PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between King Diamond (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chance Bennett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Diamond
vs
Bennett

167 cm
25
165 lbs
4 - 2 - 1

170 cm
25
160 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of The Island, King Diamond!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Chance Bennett!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Sandra Marshall and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diamond clinches up against the cage.
Bennett tries to break the clinch but Diamond is controlling the position.
Bennett wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bennett can't break the clinch.
Diamond lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Diamond throws a punch but it's blocked by Bennett.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bennett is trying to force a seperation but Diamond has the dominant position.
Diamond keeps control of Bennett as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennett is trying to break the clinch but Diamond is controlling him.

Diamond breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sloppy strikes from Diamond. Those never looked like landing.
Diamond throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bennett moves out of range of the body kick from Diamond.
Diamond avoids the head kick by Bennett.
Diamond pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bennett is out of range and Diamond settles back down.
Bennett throws a half hearted mid kick.
Diamond avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bennett lands a jab.
Bennett throws a head kick but Diamond moves out of range.
Bennett scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Bennett has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.

Diamond shoots in and gets a takedown into Bennett's guard.
Diamond slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
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!
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diamond tries for a kimura but Bennett is defending well.
Diamond working the strikes but Bennett uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Diamond content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Diamond is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diamond not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Diamond missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Diamond is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Bennett is just riding it out for now. Diamond eventually gives up the hold.

Diamond is looking for a kimura but Bennett is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Diamond to get the leverage.

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.
Diamond is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A punch combination from Diamond misses.
Diamond throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bennett.
Bennett tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Diamond manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bennett throws out a loose jab but Diamond uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bennett showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Diamond.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bennett lands a really nice looking cross but Diamond seems unphased.
Diamond misses with a two punch combination.
Diamond misses with a wild combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Diamond misses with a jab, cross combination.
Diamond avoids the head kick by Bennett.
Bennett misses with a kick to the body.

Diamond throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Bennett was covering up waiting for the punch and Diamond finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Diamond controlling from the top position.
Bennett wants to stand but Diamond is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diamond trying to control the position from guard on top but Bennett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diamond slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bennett keeping full guard, as Diamond tries to pass.
Diamond controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A punch combination from Bennett misses.
Bennett thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bennett misses with a hook. Diamond ducked under it nicely.
Bennett misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
King Diamond is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bennett swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Diamond.
Diamond swinging wildly here.
Bennett will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A head kick misses from Diamond.
Chance Bennett is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Diamond closes the distance and clinches.

Diamond manages to break the clinch.
Diamond moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennett defending well as Diamond loads up on a big left hand.
Bennett throws an off balance right hand

and Diamond holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Diamond can't find room to land a body shot as Bennett controls the action.
Bennett can't break the clinch.
Diamond misses with a hook to the ribs.
Diamond is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bennett is defending well for now.
Diamond tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bennett avoids it.

Diamond's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diamond drives through and clinches with Bennett against the cage.
Bennett tries to circle away but Diamond has him pinned against the cage.
Diamond is pushing Bennett up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Bennett tries to break free but Diamond pushes him back against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bennett managing to block the knees to the body from Diamond.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

King Diamond dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bennett connects with a single shot there.
Chance Bennett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bennett moves out of range as Diamond throws a body kick.

Diamond gets a clinch.
Bennett tries to break free but Diamond pushes him back against the cage.

Diamond breaks the clinch.
Bennett tries a head kick but it misses.
Bennett thows a left - swing and a miss!
Diamond throwing a counter right hand but Bennett manages to avoid it.
A jab from Bennett misses.
Bennett throws a shot from downtown. Diamond moves away and avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bennett throws a sloppy head kick and Diamond moves out of range easily.
Diamond throws a jab but it's blocked by Bennett.
Diamond does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Bennett throws out a counter right but Diamond avoids it with no problem.
Diamond tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bennett swivels and escapes.
Bennett throws a sloppy head kick and Diamond moves out of range easily.
Diamond misses with a looping left.
Bennett tries a head kick but it misses.
As Bennett tries to get set, Diamond tries to push him back and clinch up but Bennett manages to avoid the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diamond finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Bennett is looking to land body kicks.
Diamond went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Diamond shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Diamond showed some decent athleticism there.
Diamond is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bennett can do to turn this around?

Diamond is working for a kimura but Bennett is defending it quite comfortably.
Diamond tries to pass to full mount but Bennett defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diamond is working hard here to advance position.
Diamond looks to land a strike but Bennett avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Diamond has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Diamond with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bennett wants to stand up but Diamond is controlling him.
Diamond wants to control from the top but Bennett keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Diamond showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bennett.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennett throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Diamond sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Bennett misses with a head kick.
Bennett throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Diamond sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Diamond takes a swing at Bennett's ribcage but misses.
Bennett just misses with a punch to the body.

Diamond scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Bennett looks like he's trying to stand up.
Diamond takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Diamond looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bennett with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Diamond missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Diamond winds up and cracks Bennett with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Chance Bennett has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bennett wants to get back to his feet.
King Diamond is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Diamond content to control rather than advance.
King Diamond overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Diamond moves into the clinch.
Bennett working hard to break the clinch.

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 King Diamond.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Diamond, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... King Diamond!
An out of breath King Diamond thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.