PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between TJ De Santis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zach Benson (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?

De Santis
vs
Benson

195 cm
22
276 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
275 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, TJ De Santis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zach Benson!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Tiny Johnson and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benson shoots in and drives through. De Santis sprawls well.
Benson throws a nice looking combination but De Santis bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
De Santis fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Benson scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Benson throws a sloppy head kick and De Santis moves out of range easily.
Benson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Benson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around De Santis's waist but De Santis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Benson off to one side.
Benson ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
De Santis bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Benson's head.
A punch combination from De Santis misses.
De Santis throws a right and a left that Benson avoids nicely.
De Santis tries to clinch up but Benson circles away and keeps his distance.
Benson connects with the punch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Benson lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
De Santis ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Benson moves away.
De Santis avoids a kick to the body.
De Santis takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from De Santis.
Benson fails to land the takedown.
TJ De Santis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zach Benson.
Benson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has De Santis pinned against the cage. De Santis gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benson closes the distance and clinches.
Benson tries to break the clinch but De Santis is controlling the position.
Benson is trying to break free.

De Santis escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Benson closes the distance but De Santis moves to the side
enabling De Santis to counter with a crisp jab.
De Santis tries to clinch but Benson moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Benson.
Benson scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
De Santis is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Benson.
Benson closes this distance looking for a takedown but De Santis circles away.
Jab, jab by Benson - just one landing.
No joy there for De Santis, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
De Santis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
De Santis throws a looping overhand right but Benson ducks down to avoid it.
De Santis could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
De Santis tries to clinch up but Benson circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck for De Santis with that takedown attempt.
Benson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
De Santis shoots for a double leg takedown but Benson sprawls well. He's pushed De Santis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
De Santis is breathing heavily.
De Santis dodges the punch combination from Benson.
De Santis scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
De Santis takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Benson misses with a head kick.
Benson closes the distance and clinches up with De Santis, looking for a takedown. Benson pushes De Santis against the cage but De Santis circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
De Santis works over Benson's head and body with a nice combination.
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!
Benson with a poor takedown
and De Santis counters with a stiff right hand.
De Santis slips under a jab from Benson.
Benson looks to score with a jab to the body but De Santis is just out of range.
Benson closes this distance looking for a takedown but De Santis circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - De Santis scores with a four punch combination!
De Santis cracks Benson with a good jab.
De Santis throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
De Santis swinging wilding here.
Benson avoids a punch combination nicely.
De Santis misses with a wild combination.
De Santis swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Benson misses with the combination.
De Santis swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
De Santis will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
De Santis throws a series of punches but Benson avoids them all with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Benson tries to close the distance and clinch up but De Santis swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Some wild striking there from De Santis.
Benson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Benson throws a hook but De Santis avoids it easily.

De Santis fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Benson, pushing him back against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

De Santis pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
De Santis throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Benson avoids the head kick by De Santis.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Benson!
Benson shoots in looking for a takedown. De Santis tries to sprawl out of it but Benson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. De Santis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
De Santis has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zach Benson dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Benson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from De Santis.
De Santis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benson.
De Santis slips a jab and a cross from Benson.
Benson shoots in and drives through. De Santis sprawls well.
Benson wants to clinch
and De Santis counters with a one-two to the body.
Benson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
De Santis doesn't manage to clinch there - Benson circles away.
Benson shoots in for a takedown but De Santis shows good takedown defense.
TJ De Santis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zach Benson.
De Santis misses with a takedown attempt - Benson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Benson with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A slow jab from De Santis misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Santis shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zach Benson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Some wild striking there from Benson.
De Santis shoots in but no luck this time.
Benson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Benson's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Benson duly obliges.
A right-left combo lands from Benson.
Benson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Benson wants to clinch.
Benson misses with a takedown attempt - De Santis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Benson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Benson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? De Santis is fending him off so far but Benson persists. Nope, De Santis circles away and we're back to standing.
Benson misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

De Santis gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Benson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
De Santis throws a series of punches but Benson avoids them all with ease.
De Santis is looking to score with low kicks.
De Santis fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Benson - that will leave a mark!
Benson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nice uppercut there from Benson.
Benson throws a series of punches but De Santis moves out of range.
De Santis swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Benson counters with a left and a right that stings De Santis.
De Santis throws the left hand but Benson avoids the punch easily.
Benson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts De Santis as he jumps to the side.
Benson misses with an uppercut.
Benson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has De Santis pinned against the cage. De Santis gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
De Santis tries for a takedown but Benson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
De Santis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Benson.
De Santis swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Some wild striking there from Benson.
Benson buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Benson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
De Santis stuffs the takedown.
Benson throws a leg kick but De Santis moved away.
Benson shoots for a takedown but De Santis saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
De Santis slips a jab and a cross from Benson.

De Santis has taken the fight to the clinch.
Benson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but De Santis has him pressed against the cage.
De Santis tries for a takedown. No joy.

Benson manages to break the clinch.
De Santis shoots in and drives through. Benson sprawls well.
Benson darts in trying to clinch
and De Santis counters with a one-two to the body.
TJ De Santis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Benson scores with a jab. De Santis acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

De Santis pushes Benson up against the cage in a clinch.
Benson can't break the clinch.
Benson is looking to break free of the clinch but De Santis has double underhooks.

De Santis breaks from the clinch.
De Santis has a takedown stuffed.
De Santis slips a jab and a cross from Benson.
De Santis on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zach Benson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

De Santis takes one to the chin there.
Benson shoots in and drives through. De Santis sprawls well.
De Santis misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Benson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Benson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts De Santis as he jumps to the side.
A jab lands there for Benson.
Benson tries to clinch up but De Santis circles away and keeps his distance.
Benson scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Benson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Benson scores with a decent looking hook.
Nice body punch from Benson.
Benson lands a jab to the nose.
A head kick from Benson lands but De Santis takes it in his stride.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
De Santis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benson.
Benson slips a jab from De Santis.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Santis looks to land a right hand but Benson moved out of range.
Benson throws a right and a left that De Santis avoids nicely.
De Santis takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Benson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
TJ De Santis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zach Benson.
Benson is looking to land body kicks.
De Santis throws a right hand that Benson ducks under and follows up with a left that Benson also avoids with ease.
De Santis throws a big shot that misses.
Benson throws a series of punches but De Santis avoids them all with ease.
Benson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from De Santis.
Benson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Benson avoids a punch combination nicely.
De Santis moves in looking to clinch but Benson pushes him off.

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.
Benson stuffs the takedown attempt from De Santis. De Santis gets slowly back to his feet.
Benson shoots in looking for a takedown. De Santis tries to sprawl out of it but Benson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. De Santis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
De Santis is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Benson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Benson misses with a combination

and De Santis counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by De Santis.
Benson looking to hit a scissor sweep but De Santis is one step ahead there.
De Santis is stalling in the full guard.
De Santis wanted to stand there but Benson had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Santis trying to control the position from guard on top but Benson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
De Santis would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
De Santis won't allow Benson to get back to his feet.
De Santis wanted to stand there but Benson had control of the position.
De Santis knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Benson on the ground.

Benson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
De Santis takes a head kick and keeps coming.
De Santis misses with a wild combination.
A cross from Benson lands.
De Santis misses with a few strikes there.
TJ De Santis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Benson connects with a high kick.
De Santis avoids a punch combination nicely.
De Santis takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Benson misses with a double jab
and De Santis counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Zach Benson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
De Santis throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Benson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zach Benson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Benson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zach Benson!