PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Isreal Santana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksandr Benidze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aleksandr Benidze will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Santana
vs
Benidze

159 cm
18
151 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
147 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Isreal Santana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Aleksandr Benidze!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Paul Aken and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benidze has his takedown stuffed

and Santana counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Benidze drops down looking for an ankle pick but Santana pulls his leg out and moves away.
Benidze with a poor takedown

and Santana counters by moving into the clinch.
Isreal Santana has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aleksandr Benidze.
Santana drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Santana lands a takedown into guard.
Benidze trying to control the position.

Benidze throws his legs up looking for a submission but Santana uses it to pass to side control.
Benidze is trying to control Santana's posture but Santana avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santana lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Benidze down.
Benidze tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Santana presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Benidze wants to hold on but Santana pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benidze is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Santana is staying active.
Benidze manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Benidze really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Santana. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benidze tries to roll over but Santana keeps him under control.
Benidze is trying to stand up here but Santana is controlling him well.
Benidze wants to improve his position but Santana is controlling well.
Santana thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benidze trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Benidze is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Santana looking to control and managing it successfully.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Benidze wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santana looking to control but Benidze is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Benidze is looking to improve his position but Santana isn't that keen on the idea.
Santana landing strikes, looking to finish!
Santana lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santana with good strikes from the mount here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Isreal Santana dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Benidze stuffs the takedown.

Benidze moves into the clinch.

Santana manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Benidze throwing strikes from guard but Santana blocks nicely.
Santana wants to stand and escape but Benidze is having none of it.
Benidze looking to sit in guard and control but Santana gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benidze is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benidze managing to control the position.
Santana might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Benidze looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Santana puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Santana slows the pace down in half guard.
Benidze trying to hold on to Santana's head to control him but Santana postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santana is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Aleksandr Benidze has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Benidze with a poor takedown
and Santana counters with a nice uppercut.
Benidze misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Benidze misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Isreal Santana has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aleksandr Benidze.
No luck for Benidze with that takedown attempt.
Aleksandr Benidze seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benidze tries to close the distance and clinch but Santana swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Santana looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Benidze is trying to control the position but Santana postures up.
Santana stays in close to Benidze's body and controls the position.
Benidze is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Aleksandr Benidze was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Benidze misses with a double jab.
Santana shoots in for a double leg but Benidze sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Benidze darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Santana takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Santana moves out of range as Benidze throws a body kick.
Benidze throws a series of punches but Santana avoids them all with ease.
Benidze wants to clinch up but Santana keeps it at a distance.
Benidze closes this distance looking for a takedown but Santana circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Aleksandr Benidze will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Santana fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Benidze avoids it really well and circles away.
Benidze throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Santana's waist but Santana gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Benidze off to one side.
Benidze connects with an inside leg kick.
Benidze gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Santana counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Santana is trying to pull guard but Benidze turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Benidze trying to stall but Santana improves his position.
Santana tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Benidze smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Isreal Santana. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santana slaps away a takedown attempt from Benidze, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santana keeps the fight on the outside.

Benidze closes the distance and clinches.
Santana tries to pull guard but Benidze won't allow it.
Santana could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
A knee to the head by Benidze.
Santana jumps guard but Benidze stands there with Santana around his waist. Santana gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Benidze gets control of Santana's arms and successfully pulls guard. Benidze will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Santana trying to control the position from guard on top but Benidze is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Santana drops back looking for a leg! Benidze is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Benidze manages to kick Santana off! Santana jumps back into Benidze's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benidze working a defensive guard here.

Santana stands up and waves to Benidze to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santana shoots in but Benidze avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Benidze tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Santana defends well and Benidze ends up having to push Santana into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Santana drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Benidze gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Benidze manages to break the clinch.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Benidze. Santana shrugs it off though.

Santana closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A control attempt from Benidze but he's now mounted!
Santana content just to control the position here.
Benidze bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benidze showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Aleksandr Benidze.
I think Benidze 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksandr Benidze!