PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sam Heughan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karim Benzema (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Heughan
vs
Benzema

173 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sam Heughan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Karim Benzema!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, John Mangel and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Heughan has closed the distance and engaged Benzema in a clinch.
Benzema blocks an elbow strike from Heughan.
Heughan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Heughan pushes off an throws an elbow but Benzema leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Heughan letting Benzema take a breather here.
Benzema dodges an elbow strike from Heughan.
Benzema blocks an elbow strike.
Benzema avoids the elbow strike from Heughan, against the cage.
Heughan tries to throw a body punch but Benzema avoids it by throwing Heughan back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benzema dodges an elbow strike from Heughan.
Heughan throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Heughan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Benzema's brow.
Benzema leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heughan misses with an elbow over the top.
Heughan being controlled against the cage.
Benzema is struggling to control the position.
Benzema receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Heughan tries a body shot but Benzema blocks it.
Heughan tries to work over Benzema's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Benzema dodges an elbow strike from Heughan.
Benzema will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Heughan up against the cage.
Heughan throws an elbow but it's blocked.

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.
Benzema blocks a body shot from Heughan.
Benzema blocks a body shot from Heughan.
Benzema has Heughan pushed against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Heughan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Benzema's brow.
Benzema manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Heughan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Heughan lands an elbow inside that Benzema shrugs off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benzema dodges an elbow strike from Heughan.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Benzema effectively controlling the action here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Karim Benzema.

Heughan has managed to clinch.
Heughan looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Heughan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Heughan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Benzema is struggling to control the position.
Heughan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Heughan pushes off an throws an elbow but Benzema leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Heughan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Heughan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Benzema's brow.
Heughan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Benzema's elbow.
Heughan misses with an elbow strike.
Benzema prevents a body shot from Heughan.
Heughan tries a body shot but Benzema blocks it.
Benzema blocks an elbow strike.
Heughan throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Heughan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Benzema avoids a wild elbow strike from Heughan.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Benzema takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Heughan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Heughan dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Heughan fails in his attempt to clinch.

Benzema takes the fight into the clinch.
Heughan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Benzema's elbow.
Benzema blocks an elbow strike from Heughan.
Heughan tries to work over Benzema's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Heughan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Benzema's brow.
Benzema taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Heughan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benzema manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Heughan misses with an elbow over the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heughan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Benzema displaying some good clinch control by pressing Heughan up against the cage.
Heughan misses with an elbow strike.
Heughan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Benzema blocks a body shot from Heughan.
Heughan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Heughan looks to throw an elbow but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Heughan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Benzema's brow.
Heughan lands a nice elbow.
Heughan misses with an elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heughan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Heughan pushes off an throws an elbow but Benzema leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Heughan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Benzema blocks an elbow strike from Heughan.
Benzema's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Heughan lands a damaging elbow.
Benzema slows down the pace here.
Heughan misses with an elbow over the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heughan tries to throw a body punch but Benzema avoids it by throwing Heughan back against the cage.
Sam Heughan has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Heughan pushes off an throws an elbow but Benzema leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Heughan looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Heughan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Benzema's defenses.
Benzema taking a breather.
Benzema avoiding damage.
Heughan misses with an elbow over the top.
Come on Benzema - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Heughan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Benzema can do to turn this around?
Stalling in the clinch from Benzema.
Heughan throws an elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heughan misses with an elbow over the top.
With the fighters up against the cage, Heughan throws an elbow but misses.
Heughan struggles to land a body shot inside as Benzema controls his hands.
Benzema dodges an elbow strike from Heughan.
Heughan misses with an elbow strike.
Nice elbow from Heughan.
Heughan tries a body shot but Benzema blocks it.
Heughan tries to work over Benzema's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Heughan misses with an elbow strike.
Benzema manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Heughan tries to work over Benzema's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Heughan dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Heughan drives through and clinches with Benzema against the cage.
Heughan throws an elbow that misses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Benzema blocks an elbow strike from Heughan.
Heughan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Heughan throws an elbow but it misses.
Benzema blocks an elbow strike from Heughan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Heughan misses with an elbow strike.
Heughan throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Heughan pushes off an throws an elbow but Benzema leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heughan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Benzema's elbow.
Heughan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Benzema prevents a body shot from Heughan.
Heughan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Heughan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Heughan throws an elbow but it misses.
The referee calls for Benzema to work.
Heughan looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Benzema blocks a body shot from Heughan.
Heughan misses with a body punch.
Karim Benzema has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benzema blocks the elbow strike.
Benzema avoids a wild elbow strike from Heughan.
Heughan throws an elbow that misses.
Heughan throws an elbow that misses.
Come on Benzema - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Benzema stalling in the clinch.
The crowd are getting on Benzema's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Benzema blocks an elbow strike from Heughan.
Heughan misses with an elbow strike.
Heughan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Benzema blocks a body shot from Heughan.
The referee is keeping an eye on Benzema - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benzema looking to stall.
Benzema tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Benzema just leaning against Heughan, taking a breather.
Benzema avoids a wild elbow strike from Heughan.
Benzema working aggressively here.
Benzema stalling the fight.
Benzema displaying some good clinch control by pressing Heughan up against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Karim Benzema.

Heughan rushes Benzema and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Benzema tries to stall but Heughan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benzema will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Heughan up against the cage.
Benzema slows down the pace here.
Benzema continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
The referee is keeping an eye on Benzema - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Benzema is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Karim Benzema.
Heughan throws a hook but Benzema blocks it.

Heughan clinches.
Benzema avoids a wild elbow strike from Heughan.
Benzema pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sam Heughan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Heughan 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight for Sam Heughan!
Judge John Mangel scores the fight for Sam Heughan!
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight for Sam Heughan!

Sam Heughan wins by unanimous decision!
A very excited looking Sam Heughan rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.