PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Fernando Benitez (ranked 3788 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eruera Wharerau (ranked 4366 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Benitez
vs
Wharerau

172 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
157 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Inexperienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight 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, Fernando Benitez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Eruera Wharerau!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Michael Johnstone and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wharerau throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Benitez shoots in but no luck this time.
Wharerau scores with a head kick.
Wharerau closes the distance and clinches up with Benitez, looking for a takedown. Wharerau pushes Benitez against the cage but Benitez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Wharerau fails to land the takedown.
Benitez tries to close the distance and clinch but Wharerau swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wharerau tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Benitez throws a head kick that misses

and Wharerau counters by clinching up.
Benitez prevents Wharerau from breaking the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wharerau tries for a takedown but Benitez manages to get underhooks.
Fernando Benitez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eruera Wharerau.

Benitez gets control of Wharerau's arms and successfully pulls guard. Benitez will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Wharerau controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Benitez looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Wharerau has picked Benitez up and slammed him! Benitez can't keep hold of the triangle and Wharerau manages to pass to side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wharerau throws an elbow but Benitez slips to the side and avoids it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Wharerau wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Benitez, who protects the arm well.
Wharerau has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Wharerau wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benitez keeps working.

Wharerau wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Benitez, who protects the arm well.
Wharerau wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benitez keeps working.
Benitez is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Wharerau tries to stand but Benitez is controlling his head.
Benitez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Wharerau wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Wharerau is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Benitez has escaped the position, nice work there.

Wharerau tries for a kimura but Benitez is defending well.
Sloppy strikes there by Wharerau.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wharerau advances to mount.
Wharerau looking to control and managing it successfully.
Wharerau prevents Benitez from getting the reversal.
Benitez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Wharerau on the ground.
Benitez wants to control but Wharerau is having none of it.
Wharerau sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Wharerau content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benitez is just holding on here. Wharerau manages to take his back.
Wharerau has the hooks in. Benitez is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Wharerau working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Wharerau gets his hands free as Benitez looks to control.

Wharerau is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Benitez is defending well though. Wharerau let's go of the attempt for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Wharerau trying to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eruera Wharerau dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Wharerau fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A left and a right from Wharerau both land. Nice combination.
A low kick from Wharerau is predictable there
and Benitez counters with a one-two to the body.
Benitez wants to clinch.
Benitez does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benitez dives in for a single leg takedown but Wharerau sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Wharerau pushes Benitez up against the cage in a clinch.

Benitez breaks the clinch.
Benitez lands a nice shot that snaps Wharerau's head back.
Benitez stuffs the takedown attempt from Wharerau. Wharerau gets slowly back to his feet.
Benitez drops down looking for a counter takedown but Wharerau sprawls and moves away.
Fernando Benitez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wharerau misses with a takedown

and Benitez moves into the clinch.
Fernando Benitez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eruera Wharerau.
Benitez is pressed up against the cage. Wharerau has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Benitez down to the mat. Benitez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Benitez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Wharerau pinned against the cage. Wharerau gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Wharerau fails with an attempt to clinch.
Benitez tries a head kick but it misses.
A punch combination from Benitez misses.
And Wharerau tries to counter it with a takedown but Benitez pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Benitez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Benitez misses with a takedown attempt - Wharerau sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wharerau looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Benitez is fending him off so far but Wharerau persists. Nope, Benitez circles away and we're back to standing.
Horrible takedown attempt by Wharerau or perhaps it was just good defense by Benitez, which made it look bad.
Benitez fails with the takedown.
Benitez avoids the head kick by Wharerau.
Wharerau avoids the head kick by Benitez.
Nice sprawl there from Benitez as Wharerau shoots in.
Horrible takedown attempt by Benitez or perhaps it was just good defense by Wharerau, which made it look bad.
Wharerau wants to counter the offense by Benitez and move into the clinch position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wharerau tries to clinch there but Benitez circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benitez moves into the clinch successfully.

Wharerau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Benitez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Wharerau lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Benitez fails with a takedown attempt.

Wharerau has Benitez up against the cage in a clinch.
Benitez is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Wharerau to keep the fight standing.
Benitez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Wharerau smiles and moves away.
Wharerau has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Wharerau shoots in for a takedown but Benitez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benitez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Benitez slaps away a takedown attempt from Wharerau, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Benitez fails with the takedown.
Benitez stuffs the takedown attempt from Wharerau. Wharerau gets slowly back to his feet.

Wharerau has taken the fight to the clinch.
Benitez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Wharerau's efforts to push away.
Wharerau tries to pull guard but Benitez won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Fernando Benitez will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Wharerau fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A head kick by Wharerau misses

and Benitez counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Benitez.
Benitez stops a takedown attempt from Wharerau.
Benitez is pushing Wharerau up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Benitez tries to pull guard but Wharerau won't allow it.
Wharerau tries to pull guard but Benitez forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Fernando Benitez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eruera Wharerau.
Wharerau prevents a takedown attempt there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wharerau has Benitez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Benitez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Wharerau manages to pull guard.
Wharerau seems keen to control Benitez's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benitez wants to pass the guard but Wharerau is keeping the position.
Wharerau will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Wharerau pulls Benitez in close to prevent any damage.
Benitez wants to stand but Wharerau has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Wharerau is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Wharerau is trying to keep Benitez in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Benitez fails with a takedown attempt.
Wharerau stuffs the takedown.
Wharerau darts in looking for a takedown but Benitez gets double underhooks and turns Wharerau into the cage.
Wharerau fails with a takedown attempt.
Benitez dives in for a single leg takedown but Wharerau sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Benitez connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benitez closes the distance and clinches.
Wharerau has Benitez pressed against the cage, preventing Benitez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Benitez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Wharerau shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Benitez but Benitez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Wharerau misses with a takedown attempt - Benitez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Wharerau has managed to clinch.
Wharerau wants a takedown but no success here.
Wharerau takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Benitez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benitez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Benitez wants it to stay on the feet.
Wharerau circles away from the clinch attempt.
Benitez blocks a leg kick.
Benitez fails with the takedown

and Wharerau counters by clinching up.
Wharerau goes for a takedown in the clinch but Benitez prevents it.
Benitez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Wharerau is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Benitez tries to pull guard but Wharerau holds him up against the cage and eventually Benitez drops back down to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Benitez throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Benitez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Wharerau.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fernando Benitez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Benitez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:28
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:28
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Fernando Benitez!