PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hwai Ja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bertil Bengtsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Bengtsson's choice of entrance music: Easy Does It - WILDSTREET . 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.

Ja
vs
Bengtsson

180 cm
26
170 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

180 cm
23
180 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hwai Ja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bertil Bengtsson!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Sano and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ja misses with a straight right.
Ja looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Ja throws a big shot that misses.

Ja closes the distance and clinches.
Bengtsson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ja lands with a short shot to the head.
Bengtsson misses with some punches.
Ja swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bengtsson is struggling to control the position.
Bengtsson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bengtsson can't find room to land a body shot as Ja controls the action.
Bengtsson is trying to force a seperation but Ja has the dominant position.
Bengtsson lands with a light punch inside.
I was talking to Ja's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A body shot lands from Bengtsson.
Ja lands with a short shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bengtsson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bengtsson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Bengtsson is looking to break free of the clinch but Ja has double underhooks.
Ja using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Ja stalling against the cage.
Bengtsson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Bengtsson can't break the clinch.
Ja blocking some punches.
Ja is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Bengtsson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A bit of stalling here from Bengtsson.
Ja with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ja blocking some punches.
Bengtsson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bengtsson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Bengtsson is leaning against Ja and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ja keeps control of Bengtsson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ja pushes Bengtsson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ja throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bengtssons head.
Ja misses with a hook from the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ja blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ja with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Bengtsson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ja lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bengtsson backwards.
Ja digs a right hand underneath Bengtsson's ribcage. Bengtsson let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Bengtsson working aggressively here.
Bengtsson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ja trying to land knees to the body.
Ja digs a right hand underneath Bengtsson's ribcage. Bengtsson let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Bengtsson throws a head punch that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ja tries to work over Bengtsson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bengtsson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bengtsson stalling the fight.
Bengtsson tries to work over Ja's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ja lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bengtsson throws a punch but it's blocked by Ja.
Ja pushes Bengtsson back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Ja makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Bengtsson breaks from the clinch.
Ja digs a good hook to Bengtsson's body.
Bengtsson throws a lazy right hand but Ja sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ja's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Ja duly obliges.

Bengtsson gets tackled into the cage by Ja. Ja maintains the clinch.
Ja working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bengtsson is leaning against Ja and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bengtsson has had enough of the clinch but Ja keeps him there for the moment.
Ja lands an uppercut.
Bengtsson is leaning against Ja and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ja can't find room to land a body shot as Bengtsson controls the action.
Ja with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A short body shot lands from Bengtsson as the two fighters clinch.
Ja tries to land a knee to the head but Bengtsson blocks with his arms.
Ja throws a head punch that misses.
Bengtsson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ja fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short right from Bengtsson on the inside.
Bengtsson throws a head punch that misses.
Bengtsson has had enough of the clinch but Ja keeps him there for the moment.
Ja throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bengtssons head.
Bengtsson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ja makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hwai Ja dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bengtsson shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Bengtsson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ja moves away.
Ja scores with a jab to the body.

Ja rushes Bengtsson and presses him up against the cage.
Ja swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ja lands a right hand.
A right hook to the body lands for Bengtsson.
Ja blocking some punches.
Bengtsson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ja's elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bengtsson.
Ja misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ja has a couple of punches blocked by Bengtsson.
Ja connects with a nasty looking knee right to Bengtsson's face.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ja lands a hook that snaps the head of Bengtsson backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bengtsson misses with some punches.
Bengtsson misses with a body punch.
Bengtsson tries to work over Ja's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Bengtsson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ja closes the distance and clinches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ja.
Ja blocks an uppercut.
Bengtsson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Bengtsson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ja lands a nice shot that snaps Bengtsson's head back.
Ja lands a leg kick that knocks Bengtsson off balance momentarily.
Ja looks to land a combination but Bengtsson avoids it well.
Bengtsson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ja at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ja fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bengtsson has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Bengtsson throws a hook but Ja blocks it.
Ja appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Bengtsson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ja.
It seemed like Bengtsson was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Bengtsson throws a right hand that misses
and Ja counters with a stiff right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ja cracks Bengtsson with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bengtsson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bengtsson doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Ja gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bengtsson is looking to break free of the clinch but Ja has double underhooks.
Bengtsson working aggressively here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ja.
Ja lands a nice uppercut.

Bengtsson is rocked!
Ja lands a nice shot to the body.
Bengtsson blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bengtsson wants to stall.
A short uppercut from Ja.
Ja misses with a punch to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Bengtsson.
Ja is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bengtsson can do to turn this around?
Bengtsson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ja.
Bengtsson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ja blocks a body shot from Bengtsson.

Bengtsson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ja has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bengtsson taking a breather.

Bengtsson manages to break the clinch.

Ja clinches up with Bengtsson and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bengtsson looking to stall.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Ja landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Ja lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bengtsson scores with a shoulder strike.
Ja can't find room to land a body shot as Bengtsson controls the action.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ja tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ja utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Ja tries to work over Bengtsson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ja lands with a right to the head.
Bengtsson misses with a punch to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ja.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bengtsson clobbers Ja with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Bengtsson takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Ja lands with a good body shot.
Ja lands a right hook to the body.
Ja is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ja moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ja dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bengtsson swats away the attempt to clinch by Ja.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bengtsson! But no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bengtsson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A little feinted left hand from Ja on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Bengtsson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ja lands the left hand.
Hwai Ja is winning the standup battle so far.
Ja uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bengtsson.
An inside leg kick lands from Ja.
Ja lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Ja connects with an inside leg kick.
Ja thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bengtsson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Bengtsson throws a good cross that connects.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bengtsson tries to bum rush Ja with a series of wild strikes but Ja uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ja tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bengtsson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ja tries to clinch but Bengtsson is having none of it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ja dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bengtsson. That did some damage!
Ja throws a head kick that misses.
Ja thuds his right hand into Bengtsson's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Bengtsson misses with a left hand
and Ja cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ja throws out a loose jab but Bengtsson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ja is looking to clinch but Bengtsson is avoiding it.
Ja dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bengtsson. That did some damage!
Bengtsson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ja looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bengtsson gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Bengtsson keeps the fight on the outside.
Hwai Ja is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A jab lands there for Ja.
Ja keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bengtsson.
Ja scores with the left hand. Bengtsson knows he should have avoided that one.
Ja scores with a hook.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ja.
Bertil Bengtsson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ja throws a wild body kick that Bengtsson sees coming a mile off.
A little jabbing left from Bengtsson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Ja connects with a nice looking jab.
Ja lands a right hook to the body.
Bengtsson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ja looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ja lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Ja misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bengtsson.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bengtsson! But no joy.
Bengtsson circles away from the clinch attempt.

Ja gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bengtsson misses with the head strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hwai Ja showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ja 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hwai Ja!
Hwai Ja opened up his post fight interview with a scream to camera that he wants a title shot! Whether he deserves the shot will be up to the management of the organization, so I guess he'll have to wait and see.