PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between DJ Benn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karukef Kingston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kingston has chosen Basshunter- DotA as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Benn
vs
Kingston

167 cm
28
144 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

173 cm
25
142 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, DJ Benn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Karukef Kingston!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shirou Masuda and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kingston swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Benn counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Kingston throws a right hand that Benn ducks under and follows up with a left that Benn also avoids with ease.
Benn throws a right hand that Kingston ducks under and follows up with a left that Kingston also avoids with ease.

Benn instigates a clinch.

Benn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kingston dodges the punch combination from Benn.
Benn seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Benn misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Benn looks to land a combination but Kingston avoids it well.
Benn lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Kingston takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benn misses with a looping right.
Kingston takes one to the chin there.
Benn tries to clinch there but Kingston circles away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kingston! But no joy.
Kingston loads up on a big right hand but Benn slips the punch.
Kingston swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Kingston.
Kingston throws a series of punches but Benn moves out of range.
Kingston misses with a double jab.
Kingston stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Kingston swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Benn counters with a right hand to the body.
Benn moves into range and connects with a jab.

Benn moves into the clinch successfully.

Benn breaks the clinch.
Benn misses with a kick to the body.
Kingston throws a left and a right that both miss
and Benn counters with a left to the body.
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!
Benn fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kingston lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
The fighters circling - Kingston throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kingston stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Benn.
A jab from Benn misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kingston misses with a series of wild punches.
Kingston moves out of range as Benn strikes.
Benn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Kingston. Those never looked like landing.
Benn quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Kingston shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Benn showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kingston.
Benn takes one to the side of the head.
Kingston throws a shot from downtown. Benn moves away and avoids it.
Kingston throws a series of punches but Benn avoids them all with ease.
Benn wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Benn fails in his attempt to clinch.
Benn connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kingston's hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kingston throws a series of punches but Benn moves out of range.
Kingston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Benn circles away quickly and effectively.
A shot to the liver by Benn. Beautiful body shot.
Kingston misses with a jab, cross combination.
Benn stuns Kingston with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Benn moves into the clinch.

Benn manages to break the clinch.
Benn takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Benn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kingston rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Benn moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Benn is looking to counter punch.
Benn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kingston just misses with a punch to the body.
Benn slips a jab and a cross from Kingston.
Benn blocks a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benn slips a jab and a cross from Kingston.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kingston swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Benn lands with a nice body punch.
Kingston throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kingston throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Benn avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kingston misses with the combination.
Benn showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kingston.
Kingston rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Benn moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benn lands with a right hand.
Kingston gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Kingston fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Some wild striking there from Kingston.
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 DJ Benn will probably get the nod.
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.

Benn tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Benn pushes Kingston up against the cage in a clinch.

Benn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kingston avoids a kick to the body.
Kingston looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Karukef Kingston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benn avoids a punch combination nicely.
Benn tries to clinch up.
Kingston throws a series of punches but Benn moves out of range.
Benn swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Benn misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benn is looking to clinch but Kingston is avoiding it.
Kingston scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Benn slips a jab and a cross from Kingston.
A decent looking cross lands there for Benn.
Benn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kingston manages to avoid it.
Benn tries to clinch there but Kingston circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kingston paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kingston misses with a double jab.
Benn throws a body shot but no joy.
Kingston misses with a two punch combination.
A big left from Benn misses.
Kingston blocks a leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Benn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kingston takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kingston throws a series of punches but Benn avoids them all with ease.
DJ Benn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Benn tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kingston manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kingston lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Kingston throws a combination that misses
letting Benn counter with a right hand.
A combination from Kingston does no damage.
Kingston misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benn pushes Kingston up against the cage in a clinch.

Benn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kingston swats away the attempt to clinch by Benn.
A little jabbing left from Kingston on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Nice shot by Kingston.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benn takes a swing at Kingston's ribcage but misses.
Kingston swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kingston circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kingston showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benn.
Kingston connects with a nice looking jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kingston misses with a double jab
and Benn counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Kingston smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Kingston throws a right hand that Benn ducks under and follows up with a left that Benn also avoids with ease.
Kingston might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Kingston will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Danga de danga de dang - Kingston scores with a four punch combination!
Kingston misses with a wild combination.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kingston lands a jab-cross combination.
Kingston throws a right and a left that Benn avoids nicely.
Benn walks into a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Benn lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benn comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Kingston throws a right hand that Benn ducks under and follows up with a left that Benn also avoids with ease.
Benn tries to clinch but Kingston moves out of range.
Benn sizes up Kingston with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Benn misses the shot to the body.
Kingston with a hook.
Kingston misses with a two punch combination.

Kingston tries to keep at a distance but Benn has taken the fight into the clinch.

Kingston manages to break the clinch.
Benn throws a combination that misses
and Kingston counters with a three punch combo that has Benn backing up. Benn nods at Kingston to acknowledge the strikes.
Benn tries to clinch but Kingston is having none of it.
As Benn backs off Kingston throws a huge counter combo but Benn manages to avoid it all.
Karukef Kingston seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Benn moves in looking to clinch but Kingston pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karukef Kingston showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Benn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kingston misses with a jab, cross combination.
Benn appears to be looking for a big counter.

Benn gets a clinch.

Benn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Benn steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kingston.
Kingston rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Benn moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Benn tries to work over Kingston's front leg with a kick but Kingston checks it.
Kingston throws a hook but Benn avoids it easily.
An attempted straight right counter from Benn misses the target.
Benn 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.

Benn rushes Kingston and presses him up against the cage.

Kingston's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kingston swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A left and a right from Kingston both land. Nice combination.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Benn!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kingston looks to land a combination but Benn avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Kingston looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kingston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Benn circles away quickly and effectively.

Kingston gets tackled into the cage by Benn. Benn maintains the clinch.

Benn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Benn moves in looking to clinch but Kingston pushes him off.
Kingston lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Kingston throws a shot to the body.
Kingston takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Kingston misses with a two punch combination.
Kingston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Benn circles away quickly and effectively.
Kingston misses with a straight right.
Benn doesn't manage to clinch there - Kingston circles away.
Benn getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Benn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kingston.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benn gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Benn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Benn tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kingston swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice cross by Benn.
Kingston checks the leg kick nicely there.
Despite the aggression on Kingston's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Benn listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Benn throws a one two combo.
Kingston misses with a two punch combination.
Kingston throws a body punch but Benn moves out of range.
Kingston throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kingston swings for the body but Benn moves out of range.
Benn scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Benn looks to score with a jab to the body but Kingston is just out of range.
Benn scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Benn tenderised Kingston's leg. Kingston is trying to keep his angry face on.
Benn is looking to clinch.
Benn scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Benn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kingston.
Kingston throws a lazy right hand but Benn sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Benn throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kingston uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Benn.
Kingston swats away the attempt to clinch by Benn.
Benn comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Benn misses with a looping right.
Kingston fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kingston misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benn tries to work over Kingston's front leg with a kick but Kingston checks it.
Kingston walks into a jab.
Benn throws a right hand that Kingston ducks under and follows up with a left that Kingston also avoids with ease.
Kingston throws a counter combo.
Kingston misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Benn throwing a counter right hand but Kingston manages to avoid it.
Kingston swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kingston bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kingston swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A left and a right from Kingston both land. Nice combination.
Kingston takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kingston looks to land a combination but Benn avoids it well.
Kingston misses with a wild combination.
Benn throws a body punch but Kingston moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Benn.
Kingston takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to DJ Benn.
I think Benn 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!