PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sami Saari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grant Benton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Saari
vs
Benton

170 cm
27
177 lbs
14 - 9 - 1

180 cm
33
185 lbs
15 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
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 14 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Sami Saari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Grant Benton!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saari steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Benton.
Saari avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Saari throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Benton.
Saari just misses with a punch to the body.
Saari cracks Benton with an open hand slap.
Saari scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

It looks like Grant Benton has been cut.
Benton goes for a double leg but Saari avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Saari continues to drive forward.
Saari smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Saari misses with a looping left.
Benton swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Saari.

It looks like Sami Saari has been cut.
Saari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Benton swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Saari counters with a two punch combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice combination there by Benton.
Saari ducks under a wild hook from Benton.
A right-left combo lands from Saari.
Saari lands a right hook to the body.
Benton tests Saari's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Benton misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saari ducks under a wild hook from Benton.
Benton slips a jab from Saari.
Saari throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Saari rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Benton moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A shot to the liver by Saari. Beautiful body shot.
Saari fails in his attempt to clinch.
Danga de danga de dang - Saari scores with a four punch combination!
Benton looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Saari will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Saari gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Saari pressing his opponent against the cage.
Saari scores with a nice hook to the head.
Benton pushes Saari back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Benton's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Saari lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saari trying to stall but Benton improves his position.
Saari digs a right hand underneath Benton's ribcage. Benton let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Saari misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Saari swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Saari has Benton pressed against the cage.
Benton tries to pull guard but Saari holds him up against the cage and eventually Benton drops back down to his feet.
Benton fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Benton is trying to push Saari away but Saari has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Saari is pushing Benton up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Benton stalling the fight.

Benton pulls guard effortlessly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Benton keeping full guard, as Saari tries to pass.
Benton keeping moving, preventing Saari from controlling successfully.
Saari looking to pass the guard.
Saari stands and throws Benton's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Saari wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benton keeps working.

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.
You can see the frustration on Benton's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Saari trying to control the action but Benton is working from the bottom.
Benton gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Saari controlling his opponent.
Benton wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Saari.
Benton is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Saari dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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.

Benton lands a jab to the head.
Saari is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Benton can do to turn this around?
Saari throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Benton misses with a straight left.
Saari looks to score with a jab to the body but Benton is just out of range.
Saari fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Benton ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Benton misses with a wild combination.
Saari connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Saari connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Benton shoots in for a takedown but Saari shows good takedown defense.

Benton gets the takedown into side control.
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!
Saari controls the position for a moment.
Benton wants to control but Saari is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benton looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Benton is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Saari knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Saari's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Saari manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Grant Benton has got the better of the ground game so far.
Saari throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Saari is pressing down on Benton's thigh, looking to free his foot. Benton is holding on for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saari is looking to take a break and control but Benton is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saari passes the guard and advances to mount!
Poor strikes thrown by Saari there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Saari trying to control but Benton is having none of it.
Benton regains half guard.
Saari is trying to control the action in half guard but Benton is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Saari seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benton keeps working.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Benton is not content to let Saari control the position.
Benton wants to get back to full guard.
Saari trying to control from half guard but Benton is working away.
Benton wants to improve his position but Saari is controlling well.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's four 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.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Benton shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Saari fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Benton with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Saari misses with a two punch combination.
Benton takes one to the chin there.
Saari takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Saari ducks under a wild hook from Benton.
Saari avoids the body shot from Benton.
Saari throws a body shot but no joy.
Benton throws a body shot but no joy.
Saari swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
A looping hook to the body misses from Benton. Saari does a little dance to reset his feet.
A quick step to the side and Saari tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Sami Saari will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Jab by Saari.
Benton takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Benton misses with an uppercut. Saari saw that one coming.
Sami Saari is winning the standup battle so far.
Benton takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Saari feints a jab promting Benton to slip. Saari then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Benton slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Benton listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Saari lands a lovely overhand right.
Saari moves into range and connects with a jab.
Saari misses with a wild combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benton lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Good exchange - Saari coming out on top.
Benton throws a jab but it's blocked by Saari.
Saari wants to clinch up but Benton keeps it at a distance.
Saari misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sami Saari is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton scores with a jab to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Benton.
Saari swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Benton.
Benton circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Benton counter with a right hand.
Benton misses with a wild body shot.
Saari on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Benton tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Saari defends well and Benton ends up having to push Saari into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Benton fails with a takedown attempt.
Benton takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Benton fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Saari manages to avoid it.
Saari lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Saari fails with an attempt to clinch.
Benton throws out a counter right but Saari avoids it with no problem.
Saari works Benton's body with a nice hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benton lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Saari gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Benton 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Saari comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Benton takes one on the button.
Saari jabs at Benton's body.
Benton takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Benton has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Saari changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Saari fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Benton with a lazy takedown attempt
and Saari counters with a stiff right hand.
Sami Saari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Grant Benton.
Saari lands with a shot to the body.
Saari lands a body shot.
Saari's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Saari duly obliges.
Benton on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Saari scores with a punch to the head.
Benton takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Benton is rocked!
Saari scores with a body shot.
Benton is still on wobbly legs! Can Saari finish him?
Saari fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Benton.
Benton seems to have recovered his senses.
Benton misses with a looping right.
Benton shoots in for a double leg but Saari sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Benton on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Saari throws a body shot but no joy.
Benton throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Benton misses with a body shot.
Benton gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Saari.
Benton has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Saari keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Benton takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Benton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Saari lands with a straight right. Benton didn't see that one coming.
Saari tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Benton was well out of range. Poor timing from Saari.
Benton misses with an uppercut. Saari saw that one coming.
A shot to the liver by Saari. Beautiful body shot.
Benton swings for the body but Saari moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saari tests Benton's chin there with a solid looking shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Saari punishes Benton's body with a nice straight punch.
Benton takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Benton misses with a two punch combination.
Saari moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Saari scores with a nice head shot.

Saari rushes Benton and presses him up against the cage.
Saari is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Still in the clinch, Saari scores with a nice short uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saari throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Benton working hard to break the clinch.
Benton blocking some punches.
Grant Benton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Saari lands a left hand that snaps the head of Benton backwards.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sami Saari showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Saari has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sami Saari!