PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Benjamin Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jet Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benjamin Jr comes to the cage accompanied by Beheaded in Paris by Cradled To Grave. Li has chosen Tourniquet by Evanescence as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Benjamin Jr
vs
Li

180 cm
33
185 lbs
27 - 17 - 2

167 cm
23
175 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 27 - 17 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Thomas Benjamin Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jet Li!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Trevor Gratis and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li cracks the inside of Benjamin Jr's front leg.
A slapping leg kick lands for Li.
Li throws a low kick but it's checked well by Benjamin Jr.
Benjamin Jr stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Benjamin Jr lands a jab to the nose.
Benjamin Jr misses with a few strikes there.
Benjamin Jr scores with a jab to the jaw.
Benjamin Jr throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Benjamin Jr ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Li moves away.
Li takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Thomas Benjamin Jr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Li misses with a low kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Li.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
Benjamin Jr looks to land a right hand but Li moved out of range.
Li throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Li checks a leg kick.
Li looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A low kick from Li is predictable there
and Li takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
Li throws a chopping leg kick but Benjamin Jr manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benjamin Jr shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Li eats them both and turns towards Benjamin Jr to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Li keeps the fight on the outside.
Li thumps Benjamin Jr with a low kick.
Benjamin Jr scores with a jab.
Benjamin Jr will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Li lands a nice leg kick that just misses Benjamin Jr's sensitive parts.
Benjamin Jr throws a nice looking combination but Li bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Benjamin Jr on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Benjamin Jr lands a nice shot that snaps Li's head back.
Benjamin Jr throws a hook but Li blocks it.
Li scores with a kick to the midsection.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Benjamin Jr takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Benjamin Jr wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Li takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Benjamin Jr tries to clinch but Li is having none of it.
Li lands with a nice body kick.
Good work by Benjamin Jr as he checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Li looks to land a body kick but Benjamin Jr moved away.
Benjamin Jr tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Li was well out of range. Poor timing from Benjamin Jr.
Benjamin Jr connects with the punch.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Benjamin Jr digs a good body shot into Li's ribs.
Li tries to work over Benjamin Jr's front leg with a kick but Benjamin Jr checks it.
A head kick by Li misses

and Benjamin Jr counters by moving into the clinch.
Benjamin Jr misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Li prevents a body shot from Benjamin Jr.
A nice right hand lands inside from Li.
Li looking to slow down the pace here.
Li wants to break the clinch but can't.
Benjamin Jr misses with some punches.
Benjamin Jr blocks an uppercut.
Li has a couple of punches blocked by Benjamin Jr.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li misses with the head strike.
Li is trying to force a seperation but Benjamin Jr has the dominant position.
Li misses with the head strike.
Li blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Benjamin Jr blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Benjamin Jr throws a punch but it's blocked by Li.

Li breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Li moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Benjamin Jr is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Benjamin Jr drives through and clinches with Li against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Li.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benjamin Jr.
Benjamin Jr effectively controlling the action here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benjamin Jr.
Li being controlled against the cage.
Benjamin Jr fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin Jr misses with a hook from the clinch.
Benjamin Jr swings wildly with an uppercut but Li uses good head movement to avoid it.

Li escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Li throws out a leg kick but Benjamin Jr moves out of range and Li only half commits.
Li ducks under a wild hook from Benjamin Jr.
Li throws a head kick but Benjamin Jr moves out of range.
Li throws a nice inside leg kick.
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!
Li throws a body kick that misses.
Benjamin Jr lands a leg kick that knocks Li off balance momentarily.
The crowd cheers as Benjamin Jr lands an impressive looking overhand right. Li doesn't seem phased though.
Li tries to score with a low kick but Benjamin Jr moves his leg out of the way.
Li throws a head kick but Benjamin Jr moves out of range.
Li takes a body punch but keeps moving.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Li slips a jab from Benjamin Jr.
Benjamin Jr blocks a jab.
Benjamin Jr avoids the head kick by Li.
Benjamin Jr is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Benjamin Jr moves in looking to clinch but Li pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Thomas Benjamin Jr will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Benjamin Jr ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Benjamin Jr misses with a looping left.
Li throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Benjamin Jr throws a hook to the side of Li's head but Li sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Benjamin Jr avoids the head kick by Li.
Benjamin Jr throws a shot from downtown. Li moves away and avoids it.
Li throws a low kick but Benjamin Jr avoids it.
Benjamin Jr wants to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Benjamin Jr.
Li throws a leg kick but Benjamin Jr sees it coming and moves out of range.
Li takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Benjamin Jr fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Li on the side of the head.
Benjamin Jr misses with a looping left.
Benjamin Jr throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Benjamin Jr.
Benjamin Jr is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Benjamin Jr blocks the body kick.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Benjamin Jr moves out of range easily.
Benjamin Jr misses the jab.
Li slips under a jab.
Benjamin Jr swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Benjamin Jr lands a slapping body shot.
Li connects with an inside leg kick.
Benjamin Jr stuns Li with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Benjamin Jr misses with a two punch combination.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Benjamin Jr takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Benjamin Jr moves out of range easily.
Li turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Li connects with an inside leg kick.
Benjamin Jr checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li wants to slow Benjamin Jr down by chopping away at his legs.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Li walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Li stuns Benjamin Jr with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Benjamin Jr is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Benjamin Jr keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Li displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Benjamin Jr throws out the jab.
Benjamin Jr checks the leg kick.
Li's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Li duly obliges.
Li throws a sloppy head kick

and Benjamin Jr counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Benjamin Jr.
Li swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Li looking to slow down the pace here.
Benjamin Jr misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short right from Li on the inside.
Li misses with a punch on the inside.
Benjamin Jr misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin Jr has a couple of punches blocked by Li.
Benjamin Jr effectively controlling the action here.

Li manages to break the clinch.
Benjamin Jr throws out a powerful jab.
Li darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Benjamin Jr misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Li.
Benjamin Jr throws an off balance right hand
and Li counters with a slapping leg kick.
Benjamin Jr waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Li.
Li throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Li throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Li connects with a solid leg kick.
Benjamin Jr blocks a low kick nicely.
Benjamin Jr throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Li throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Benjamin Jr looks to throw the jab but Li is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Li.
Li misses with a kick to the body.
Li slips a jab and a cross from Benjamin Jr.
Li looks to throw the jab but Benjamin Jr is out of range.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A head kick misses from Li.
Nice jab there from Benjamin Jr.
Li tries a low kick but Benjamin Jr avoids it.
A head kick misses from Li.
Li takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Li throws a leg kick but Benjamin Jr checks it.
Li misses with a low kick as Benjamin Jr jumps back.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Benjamin Jr takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Jet Li seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Li throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Li goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Benjamin Jr tries to bum rush Li with a series of wild strikes but Li uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jet Li showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Benjamin Jr's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Benjamin Jr swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Li looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Thomas Benjamin Jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Li lands with a thumping leg kick.
Li throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Benjamin Jr takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Benjamin Jr throws a right hand that Li ducks under and follows up with a left that Li also avoids with ease.
Li throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Benjamin Jr blocks a low kick nicely.
An inside leg kick from Li misses.
Li lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Li throws a head kick that misses.
A jab from Benjamin Jr does it's job there.
Benjamin Jr misses with a jab to the body
and Li counters with a nice low kick that buckles Benjamin Jr's knee momentarily.
Benjamin Jr listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Li tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Li on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benjamin Jr throws a right and a left that Li avoids nicely.
Benjamin Jr misses with a looping right.
Benjamin Jr on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Benjamin Jr throws a predictable looking body shot
and Li counters with a low kick, right behind Benjamin Jr 's knee.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Li takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Li lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Li checks the leg kick nicely there.
Benjamin Jr throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Li throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Benjamin Jr throws a jab when Li was well out of range.
Li takes one to the side of the head.
A low kick from Li misses
and Benjamin Jr counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A chopping leg kick lands by Li.
Benjamin Jr takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Good work by Benjamin Jr as he checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Benjamin Jr tries to land a front kick but Li steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Li misses with a low kick.
Li throws a leg kick that misses.
Li throws a leg kick that misses.
Li throws a head kick but Benjamin Jr moves out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Li. That snapped Benjamin Jr's head back.
Benjamin Jr avoids the head kick by Li.
Li throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
A leg kick checked by Benjamin Jr.
Benjamin Jr misses with a straight right.
A head kick misses from Li.
Benjamin Jr throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Benjamin Jr checks a leg kick.
Li connects with an inside leg kick.
Li misses with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li misses with a low kick.
A low kick from Li misses
and Benjamin Jr counters with a nice uppercut.
A good leg kick by Li.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Benjamin Jr throws out a loose jab but Li uses good head movement to avoid it.
Li throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Benjamin Jr sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Li throws a head kick that misses.
Li misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Benjamin Jr.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Benjamin Jr ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Li moves away.
Li circles away from the clinch attempt.
Li feints and then cracks Benjamin Jr's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Benjamin Jr down.
Benjamin Jr misses with a body shot.
Li slips a jab from Benjamin Jr.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin Jr lands with a right hand.
Benjamin Jr lands the left hand.
Benjamin Jr feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Lis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Li uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Benjamin Jr.
Benjamin Jr checks a leg kick.
Li throws a head kick but Benjamin Jr moves out of range.
Li misses with the body kick

and Benjamin Jr counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benjamin Jr lands with a light punch inside.
A frustrated look appears on Li's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Benjamin Jr doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Benjamin Jr tries a body shot but Li blocks it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A nice right hand lands inside from Benjamin Jr.
Li blocks a body shot from Benjamin Jr.
Benjamin Jr swings wildly with an uppercut but Li uses good head movement to avoid it.
A right handed body shot lands from Benjamin Jr.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jet Li.
I think Li 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jet Li!
Jet Li spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.