PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Agustin Benitez (ranked 3655 p4p, 304 weight class) and Bobby Sands (ranked 8015 p4p, 436 weight class). Sands comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Irish Soldier Song ... Free & Green kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! 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.

Benitez
vs
Sands

173 cm
26
153 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

173 cm
27
150 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Agustin Benitez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bobby Sands!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sands gets a double leg takedown into Benitez's guard.

Benitez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sands defends it easily.
Benitez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sands is one step ahead there.
Sands working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sands throws a big elbow that misses.
Sands trying to control the position from guard on top but Benitez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sands keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Benitez's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benitez is pulling down on Sands's head to control his posture.

Benitez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sands can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sands loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benitez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sands throwing strikes from guard but Benitez blocks nicely.

Benitez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sands loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Benitez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sands's guard.

Benitez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Benitez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Benitez has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Benitez throwing strikes but missing.
Benitez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sands's head.
Benitez won't allow Sands to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sands keeping full guard, as Benitez tries to pass.
Sands is looking to stand up but Benitez isn't so interested in that idea.
Benitez is looking to work some ground and pound but Sands has wrist control.
Benitez connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sands utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Benitez 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.
Benitez with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sands wants to stand but Benitez is controlling the position.
Benitez chips away with some ground and pound.
Sands wants to stand and escape but Benitez is having none of it.
Benitez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sands is trying to control the position but Benitez postures up.

Benitez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Sands looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Sands looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Sands!

Benitez manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Sands missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Benitez moves into full guard.
Sands missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sands is in close to Benitez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sands trying to control but Benitez is working from the bottom.
Benitez has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Benitez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benitez pulls Sands in close to prevent any damage.
Benitez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benitez working a defensive guard here.
Sands landing with the ground and pound.
Sands scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sands chips away with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sands thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sands in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Agustin Benitez dominated that round.
That's time! Benitez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Benitez clinches.
Sands tries for a takedown but Benitez manages to get underhooks.
Benitez lands with a left to the head.
Benitez prevents the takedown attempt.
Sands jumps guard but Benitez stands there with Sands around his waist. Sands gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Agustin Benitez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Sands.
Sands's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Benitez manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Benitez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Sands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sands being controlled against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Benitez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benitez misses with a punch to the body.
Benitez lands an elbow just above Sands 's eye.
Benitez is pushing Sands 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 swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sands tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Benitez just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sands goes for a takedown attempt but Benitez pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Benitez gets a clinch.
Benitez'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.
Stalling in the clinch from Benitez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Benitez seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Agustin Benitez.
Sands is trying hard to land a takedown here. Benitez sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Benitez tries to counter with a takedown but Sands is quick to defend against it.

Benitez moves into range and clinches up with Sands.
Benitez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sands changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Benitez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sands changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Benitez tries to avoid it but Sands manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Benitez to the ground. Benitez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Benitez is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Sands.
Benitez doesn't manage to clinch there - Sands circles away.

Benitez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sands letting Benitez take a breather here.
A short left from Benitez.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Benitez manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sands distracts Benitez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sands trying to control but Benitez is working from the bottom.
Benitez 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.
Sands must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sands looking to sit in guard and control but Benitez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Benitez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Benitez trying to control but Sands is working from the bottom.
Benitez throwing strikes from guard but Sands blocks nicely.
Benitez is working Sands over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Sands keeping moving, preventing Benitez from controlling successfully.
Benitez lands a couple of elbows.
Benitez trying to control but Sands is working from the bottom.
Benitez landing with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benitez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sands is keeping the position for now.
Sands working a defensive guard here.
Benitez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Sands takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Benitez is looking to take a break and control but Sands is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Benitez sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Sands is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sands takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sands keeps the fight on the outside.
A little jabbing left from Sands on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Benitez instigates a clinch.
Benitez misses with a body punch.
Agustin Benitez has scored more points in the clinch so far.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benitez.

Sands manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Benitez throws a strike but Sands rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Benitez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sands defends well.
Benitez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Benitez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sands is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sands working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Benitez's head.

Benitez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sands defends it easily.
Benitez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benitez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Benitez looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Benitez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Benitez has control of Sands's left arm, preventing Sands from doing any damage.
Agustin Benitez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sands working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Benitez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sands defends well.
Sands trying to control but Benitez is working from the bottom.

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.
Sands landing with the ground and pound.
Benitez wants to stand up but Sands is controlling him.

Benitez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sands throws a strike but Benitez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Benitez wants to control from the top but Sands keeps moving.
Sands 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.
Benitez stands up over Sands, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sands 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.
Benitez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Benitez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Benitez postures up in Sands's guard and throws a big left but Sands blocks it.
Benitez is looking to pass into half guard but Sands pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Sands is in guard.

Benitez is looking for a triangle but Sands pushes his legs off easily.
Benitez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sands can do to turn this around?
Sands trying to control the position from guard on top but Benitez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Benitez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sands.

Benitez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sands is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sands postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Benitez looking to control.
Sands postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bobby Sands has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Agustin Benitez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Benitez controlling the position.
Sands throws a big right hand that misses.

Benitez working for a triangle but Sands defends it easily.
Sands is fighting to break Benitez's control of his arms but Benitez is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sands loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Agustin Benitez.
Well Benitez 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:26
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Agustin Benitez!