PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ori Jokinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Benoit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benoit has chosen Praise as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Jokinen
vs
Benoit

164 cm
33
141 lbs
18 - 11 - 0

170 cm
41
140 lbs
35 - 13 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

On Tap (Laundry in stock)

Kemists ↑ 5x160Q - $149-199

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 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ori Jokinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 35 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Michael Benoit!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Chad Campbell and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jokinen moves into the clinch.
Jokinen is working Benoit over against the cage.
Jokinen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Benoit is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Jokinen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Benoit misses with a short punch on the inside.
Benoit is pressed up against the cage. Jokinen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Benoit down to the mat. Benoit avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Jokinen clinches with his opponent.
Benoit has a couple of punches blocked by Jokinen.
Jokinen misses with the head strike.
Benoit working aggressively here.
A short body shot lands from Benoit as the two fighters clinch.
Jokinen is trying to drag Benoit to the mat but Benoit just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ori Jokinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benoit misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benoit.
A nice left hand lands by Jokinen.
Benoit stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Benoit misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Jokinen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Jokinen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Benoit misses with the head strike.
Jokinen can't get the takedown.
Jokinen takes a shot to the head.
Benoit lands an uppercut.
Jokinen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Benoit misses with a hook from the clinch.
Jokinen blocking some punches.
Jokinen throws a head punch that misses.
Benoit swings wildly with an uppercut but Jokinen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benoit misses with the head strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Benoit.
Benoit scores with a shot to the side of Jokinen's head.
Benoit throws a head punch that misses.
Jokinen misses with a hook to the ribs.
The referee is keeping an eye on Benoit - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A short left from Benoit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benoit prevents a takedown attempt there.
Jokinen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Benoit tries a body shot but Jokinen blocks it.
Jokinen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Benoit is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Jokinen throws a head punch that misses.
Benoit misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Benoit fails to land.
Jokinen blocking some punches.
Benoit lands a left hand that snaps the head of Jokinen backwards.
A short left from Jokinen.
Benoit prevents a body shot from Jokinen.
Benoit scores with a shot to the side of Jokinen's head.
A shot in the inside from Benoit.
Jokinen wants a takedown.
Benoit pushes Jokinen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Benoit misses with a hook from the clinch.
Benoit is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Jokinen is keeping busy.
Jokinen blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benoit lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Benoit breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Benoit scores with a jab. Jokinen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Jokinen closes the distance and clinches.
Benoit lands a left hand that snaps the head of Jokinen backwards.
Jokinen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benoit.
Benoit throws a punch but it's blocked by Jokinen.
Benoit prevents a takedown attempt there.
Jokinen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A frustrated look appears on Benoit's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Benoit throws a head punch that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benoit.
Benoit tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Benoit looking to slow down the pace here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benoit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Jokinen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short uppercut from Benoit.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benoit doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Benoit lands a body punch in the clinch.
Jokinen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A hook to the body from Benoit.
Jokinen takes a shot to the head.
Benoit prevents a body shot from Jokinen.
Jokinen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Benoit gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Jokinen effectively controlling the action here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benoit.
Jokinen prevents a body shot from Benoit.
Jokinen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Benoit lands a hook to the side of the head.

Benoit breaks from the clinch.
Jokinen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Benoit.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Benoit dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Benoit throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Jokinen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Jokinen moves in looking to clinch but Benoit pushes him off.
Jokinen tries to clinch there but Benoit circles away.

Benoit gets tackled into the cage by Jokinen. Jokinen maintains the clinch.
Benoit prevents a takedown attempt there.
Benoit throws a head punch that misses.
Benoit prevents a takedown attempt there.
Jokinen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Benoit gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ori Jokinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benoit lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Jokinen backwards.
Benoit is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Jokinen stalling in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Jokinen has picked Benoit up - he's going for a ride! Jokinen dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Jokinen not doing much here.
Benoit is trying to maintain the position but Jokinen is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Benoit.
Jokinen stopping the sweep attempt from Benoit.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benoit pulls Jokinen in close to prevent any damage.
Benoit is trying to control the position but Jokinen postures up.
Benoit has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Jokinen has passed into side control.
You can see the frustration on Benoit's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Jokinen tries to move to mount but Benoit blocks the move with his legs.
Benoit has one of Jokinen's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
Benoit is looking to regain half guard here but Jokinen keeps moving and retains side control.
Jokinen trying to control the position but Benoit is working away.
Jokinen taking a breather here.

Jokinen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Benoit has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benoit tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Jokinen wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Jokinen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benoit keeps working.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Benoit tries to buck Jokinen off but Jokinen is having none of it.
Jokinen controls the position.
Jokinen wants to control but Benoit is keeping him busy.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Jokinen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Benoit tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Jokinen was well out of range. Poor timing from Benoit.
Jokinen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Jokinen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Benoit catches Jokinen with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Jokinen tries to clinch up but Benoit circles away and keeps his distance.
Benoit thows a leg kick but Jokinen checks it
and Jokinen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jokinen on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Jokinen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Benoit manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Benoit has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jokinen tries to clinch but fails miserably
letting Benoit counter with a right hand.
Benoit paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Jokinen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Benoit manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Jokinen tries to clinch up
letting Benoit counter with a right hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jokinen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benoit throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Jokinen on the side of the head.

Jokinen is rocked!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Benoit showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Jokinen tries to clinch up.
Jokinen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Benoit appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Jokinen moves in looking to clinch but Benoit pushes him off.
Michael Benoit seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Benoit avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jokinen blocks a low kick nicely.

Jokinen clinches up with Benoit and pushes him back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benoit.
Jokinen stalling the fight.
Benoit takes a shot to the head.
Benoit prevents a body shot from Jokinen.
Benoit lands a hook that snaps the head of Jokinen backwards.
Benoit misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benoit throws a punch but it's blocked by Jokinen.
Benoit scores with a shoulder strike.
Benoit throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Jokinens head.
Oh Jokinen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Benoit is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Jokinen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Benoit scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Jokinen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Jokinen.
Benoit prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Benoit tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Jokinen misses with some punches.
Benoit throws a punch but it's blocked by Jokinen.
Benoit fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Jokinen has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Benoit.
Jokinen wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ori Jokinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benoit throws a head punch that misses.
Benoit has a couple of punches blocked by Jokinen.
Jokinen stalling the fight.
The referee is keeping an eye on Benoit - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Benoit lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Jokinen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Jokinen.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benoit.
Benoit lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Jokinen backwards.
Jokinen tries to work over Benoit's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Benoit throws a punch but it's blocked by Jokinen.
Benoit throws a head punch that misses.
Benoit throws a head punch that misses.
Benoit is pressed up against the cage. Jokinen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Benoit down to the mat. Benoit avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jokinen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benoit lands an uppercut out of nowhere! Jokinen falls backwards - clearly groggy! Benoit dives in and finishes the fight with more strikes for a TKO finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Michael Benoit!
Michael Benoit seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.