PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mario Martini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Christian Benavidez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Martini
vs
Benavidez

170 cm
22
165 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

188 cm
22
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mario Martini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Christian Benavidez!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Stewart Dunkirk and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martini tries to clinch but Benavidez is having none of it.
Benavidez misses with a head kick.
Martini moves into range and connects with a jab.
Martini blocks a head kick by Benavidez.
Benavidez fails with the takedown.
Martini lands a with a good body shot.
Benavidez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Martini slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Benavidez misses with a low kick.
Benavidez looks to land a left hand but Martini moved out of range nicely.
Benavidez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Martini scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Benavidez throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Martini counters with a shoot takedown. Benavidez fights it but they end up in guard.

Benavidez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Martini gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Benavidez looks gassed!
Benavidez keeping moving, preventing Martini from controlling successfully.

Benavidez had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Martini is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Benavidez Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Martini's back instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martini manages to reverse the position and now he's in Benavidez's guard. Nice work there by Martini.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

Martini thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Benavidez wants to sweep here but Martini controlling him for the moment.

Benavidez is looking for a triangle but Martini pushes his legs off easily.
Benavidez keeping moving, preventing Martini from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Benavidez is looking for a triangle but Martini pushes his legs off easily.
Benavidez wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Martini is now in half guard.

Martini is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Benavidez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Martini's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Martini's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benavidez has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Martini is having to fend off submission attempts from Benavidez, who is looking to sink in the choke. Benavidez doesn't have the hooks in though and Martini manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.

Martini thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Martini 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.

Benavidez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Martini can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Martini stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Benavidez swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Benavidez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Benavidez looking to control.
Benavidez keeping moving, preventing Martini from controlling successfully.

Martini avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Martini dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Benavidez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Benavidez 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.
Benavidez is trying to control the position but Martini postures up.
Benavidez wants to control the position but Martini says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

Benavidez with the active half guard here but Martini passes nicely into side control.

Martini decides to stand back up. Martini steps back and let's Benavidez get back to his feet.
Benavidez throws a head kick but Martini moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benavidez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Benavidez is breathing heavily.
The fighters circling - Benavidez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Benavidez avoids a punch combination nicely.
A nice combination there by Martini.
A lazy body kick from Benavidez

and Martini counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Benavidez wants to get back to full guard but Martini has mounted him!

Martini with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Martini avoids the attempt from Benavidez to control.
Martini fails to move to back control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez regains half guard.
Martini is thwarting Benavidez's attempts to control the position.

Martini seems to be working for a kimura but Benavidez defends the submission attempt.

Benavidez is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Martini pulls his head out easily.
Benavidez manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benavidez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Martini gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Benavidez has Martini pulled in close to control his posture.

Benavidez looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Martini passes into half guard.

Benavidez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mario Martini overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Martini seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Benavidez gets back to full guard.
Martini trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Martini trying to control but Benavidez is working from the bottom.
Martini pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Benavidez is keeping the position for now.
Benavidez keeping moving, preventing Martini from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Martini dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Benavidez tries a head kick but it misses.
Christian Benavidez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benavidez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Martini counters with a two punch combo.
Benavidez tries for a takedown but Martini circles away easily

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

Benavidez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Martini stacks Benavidez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Martini!
Martini is looking to take a break and control but Benavidez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Benavidez throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benavidez gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Benavidez manages to get to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Benavidez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Martini stacks Benavidez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Martini!
Benavidez is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Martini is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
A nice elbow there by Martini.
Benavidez can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Martini swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Benavidez is now in Martini's guard. A big mistake from Martini there, giving up the dominant position!

Benavidez stands up from Martini's guard - Benavidez perhaps looking for a knockout.
Martini blocks a head kick by Benavidez.
Benavidez lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Martini tests Benavidez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Benavidez with a poor takedown

and Martini counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mario Martini has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Christian Benavidez.
Martini tries to pass the half guard into mount. Benavidez knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The fighters are battling for position here. Benavidez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez is trying to control the position but Martini postures up.
Benavidez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Martini manages to get himself to full guard.
Martini has a closed guard, preventing Benavidez from standing up.
Martini keeping full guard, as Benavidez tries to pass.

Martini working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Benavidez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Martini is tightening it up a little... Benavidez has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Benavidez reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Benavidez taps out! nice BJJ there by Martini!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Mario Martini!