PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Zerk Benjamin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vitor Diaz (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.

Benjamin
vs
Diaz

179 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Zerk Benjamin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Vitor Diaz!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Peter Branson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donk. Benjamin catches Diaz right on the button with a cross.

Diaz clinches up against the cage.
Diaz jumps guard but Benjamin stands there with Diaz around his waist. Diaz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Diaz has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Benjamin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Diaz is trying to drag Benjamin to the mat but Benjamin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Zerk Benjamin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vitor Diaz.

Diaz manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Diaz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Benjamin won't allow Diaz to sweep him here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz controls Benjamin momentarily but Benjamin frees himself.
Diaz wants to control the position but Benjamin says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz is trying to control but Benjamin manages to pass to mount!
Diaz gets back to half guard.
Diaz trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Benjamin avoids the attempt from Diaz to control.
Benjamin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Benjamin scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Benjamin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Diaz looks a forlorn figure.
Diaz is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz tries to hold on but Benjamin postures up.
Benjamin looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
Diaz is looking to improve his position but Benjamin isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin punching from mount but Diaz doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Diaz working to try and regain half guard.
Poor strikes thrown by Benjamin there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Diaz wants to hold on but Benjamin pushes him away.
Benjamin blocks Diaz's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Benjamin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Diaz tries to lock up and control but Benjamin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Diaz might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Benjamin haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin lands with some strikes.
Diaz swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Diaz gets back to half guard.

Diaz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Benjamin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zerk Benjamin dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Diaz has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Benjamin finds it's way round the side to connect with Diaz's head.
Benjamin connects with a crisp jab.

Diaz closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Benjamin quickly recovers to half guard.
Benjamin regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Diaz.
Diaz content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Diaz stops Benjamin from standing up.
Diaz trying to control but Benjamin is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diaz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Diaz lands a couple of elbows.
Diaz looking to sit in guard and control but Benjamin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Diaz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Benjamin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Diaz wants to hit a switch here but Benjamin passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Diaz there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Diaz looking for subs from the bottom but Benjamin mounts him!
Benjamin lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Diaz wants to control but Benjamin is having none of it.
Diaz tries to reverse the position but Benjamin maintains control.
Diaz tries to hold on but Benjamin pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is looking to get to half guard.
Diaz is breathing heavily.
Diaz is in a horrible position here. Benjamin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Diaz tries to lock up and control but Benjamin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Diaz can do anything to dispel that myth.
Diaz is desperately trying to improve his position but Benjamin has a good base and remains in mount.
Diaz tries to lock up and control but Benjamin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Benjamin thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Diaz wants to control but Benjamin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Diaz trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Benjamin prevents Diaz from getting the reversal.
Benjamin throws some wild stikes that Diaz manages to avoid easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benjamin working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Diaz regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zerk Benjamin dominated that second round.
That's time! Benjamin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Horrible takedown attempt by Diaz or perhaps it was just good defense by Benjamin, which made it look bad.
Diaz moves forwards but Benjamin connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Benjamin moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Benjamin swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Diaz.
Benjamin throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Diaz on the side of the head.

Diaz is rocked!
Benjamin lunges in with a left hook that violently twists Diaz head around and knocks him out cold! Benjamin hops onto the cage and yells out at the top of his lungs - Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah! They're showing the replay on the big screens now; that was nasty! I hope one of the photographers got a good shot of it.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Zerk Benjamin!