benevides is looking for a kimura here.
Darren is pressing down on Benevides's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Darren looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Benevides scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Darren controls Benevides momentarily but Benevides frees himself.

Darren escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Benevides gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Benevides scoring with some ground and pound.
Benevides throws a big elbow that misses.
Benevides working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Darren's head.

Benevides is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Darren is trying to keep Benevides in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benevides drops back, looking for a kneebar! Darren looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Darren looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Darren!
Benevides tries to bench press Darren off him but Darren keeps the position.
Darren working the ground and pound but Benevides is defending the strikes.

Darren tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Darren has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benevides manages to get back to half guard.
Benevides is pressing down on Darren's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Darren trying to control the position from guard on top but Benevides is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Darren got a little sloppy there for a moment and Benevides has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Darren has managed to get both his arms back between Benevides's legs - danger averted.

Benevides has his foot on Darren's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Darren works his way back into a safe position though.
Darren trying to control the position from guard on top but Benevides is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darren missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Darren trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Benevides looking for a sweep. Not yet Benevides, not yet.
Darren throwing strikes from guard but Benevides blocks nicely.
Darren postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Darren trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Darren stopping the sweep attempt from Benevides.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darren is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Darren stands and throws Benevides's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Benevides manages to work his way to half guard, despite Darren's best efforts.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Benevides kicks Darren off and gets back to his feet.
Darren darts in trying to clinch

and Benevides counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Benevides throwing strikes from guard but Darren blocks nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Darren is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Benevides is aware though and is defending well.
Darren 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.
Benevides postures up and lands a big shot to Darren's brow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Benevides dominated that second round.
That's time! Benevides's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Darren darts in trying to clinch

and Benevides counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Darren is defending against the submission attempts here by Benevides.
Darren trying to control from the bottom.
Benevides not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Benevides is working for a submission of some sort.

Benevides is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Darren is trying to maintain the position but Benevides is very close to passing his half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darren tries to roll over but Benevides keeps him under control.

Darren is defending against the submission attempts here by Benevides.
Darren gets back to full guard.

Darren working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Benevides doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Benevides manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darren has momentary wrist control but Benevides slips an elbow through the middle.
Benevides missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Darren looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Benevides postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Benevides drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Benevides jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Benevides thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Benevides drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Benevides seems to have locked his on tight now - Darren screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Benevides, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Dave Benevides!
Our winner, Dave Benevides, 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.