PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Normand Benton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rowen Fire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Benton
vs
Fire

208 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

222 cm
25
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Normand Benton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rowen Fire!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Daniel Franklin and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fire blocks a head kick by Benton.
Fire throws a right hand that Benton ducks under and follows up with a left that Benton also avoids with ease.
Benton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fire swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Benton moves out of range of the body kick from Fire.

Fire clinches up against the cage.
Fire jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Benton walks away with a smile on his face. Fire gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Fire moves into the clinch.
Benton wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Benton trying to control the position but instead, Fire has worked for underhooks and has pushed Benton into the cage.
Benton is trying to push Fire away but Fire has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Benton breaks the clinch.
Fire shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Benton but Benton pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Benton rushes Fire and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton stalling in the clinch but Fire improves position.
Benton tries to pull guard but Fire forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Fire tries to land knees in the clinch but Benton avoids the damage to the body.

Benton ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Benton no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Fire has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Benton is proving hard to escape from.
Fire with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Benton looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fire has gone for a leg lock! Benton slips out almost immediately though and dives into Fire's guard.
Benton throwing strikes but missing.
Benton postures up in Fire's guard and throws a big left but Fire blocks it.
Fire tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Benton has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Benton with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Benton preventing the sweep.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Benton is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Benton throwing strikes from guard but Fire blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fire throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Fire utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Fire seems keen to control Benton's posture.
Benton postures up in Fire's guard and throws a big left but Fire blocks it.
Fire has a closed guard, preventing Benton from standing up.
Benton knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Fire on the ground.
Fire trying to keep a closed guard but Benton is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benton wants to stand but Fire is controlling his posture from full guard.
Benton landing with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benton trying to control the position from guard on top but Fire is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fire manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Benton manages to get himself to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fire has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Benton is proving hard to escape from.

Rowen Fire has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Fire pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fire is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benton tests Fire's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Fire drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Fire throws a leg kick that misses.
Fire avoids the body shot from Benton.
Benton throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Benton shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Fire as he jumps to the side.

Fire moves into the clinch successfully.

Fire escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Benton avoids the head kick by Fire.
Fire fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Fire tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Benton was well out of range. Poor timing from Fire.
Fire with a poor takedown
and Benton counters with a stiff right hand.
Fire shoots in for a takedown but Benton shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fire clinches up against the cage.
Benton looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Benton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fire doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Benton counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Normand Benton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rowen Fire.
Fire is breathing heavily.
Fire is trying to control the position but Benton postures up.
Benton preventing the sweep.
Fire working a defensive guard here.
Benton controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Benton working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benton connects with a couple of short punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benton wants to get up but he can't break Fire's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Benton throwing strikes but missing.
Benton trying to control but Fire is working from the bottom.
Fire preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Benton is in close to Fire's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Benton postures up in Fire's guard and throws a big left but Fire blocks it.

Fire is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Benton is aware though and is defending well.
Benton trying to control but Fire is working from the bottom.
Fire not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Benton throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benton postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Fire has momentary wrist control but Benton slips an elbow through the middle.
Benton content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Benton throws a big elbow that misses.
Benton wanted to stand there but Fire had control of the position.
Benton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Benton distracts Fire with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Benton postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Benton is working Fire over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Benton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Fire looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Benton wants to control from the top but Fire keeps moving.
Benton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benton chips away with some ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benton working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Fire holds on and takes a little breather.
Benton scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Benton wants to get up but he can't break Fire's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Fire working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Benton doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Benton manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fire has a closed guard, preventing Benton from standing up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Benton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Benton stands up over Fire, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Benton throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Fire works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Normand Benton dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Fire throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Benton counters with a takedown into side control.
Fire is looking for a sweep.
Fire is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
An elbow from Benton crashes against the mat.
Benton tries to stand but Fire is controlling his head.
Fire tries to buck Benton off but Benton is having none of it.
Fire takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Fire is trying to improve his position.
Fire keeps trying to improve his position.
Fire struggling a bit here.
Fire takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton wants to control but Fire is keeping him busy.
Benton tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Benton grinds an elbow into Fire's temple.
Benton tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Benton wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fire keeps working.
Benton is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Fire's shoulder. That is not cool.
Benton landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Fire wants to control but Benton postures up.
Benton working the body and head with strikes.
Fire on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benton trying to control the position but Fire is working away.
Fire is looking for a sweep.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fire sneaks back into half guard.
Fire on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Fire on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Fire trying to control but Benton postures up.
Benton takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Benton is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Fire is not content to let Benton control the position.
Benton is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fire taking some punishment here, with Benton in his half guard.
Fire keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Fire is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Benton pulls his head out easily.
Fire throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Benton landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Benton connects with a nice short shot to Fire's temple.
Benton lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Benton lands with a punch from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fire blocking the ground and pound attempt from Benton.
Benton wants to stand up but Fire has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Benton missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Benton missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Benton lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Fire taking some punishment here, with Benton in his half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Benton wants to control but Fire is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benton tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Fire.
Benton working the head and body with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Normand Benton showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Benton has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Normand Benton!