PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jarik Belson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grant Benton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Belson
vs
Benton

190 cm
23
182 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

180 cm
32
185 lbs
14 - 8 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jarik Belson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Grant Benton!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benton throws the left hand but Belson avoids the punch easily.
Belson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Benton at a distance.
Belson takes a swing at Benton's ribcage but misses.
Benton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Belson throws a looping overhand right but Benton ducks down to avoid it.
Jarik Belson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Belson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Belson showed some decent athleticism there.
Benton is controlling Belson's position as best he can from this difficult position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Belson misses with a head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton is desperately trying to improve his position but Belson has a good base and remains in mount.
Benton tries to lock up and control but Belson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Belson is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Benton can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Belson is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Benton to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Benton shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Belson goes for an armbar but Benton turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Benton.
Benton passes Belson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Benton trying to control the action but Belson is working from the bottom.
Benton tries to stand but can't do so whilst Belson controls his leg.
Benton is looking to advance position but Belson won't allow it.
Belson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benton is keen to just control but Belson is a slippery customer.
Benton tries to stand and escape but Belson is controlling the position.
Benton not doing much here.
Benton wants to stand up but Belson is controlling the position.
Belson wants to control but Benton is keeping busy.
Benton prevents Belson from improving his position.
Benton is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Benton prevents Belson from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Benton tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A combination from Benton does no damage.
Belson appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Benton jabs Belson right on the nose. Belson blinks but takes it well.
Belson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Benton counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Belson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Benton tries to avoid it but Belson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Benton to the ground. Benton escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Benton on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Benton lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benton lands a nice shot to the body.
Belson misses with a wild body shot.
Benton throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Belson half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Grant Benton will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Belson digs a good hook to Benton's body.
Belson scores with a jab. Benton acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Belson misses with a hook.
Belson scores with a hook to the body. Benton takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Belson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Benton is trying to keep Belson in close.
Benton keeping moving, preventing Belson from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benton trying to keep a closed guard but Belson is proving a slippery customer.
Belson tries to free his leg and advance position but Benton is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Belson is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Benton is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Benton has escaped and now he's on top!

Belson is looking for a triangle but Benton pushes his legs off easily.
Benton trying to control the position from guard on top but Belson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Benton sitting in guard here, content to control.
Benton is fighting to break Belson's control of his arms but Belson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Benton wants to stand but Belson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Benton trying to control but Belson is working from the bottom.
Benton wants to stand but Belson is controlling his posture from full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Benton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Belson slips under a jab from Benton.
Jab, jab by Belson - just one landing.
Belson throws a looping overhand right but Benton ducks down to avoid it.
Benton lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A jab from Benton finds it's way through Belson's defenses.
Belson listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Belson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Belson misses with the combination.
Benton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Benton looks to score with a jab to the body but Belson is just out of range.
Jarik Belson is winning the standup battle so far.
Benton misses the jab.
Belson jabs Benton to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Belson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Benton throws out the jab.
Belson closes the distance and clinches up with Benton, looking for a takedown. Belson pushes Benton against the cage but Benton circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Benton is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Belson throws a jab when Benton was well out of range.
Belson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Benton let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benton scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A jab from Benton misses.
Belson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Belson misses with a body shot.
Benton throws a jab when Belson was well out of range.

Belson feints and as Benton raises his hands in defense, Belson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
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!
Belson throwing strikes from guard but Benton blocks nicely.

Benton has his feet on Belson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Belson throws a body shot but no joy.
Benton looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jarik Belson 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!

Belson lunges at Benton with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Benton's hand.

Belson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Belson trying to control the action but Benton is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Benton's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benton tries to buck Belson off but Belson is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Belson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Benton knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Belson trying to control the action but Benton is working from the bottom.

Belson tries for a kimura but Benton is defending well.

Belson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Benton is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Belson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Benton is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Benton is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Benton can't do much from the bottom here.
Benton is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belson working away.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A left lands for Belson.
Belson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A shot to the liver by Benton. Beautiful body shot.
Belson misses with a body shot.
Belson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Benton as he avoids it easily.
Belson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Benton as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jarik Belson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belson throws a body punch but Benton moves out of range.
Belson looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Nice shot by Benton.

Belson is rocked!
Benton lands a nice shot to the body.
Oh Belson is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Benton throws a jab when Belson was well out of range.

Belson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Belson lands in his opponent's guard.
Belson seems to have got his legs back now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Benton wants to stand and escape but Belson is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Benton is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Belson is aware though and is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jarik Belson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Belson 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jarik Belson!
A very excited looking Jarik Belson made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.