PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tony Soprano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthieu Benoit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Soprano comes into the arena with Got Yourself a Gun blaring out of the sound system. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Soprano
vs
Benoit

188 cm
32
215 lbs
27 - 9 - 1

185 cm
33
198 lbs
31 - 14 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Xtreme Merchandise
Untouchable Fight Nutrition(Laundry)

Syndicate Nutrition
Xtreme Merchandise

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Tony Soprano!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 14 - 2, fighting out of Hilo, Matthieu Benoit!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soprano scores with a sloppy right hand. Benoit should have avoided that one.
Soprano slips a straight right by Benoit.
Benoit avoids the head kick by Soprano.
Nice shot lands for Benoit.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Soprano.
Soprano looks to throw the jab but Benoit is out of range.
Soprano scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Soprano scores with a leg kick.
Horrible takedown by Benoit or perhaps it was just good defense by Soprano which made him look bad.
Benoit steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Soprano.
Benoit takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Soprano uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Benoit.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Soprano throws an overhand right that lands on Benoit's shoulder, as Benoit tries to avoid the shot.
Benoit swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A right-left combo lands from Benoit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soprano fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Benoit is out of range.
Soprano stuffs the takedown attempt from Benoit. Benoit gets slowly back to his feet.
Soprano works the jab nicely.
Soprano's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Benoit connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Soprano scrambles back to his feet.
Benoit shoots in and drives through. Soprano sprawls well.
Tony Soprano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthieu Benoit.
Soprano slips a jab from Benoit.
Benoit goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Soprano misses with a body shot.
Benoit lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Soprano misses with a two punch combination.
The crowd cheers as Benoit lands an impressive looking overhand right. Soprano doesn't seem phased though.
Benoit fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Soprano throws a lazy right hand but Benoit sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soprano throws a hook to the side of Benoit's head but Benoit sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Tony Soprano is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Soprano misses with a kick to the body.

Benoit shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Soprano looking for a sweep. Not yet Soprano, not yet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Benoit accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Benoit preventing the sweep.
Benoit has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benoit throws a big right hand that misses.
Benoit trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Benoit seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Soprano utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soprano 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.
Soprano seems keen to control Benoit's posture.
Soprano looking to hit a scissor sweep but Benoit is one step ahead there.
Benoit in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Soprano is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Soprano preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Soprano pulls Benoit in close to prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Tony Soprano just wasn't active enough.

Benoit looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Soprano!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Soprano is working to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Benoit.

It looks like Tony Soprano has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Soprano takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Benoit landing punches.
Oooooh, big shot lands for Benoit! Soprano is hurt baaadly! Benoit is firing away with more strikes - Soprano is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:46 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Matthieu Benoit! Matthieu Benoit retains his light heavyweight title!
Matthieu Benoit decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.