PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Stevie Stones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evan Benson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stevie Stones could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Evan Benson's chin.

Stones
vs
Benson

160 cm
19
140 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
130 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Knockout power

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Stevie Stones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Evan Benson!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, David Hoff and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Benson has managed to clinch.
Benson looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Benson throws a knee to the head but misses.

Stones breaks from the clinch.

Benson moves into range and clinches up with Stones.
Stones tries a body shot but Benson blocks it.
Stones blocks an elbow strike.
Stones tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Benson smiles and moves away.

Stones has Benson up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stones misses with a punch to the body.
Stones on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stones tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Benson smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stones goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Benson clinches up against the cage.
Benson trying to land knees to the body.
Stones tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Benson avoids it.

Stones breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Evan Benson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Stones can pounce on him.

Benson takes the fight into the clinch.
Stones tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Benson connects with a knee to the head.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Stones manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Benson has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Stones tries to keep at a distance but Benson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Stones is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Benson is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stevie Stones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stones blocks an elbow strike from Benson.
Benson with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Stones breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Benson moves in looking to clinch but Stones pushes him off.
Stones half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Stones misses with a wild body shot.
Benson shapes to counter with a head kick.

Stones has managed to clinch.

Stones manages to break the clinch.

Stones clinches with his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stones breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Benson forces Stones back against the cage and clinches.
Benson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Benson with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Stones drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Benson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Benson obliges.
Benson missing with knees to the body.
Stones scores a nice knee to the body.

Stones breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stones has closed the distance and engaged Benson in a clinch.
Stones lands with a short shot to the head.
Stones blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Benson blocks a body shot from Stones.
A frustrated look appears on Stones's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Benson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stones.
Stones tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Stones takes a knee to the side of the body.
Stones blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Stones avoiding damage.
Stones blocks the elbow strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Evan Benson will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Benson fails with an attempt to clinch.

Stones clinches with his opponent.
Stones stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Stones managing to block the knees to the body from Benson.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Stones wants to take the fight to the mat but Benson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stones tries to break the clinch but Benson is controlling the position.
Benson creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Stones's defenses.
Benson lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stones blocks an elbow strike.
Stones blocks an uppercut.

Stones breaks from the clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Stones.
Stones shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Benson but Benson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Evan Benson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Benson tries to clinch but Stones is having none of it.
Stones went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Benson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stones swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
The fight stays on the outside here - Benson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Benson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stones is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Stones goes for a takedown in the clinch but Benson prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stevie Stones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stones effectively controlling the action here.
Benson gets underhooks to prevent Stones's takedown attempt.
Evan Benson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Benson lands a good knee to the midsection. Stones won't want to take too many of those.
Stones definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Stones's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Stones pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stevie Stones is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Benson misses with a knee strike.
Benson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stones blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Benson landing knees to the head.
Benson is pressed up against the cage. Stones has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Benson down to the mat. Benson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Benson clinches with his opponent.
Stones tries to score a body lock takedown but Benson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Benson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Benson tries a body shot but Stones blocks it.
Benson unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Stones breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stones misses with a series of wild punches.

Benson moves into the clinch successfully.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Benson.
Stones is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Stones tries to land knees in the clinch but Benson avoids the damage to the body.
Benson misses with the head strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benson lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Stones backwards.
Knees to the body from Benson.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Stones's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evan Benson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Stones fails with a takedown attempt.

Benson clinches.
Benson prevents a takedown attempt there.
Benson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benson scores a nice knee to the body.
Benson missing with knees to the body.
Benson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Stones lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stones fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stevie Stones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stones on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Benson working Stones over with knees to the body.
Stones is trying to break free.
Benson gets underhooks to prevent Stones's takedown attempt.
Benson missing with knees to the body.
Stones tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Benson avoids it.
Benson lands a shoulder strike.
Benson lands a knee to the body.
Stones is trying to break the clinch but Benson has him pressed against the cage.
Benson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stones avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stones wants to get back to striking at distance but Benson won't allow it.
Benson has a couple of punches blocked by Stones.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Benson just misses with a elbow thrown towards Stones's brow.
Stones has Benson pressed against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Benson.
Benson with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Stones fails to pull guard.
Benson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stones avoids it.
Stones is trying to drag Benson to the mat but Benson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Stones stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stones takes an elbow to the forehead.
Stones wants to get back to striking at distance but Benson won't allow it.
Stones misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Benson.
Stones fails to pull guard.

Stones jumps guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Benson stands and steps away. Stones gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Benson misses with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson throws a punch but it's blocked by Stones.

Stones breaks from the clinch.
Stones shoots in and drives through. Benson sprawls well.
Stones misses with a head kick.
Benson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Benson blocks a head kick by Stones.

Stones gets tackled into the cage by Benson. Benson maintains the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Benson obliges.

Stones breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stevie Stones is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Benson pushes Stones up against the cage in a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benson prevents Stones from breaking the clinch.
Stevie Stones has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Benson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

And that's the end of the fight!
Evan 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30

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