PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Barcelo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Benson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Barcelo
vs
Benson

178 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Barcelo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ben Benson!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Benson clinches up with Barcelo and pushes him back against the cage.
Barcelo putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Benson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Barcelo is looking for a takedown.

Benson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Barcelo throws a lazy head kick

and Benson moves into the clinch.

Barcelo breaks the clinch.
Barcelo shoots in but Benson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Benson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Barcelo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Benson as Barcelo shoots in.
Barcelo takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Barcelo rushes Benson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Barcelo jumps guard but Benson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Barcelo gets control of Benson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Barcelo will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Barcelo looking to control.
Benson wants to control from the top but Barcelo keeps moving.
Benson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ben Benson wasn't active enough on the ground.
Benson throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Barcelo's head.
Benson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Barcelo.
Benson lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Benson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Barcelo lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Barcelo is breathing heavily.
Benson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Benson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Benson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barcelo throws a combination. Benson tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Benson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Benson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Barcelo's guard.
Barcelo is adopting a defensive guard.
Benson wants to control from the top but Barcelo keeps moving.
Barcelo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Benson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Benson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Barcelo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Barcelo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Benson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Barcelo somewhat.
Barcelo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Barcelo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Benson swivels and escapes.
Barcelo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Benson tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Barcelo misses with a takedown attempt - Benson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Benson buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barcelo walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Benson throws a wild body kick that Barcelo sees coming a mile off.
Barcelo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Benson.
Barcelo moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Barcelo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Benson stuffs the takedown.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A head kick misses from Benson.
Barcelo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ben Benson will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Benson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Benson wants it to stay on the feet.
Benson doesn't manage to clinch there - Barcelo circles away.
Benson fails with a takedown attempt.
Barcelo shoots in for a double leg but Benson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Barcelo blocks a head kick by Benson.
Benson throws a right hand that misses
and Barcelo counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Barcelo tries to clinch up but Benson circles away and keeps his distance.
John Barcelo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barcelo shoots for a double leg takedown but Benson sprawls well. He's pushed Barcelo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Barcelo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benson slaps away a takedown attempt from Barcelo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Benson misses with a low kick as Barcelo jumps back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Barcelo.
Barcelo fails to land the takedown.
Benson tries to clinch but Barcelo is having none of it.
Barcelo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Benson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Barcelo somewhat.
Barcelo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Benson as he avoids it easily.
Benson shoots in looking for a takedown but Barcelo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Benson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Benson fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benson fails with a takedown attempt.
Barcelo slips a jab and a cross from Benson.
Barcelo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A big right from Barcelo misses.
Barcelo scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Benson moves in looking to clinch but Barcelo pushes him off.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Benson is defended easily by Barcelo.
Barcelo tries for a takedown but Benson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Barcelo moves to clinch but Benson breaks away
and Benson counters with a head kick.

It looks like John Barcelo has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benson throws a push kick but Barcelo slaps the foot to one side.
Benson misses with a double jab
and Barcelo counters with a two punch combo.

Barcelo clinches with his opponent.
Barcelo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Benson gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Benson manages to break the clinch.
Barcelo looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Nice sprawl there from Benson as Barcelo shoots in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Benson.
Barcelo shoots in but Benson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Benson throws a series of strikes that have Barcelo backpedaling.
Barcelo fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Benson connects with a solid leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A combination from Benson does no damage.
Benson tries to close the distance and clinch but Barcelo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Benson fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ben Benson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on John Barcelo's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Benson stuffs the takedown attempt from Barcelo. Barcelo gets slowly back to his feet.
Benson throws a lazy head kick
letting Barcelo counter with a right hand.
Barcelo fails with a takedown attempt.
Benson takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Barcelo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barcelo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Barcelo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benson dives in and grabs Barcelo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Barcelo pushes down on Benson's head and hops out.
Benson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Benson is defended easily by Barcelo.
Barcelo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Barcelo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Barcelo tries to clinch but Benson moves out of range.
Barcelo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Benson swivels and escapes.
Benson fails with a takedown attempt.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Benson lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Barcelo has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Barcelo and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
A punch combination from Barcelo misses.
Nice takedown defense from Barcelo. No joy for Benson on that attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barcelo scores with a three punch combo!
Barcelo moves in looking to clinch but Benson pushes him off.
Barcelo shoots in but no luck this time.
A combination from Benson does no damage.
Barcelo scores with a head kick.
Benson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barcelo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Barcelo closes the distance and clinches up with Benson, looking for a takedown. Barcelo pushes Benson against the cage but Benson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A low kick from Barcelo misses
and Benson counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barcelo fails to land the takedown.
Benson misses with a takedown attempt - Barcelo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Benson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Barcelo moves in looking to clinch but Benson pushes him off.
Benson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Barcelo has Benson up against the cage in a clinch.
Benson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Barcelo after a bit of a struggle.
John Barcelo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barcelo stalling.
Barcelo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Benson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Benson tries to pull guard but Barcelo forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Benson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Barcelo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Barcelo lands a nice uppercut.
Barcelo has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Benson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barcelo tries to pull guard but Benson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Barcelo scores with a knee to the head.
Ben Benson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Benson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Barcelo gets the underhooks and prevents it.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Barcelo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Benson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Benson!
A relieved looking Ben Benson thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.