PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Troy Bentley (ranked 24929 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tegavoto Gaze (ranked 5479 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Troy Bentley has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Bentley
vs
Gaze

189 cm
18
193 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Troy Bentley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tegavoto Gaze!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaze shoots and misses

and Bentley holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Gaze.
Gaze tries to score a body lock takedown but Bentley shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Bentley tries to pull guard but Gaze holds him up against the cage and eventually Bentley drops back down to his feet.
Bentley is trying to pull guard but Gaze has him pressed against the cage.
Bentley is trying to pull guard but Gaze has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Troy Bentley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bentley successfully pulls guard.
Gaze loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gaze engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gaze trying to control the position from guard on top but Bentley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bentley throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gaze's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gaze is looking to stand up but Bentley won't let him.
Gaze stays in close to Bentley's body and controls the position.
Bentley wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bentley shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gaze pinned against the cage. Gaze gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Bentley doesn't manage to clinch there - Gaze circles away.

Gaze clinches up against the cage.
Bentley is trying to pull guard but Gaze turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Gaze tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bentley's elbow.
Gaze jumps guard but Bentley turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Bentley gets underhooks to prevent Gaze's takedown attempt.
Gaze tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bentley avoids it.
Gaze looking for a takedown.
Gaze tries to break free but Bentley pushes him back against the cage.
Bentley wants to break free but Gaze has control.
Gaze changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bentley fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Gaze closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bentley jumps guard but Gaze stands there with Bentley around his waist. Bentley gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Bentley breaks the clinch.
Bentley swinging wildly here.
Bentley avoids the head kick by Gaze.
Bentley throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gaze swings for the body but Bentley moves out of range.
Bentley throws a big counter combination but Gaze scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Gaze dives in and grabs Bentley's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bentley pushes down on Gaze's head and hops out.
Gaze tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bentley throwing a counter right hand but Gaze manages to avoid it.
Bentley throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Gaze has Bentley up against the cage in a clinch.
Gaze has Bentley pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bentley manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bentley has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Gaze after a bit of a struggle.
Gaze keeps control of Bentley as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Bentley pulls guard successfully.
Gaze controlling from the top position.
Gaze trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gaze looking to sit in guard and control but Bentley gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gaze pulls Bentley in to control the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gaze is on top in guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Troy Bentley will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Bentley gets tackled into the cage by Gaze. Gaze maintains the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A head punch on the inside from Gaze fails to land.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Bentley breaks from the clinch.

Gaze clinches with his opponent.

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

Gaze closes the distance and pushes Bentley back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gaze is looking to take this one to the mat.
Gaze is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bentley pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bentley can't break the clinch.
Bentley is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Gaze wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bentley has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaze misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gaze tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bentley just stands there and leans against the cage.
Troy Bentley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tegavoto Gaze.
Gaze is trying to break the clinch but Bentley is controlling him.
Bentley tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gaze just stands there and leans against the cage.

Bentley manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Bentley.
Bentley throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A head kick misses from Gaze.
Bentley cracks Gaze with a good jab.
Bentley lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Gaze fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bentley pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaze shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bentley as he jumps to the side.
Gaze shoots in for a takedown but Bentley shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gaze shoots in for a double leg but Bentley sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bentley throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Gaze counters by moving into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bentley tries to pull guard but Gaze holds him up against the cage and eventually Bentley drops back down to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gaze is trying to force a seperation but Bentley has the dominant position.

Bentley pulls guard successfully.
Gaze is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaze advances to half guard.
Bentley knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gaze on the ground.
Gaze thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gaze seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Gaze wants to pass to mount but Bentley is defending the position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gaze in particular looking to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bentley keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Gaze fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bentley avoids it really well and circles away.
Bentley is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Gaze.
Troy Bentley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gaze avoids a kick to the body.
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 Troy Bentley will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Bentley throws a push kick but Gaze slaps the foot to one side.
Gaze looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bentley throws a lazy right hand but Gaze sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Bentley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bentley shoots in for a double leg but Gaze sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bentley slaps away a takedown attempt from Gaze, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bentley drops down looking for a counter takedown but Gaze sprawls and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bentley moves out of range of the strikes.
Gaze shoots in and drives through. Bentley sprawls well.
Troy Bentley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tegavoto Gaze.
Gaze throws a sloppy head kick

so Bentley counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Bentley trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gaze's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaze tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bentley trying to control the position from guard on top but Gaze is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Troy Bentley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Gaze is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Bentley presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Gaze has Bentley pushed against the cage.
Bentley tries to pull guard but Gaze holds him up against the cage and eventually Bentley drops back down to his feet.
Gaze tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gaze tries to score a body lock takedown but Bentley shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gaze prevents Bentley from breaking the clinch.
Gaze is trying to force a seperation but Bentley has the dominant position.
Gaze can't find room to land a body shot as Bentley controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bentley is working for takedown but Gaze is calmly controlling the position for now.

Bentley manages to break the clinch.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Gaze checks a leg kick.
As Bentley backs off Gaze throws a huge counter combo but Bentley manages to avoid it all.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gaze tries to clinch but Bentley is having none of it.
Bentley throws a sloppy head kick and Gaze moves out of range easily.
Gaze dodges the punch combination from Bentley.
Bentley slaps away a takedown attempt from Gaze, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bentley seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Gaze tries to clinch but Bentley is having none of it.
Tegavoto Gaze seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gaze moves away from the strike by Bentley.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaze shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bentley is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Troy Bentley is winning the standup battle so far.
Bentley misses the jab.
Bentley shoots in but Gaze avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gaze is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Gaze looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Gaze moves out of range as Bentley throws a body kick.
Gaze misses with a looping right.
Gaze misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaze tries to clinch

and Bentley counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Gaze!
Gaze is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Gaze trying to control from the bottom.
Gaze keeping control of the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gaze connecting with a few gentle strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gaze gets back to full guard.
Gaze has Bentley pulled in close to control his posture.
Tegavoto Gaze has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Troy Bentley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gaze throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Troy Bentley showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bentley, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Troy Bentley!