PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Behnder (ranked 238 p4p, 431 weight class) and Jake Damien (ranked 38 p4p, 65 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Behnder
vs
Damien

170 cm
26
175
12 - 6 - 1

180 cm
26
176
8 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Beachside Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Marcus Behnder!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jake Damien!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Peter Branson and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Behnder gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Damien to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Damien pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Behnder is keeping the position for now.
Behnder keeping moving, preventing Damien from controlling successfully.
Damien not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
My spies in Island project inform me that Damien has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Damien trying to control the position from guard on top but Behnder is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Behnder holds on and takes a little breather.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Behnder trying to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Damien shoots in looking for a takedown but Behnder manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Damien's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Damien shoots in for a takedown but Behnder shows good takedown defense.

Behnder shoots in and bounces Damien off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Damien escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Behnder gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Behnder 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damien controls Behnder momentarily but Behnder frees himself.
Behnder tries to free his leg and advance position but Damien is retaining full guard.

Damien has an active guard here but Behnder has managed to pass into half guard.
Behnder trying to control the pace.
Behnder passes to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damien sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Behnder is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Damien is just riding it out for now. Behnder eventually gives up the hold.

Damien is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Behnder pulls his head out easily.
Behnder takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Damien is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've been hearing good reports from Behnder's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Damien looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Behnder is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Behnder is thwarting Damien's attempts to control the position.
Behnder prevents Damien from improving his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Behnder missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Behnder trying to control the action but Damien is working from the bottom.
Behnder looks to land a strike but Damien avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Behnder dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Behnder is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Damien's half guard.
Behnder prevents Damien from improving his position.
Behnder is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Damien can do to turn this around?
Damien trying to control here.

Damien actively working from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damien is refusing to be controlled, as Behnder sits in half guard.
Damien wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Behnder seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Damien does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Behnder looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Behnder trying to control the action but Damien is working from the bottom.

Damien looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Behnder wants to control but Damien is keeping him busy.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

Behnder is looking for a kimura here.

Damien is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Behnder pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The fighters are battling for position here. Damien manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Behnder wants to control from the top but Damien keeps moving.
Behnder is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Damien gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Behnder throws a big right hand that misses.
Behnder trying to control the position from guard on top but Damien is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Behnder avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Behnder got a little sloppy there for a moment and Damien has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Behnder has managed to get both his arms back between Damien's legs - danger averted.
Behnder trying to control the position from guard on top but Damien is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Behnder being controlled here momentarily.
Damien utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Behnder in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Behnder has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Behnder trying to control but Damien is working from the bottom.

Behnder got a little sloppy there for a moment and Damien has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Behnder has managed to get both his arms back between Damien's legs - danger averted.
Behnder pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Damien is keeping the position for now.
Behnder working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Damien keeping moving, preventing Behnder from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Behnder moves into the clinch successfully.
Damien fails to pull guard.

Behnder has hold of one of Damien's legs. Damien is fighting the takedown attempt but Behnder gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Behnder trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Behnder dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Behnder. No joy for Damien on that attempt.

Behnder looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Damien is looking for a triangle but Behnder pushes his legs off easily.

Damien working for a triangle but Behnder defends it easily.
Damien looking to control but Behnder passes into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Behnder is looking to take a break and control but Damien is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Damien is defending against the submission attempts here by Behnder.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Damien looking for submissions off his back.

Behnder is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Damien is just riding it out for now. Behnder eventually gives up the hold.
Marcus Behnder overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Behnder trying to control from half guard but Damien is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Damien tries to roll over but Behnder keeps him under control.
Behnder is trying to control the action in half guard but Damien is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Damien wants to control but Behnder is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Damien is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Behnder pulls his head out easily.
Behnder wants to free his trapped foot but Damien is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Damien is looking to control Behnder's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Damien avoid being mounted?
Well, if Behnder is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damien wants to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Behnder shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Behnder showed some decent athleticism there.
Damien is looking to improve his position.
Damien is refusing to be controlled, as Behnder sits in half guard.

Damien looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damien is refusing to be controlled, as Behnder sits in half guard.

Behnder is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Marcus Behnder is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Behnder wants to take a breather but Damien is having none of it.
Damien is trying to control but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Behnder prevents Damien from improving his position.
Behnder not doing much here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Behnder showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Behnder 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 David Hoff scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Behnder!
Marcus Behnder retains his welterweight title!
After winning the bout, Marcus Behnder thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.