PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lionel Casey (ranked 24740 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hicham Bennour (ranked 4021 p4p, 0 weight class). Hicham Bennour told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Casey
vs
Bennour

177 cm
22
177 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

185 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lionel Casey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hicham Bennour!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bennour scores with a jab to the jaw.

Casey tries to sprawl but Bennour drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Casey is staying active underneath Bennour, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Casey is looking to control Bennour's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Casey avoid being mounted?
Bennour thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bennour lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Bennour is thwarting Casey's attempts to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bennour lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Casey is controlling Bennour's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Bennour with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Casey wants to get back to his feet.
Bennour stalling.

Bennour is working for a kimura but Casey is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bennour slips a nice elbow through Casey's hands, connecting with Casey's forehead.
Bennour is just content to waste time from the top position. Casey takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Bennour trying to control but Casey is working from the bottom.
Casey looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennour trying to control but Casey is working from the bottom.
Bennour seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bennour misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Bennour shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Casey is trying to defend but Bennour finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Bennour is looking for a kimura here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bennour wants to control but Casey is keeping him busy.
Bennour looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Casey with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bennour with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Bennour tries to pass to full mount but Casey defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hicham Bennour 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.

Bennour misses with a takedown

and Casey counters by moving into the clinch.

Bennour has hold of one of Casey's legs. Casey is fighting the takedown attempt but Bennour gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Casey keeping moving, preventing Bennour from controlling successfully.
Bennour would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bennour has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bennour trying to control the position from guard on top but Casey is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bennour is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennour is looking to work some ground and pound but Casey has wrist control.
Casey not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Bennour trying to control but Casey is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bennour shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Casey pinned against the cage. Casey gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Casey wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Hicham Bennour is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bennour shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lionel Casey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hicham Bennour.
Bennour connects with a high kick.

It looks like Lionel Casey has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Casey gets caught flat footed, as Bennour shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Casey looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Casey pulls Bennour in to control the position.
Bennour wants to stand but Casey is controlling his posture from full guard.
Casey is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bennour is controlling him.
Bennour cracks Casey with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennour trying to control but Casey is working from the bottom.

Casey is working an open guard so Bennour takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Bennour misses with the combination.
Casey appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Bennour scores with a takedown into Casey's guard.
Bennour would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Casey bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bennour's guard.

Bennour not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Casey accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bennour preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Casey is working Bennour over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Bennour has Casey pulled in close to control his posture.
Casey stopping the sweep attempt from Bennour.

Bennour is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Casey trying to control but Bennour is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bennour looking for a sweep. Not yet Bennour, not yet.
Bennour is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hicham Bennour showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lionel Casey's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Bennour shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Casey but Casey pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bennour fails with a takedown attempt.

Bennour takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Casey tries to pull guard but Bennour holds him up against the cage and eventually Casey drops back down to his feet.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennour tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Casey defends well and Bennour ends up having to push Casey into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lionel Casey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hicham Bennour.

Bennour closes the distance and clinches.
Bennour jumps guard but Casey turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Casey has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bennour is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Casey tries for a takedown. No joy.

Bennour breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Casey tries to keep at a distance but Bennour has taken the fight into the clinch.
Casey tries for a takedown. No joy.

Casey wants the takedown. Bennour is fighting it off but Casey persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Bennour's guard against the cage.

Bennour pushes Casey off and scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Bennour moves into the clinch successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bennour's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Casey looks for a takedown but Bennour sprawls well.
Bennour darts in looking for a takedown but Casey gets double underhooks and turns Bennour into the cage.
Casey thinks about countering with a body kick.
Bennour darts in looking for a takedown but Casey gets double underhooks and turns Bennour into the cage.

Bennour gets a clinch.
Casey has Bennour pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bennour manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Casey is trying to drag Bennour to the mat but Bennour just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Casey is looking for a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennour stalling against the cage.

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

Bennour fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Casey to the ground. Bennour is now in Casey's guard.
Casey wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Bennour manages to pass to side control.

Casey wants to improve his position but Bennour is controlling well.
Casey has hold of Bennour's hands but Bennour slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bennour trying to control from half guard but Casey is working away.
Casey is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Bennour scores with a couple of nice shots.
Bennour is controlling the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hicham Bennour comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bennour has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hicham Bennour!