PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sean Benoit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cratos Apollo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cratos Apollo has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Sean Benoit's chin.

Benoit
vs
Apollo

180 cm
22
180 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

225 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sean Benoit!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cratos Apollo!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benoit throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Apollo.
Benoit misses with a series of wild punches.
Benoit keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Apollo shoots in looking for a takedown. Benoit tries to sprawl out of it but Apollo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Benoit manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Apollo shoots in but Benoit avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sean Benoit has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cratos Apollo.
Apollo takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Benoit keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Apollo is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Apollo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Apollo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit connects with a nice looking jab.
Apollo misses with a takedown attempt - Benoit sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Benoit pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Benoit throws a series of punches but Apollo moves out of range.
Benoit throws a one two combo.
Apollo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Benoit throws a one two combo.
Apollo looks gassed!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benoit lands with a kick to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oooh a lovely combination from Benoit sends Apollo down but not out. Benoit dives into side control looking to finish.

Apollo is rocked!
Benoit tries to stand but Apollo is controlling his head.
Apollo is still in real trouble! Can Benoit finish him?
Benoit just content to control the position.
Apollo seems to have recovered his senses.

Benoit stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apollo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Benoit pinned against the cage. Benoit gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Benoit swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Benoit lands a nice looking body kick.
Benoit lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Benoit misses with a few strikes there.
Benoit will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Benoit fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Apollo.
Apollo walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benoit throws a nice looking combination but Apollo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Benoit looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Benoit scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Benoit drops Apollo with a big left hand and mounts him. Apollo is in big trouble!
Apollo tries to hold on but Benoit pushes him away.
Apollo tries to reverse the position but Benoit maintains control.
Benoit sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Benoit dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Benoit scores with a push kick.
Benoit misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Apollo shoots in but no luck this time.

Benoit rushes Apollo and presses him up against the cage.

Benoit breaks the clinch.
Benoit lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Apollo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Benoit's waist but Benoit gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Apollo off to one side.
A shot to de liver by Benoit. Beautiful body shot.
Benoit throws a right and a left that both miss.
Apollo is breathing heavily.
Apollo takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Benoit goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Benoit throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Benoit fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Benoit throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Apollo looks for a takedown but Benoit sprawls well.
Sean Benoit has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cratos Apollo.
Apollo takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Benoit is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Apollo can do to turn this around?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Benoit misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sean Benoit is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Benoit takes the fight into the clinch.

Benoit breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apollo fails to land the takedown.
Benoit scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Cratos Apollo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Apollo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benoit.
Apollo has a takedown stuffed.
Benoit tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Apollo fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Apollo is trying desperately to land a takedown but Benoit is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Apollo.
Benoit connects with a good right hand that stumbles Apollo. Apollo circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benoit moves into range and clinches up with Apollo.
Apollo tries to pull guard but Benoit holds him up against the cage and eventually Apollo drops back down to his feet.

Benoit breaks the clinch.
Benoit misses with a few strikes there.
Sean Benoit is winning the standup battle so far.
Benoit throws a wild body kick that Apollo sees coming a mile off.
Apollo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Benoit as he jumps to the side.
A solid leg kick lands there for Benoit.
Benoit chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Benoit throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit throws a one two combo.
Some wild striking there from Benoit.
Benoit misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Benoit lands a jab to the nose.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Benoit's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Benoit duly obliges.
Benoit moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Benoit is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Apollo takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Benoit throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Benoit dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Apollo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Apollo shoots in but Benoit avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Benoit scores with a kick to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Benoit.
Benoit comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Benoit buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Benoit throws a sloppy head kick and Apollo moves out of range easily.
Benoit throws a combination. Apollo tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benoit lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Benoit swinging wilding here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Benoit throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Benoit throws a nice inside leg kick.
Apollo avoids a kick to the body.
Apollo shoots in looking for a takedown. Benoit tries to sprawl out of it but Apollo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Benoit manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sean Benoit has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cratos Apollo.
Benoit connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Benoit lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benoit throws a nice inside leg kick.
Benoit throws a nice outside leg kick.
Benoit throws a head kick that misses.
Benoit scores with a head kick.
A right-left combo lands from Benoit.
Benoit fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
No luck for Apollo with that takedown attempt.
Benoit throws a nice outside leg kick.
Benoit scores with a one two! Apollo had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
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!
Benoit swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sean Benoit is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Apollo or perhaps it was just good defense by Benoit which made him look bad.
Apollo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Benoit lands with a cross.
Benoit lunges at Apollo with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Apollo's hand.
Benoit scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Benoit throws a one two combo.
Apollo takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Apollo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Benoit's waist but Benoit gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Apollo off to one side.
Benoit throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Apollo shoots in looking for a takedown. Benoit tries to sprawl out of it but Apollo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Benoit manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Benoit scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Apollo has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Good standup being displayed there by Benoit as he connects with a hook.
Apollo shoots in but Benoit avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Benoit throws a head kick that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A jab from Benoit does it's job there.
Nice body punch from Benoit.
Cratos Apollo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Benoit connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sean Benoit showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Benoit has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:24
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:24
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sean Benoit!