PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lorenzo Benedetti (ranked 398 p4p, 451 weight class) and Graham Mantle (ranked 39 p4p, 42 weight class). Benedetti comes to the cage accompanied by Gloom, Doom, Heartache & Whiskey - Viking Skull. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Benedetti
vs
Mantle

173 cm
32
147
26 - 13 - 4

169 cm
33
145
22 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Conviction

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸
Brooklyn Apothecary

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 26 - 13 - 4, fighting out of Sydney, Lorenzo Benedetti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Graham Mantle!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Andrew Berry and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benedetti throws out a loose jab but Mantle uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mantle misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mantle pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Benedetti turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Benedetti looks to land a right hand but Mantle moved out of range.
Mantle takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Mantle scores with a crisp jab that stopped Benedetti in his tracks.

Mantle fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Benedetti to the ground. Mantle is now in Benedetti's guard.
Benedetti utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mantle trying to control the position from guard on top but Benedetti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mantle slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Benedetti is looking to stand up but Mantle isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantle passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Mantle working the ground and pound.
Mantle working the ground and pound.
Mantle scoring with punches and elbows.
Mantle working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Benedetti tries to escape but Mantle is in control.
Benedetti on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Mantle wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benedetti keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mantle wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benedetti keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benedetti is working to avoid the ground and pound but Mantle connects with a decent elbow.
Mantle landing a few strikes.
Benedetti is looking to regain half guard here but Mantle keeps moving and retains side control.
Mantle remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
The strikes coming from Mantle are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantle works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Mantle working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Mantle works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Mantle landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Benedetti is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Mantle has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mantle working the head and body with strikes.
Benedetti wants to get back to his feet.
Benedetti managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Mantle.
Mantle advances to full mount.
Benedetti manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mantle scores with a couple of nice shots.
Benedetti tries to kick Mantle off but Mantle keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mantle throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mantle drops an elbow to the side of Benedetti's head.
Mantle wants to take a breather but Benedetti is having none of it.
Mantle is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benedetti trying to hold on to Mantle's head to control him but Mantle postures up.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mantle working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Well, if Mantle 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.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Graham Mantle dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mantle tries for a takedown but Benedetti sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Benedetti pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A nice leg kick from Benedetti, right into the meat of the thigh.
A cross from Mantle lands.
A leg kick checked by Mantle.
Mantle looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mantle lands a nice hook to Benedetti's body. Benedetti takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Mantle has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Benedetti misses with a left hand
and Mantle counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Benedetti avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Benedetti defending well as Mantle loads up on a big left hand.
A combination from Mantle does no damage.
Benedetti slips a jab from Mantle.
Benedetti swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Mantle lands a right hook to the body.
Benedetti with a nice calf kick.
Benedetti with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Benedetti misses with a head kick.
Lorenzo Benedetti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A lazy body kick from Benedetti
and Mantle cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Benedetti dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mantle. That did some damage!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benedetti darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Benedetti misses with a body shot.
Mantle throws out a counter right but Benedetti avoids it with no problem.
Benedetti throws a jab when Mantle was well out of range.
Lorenzo Benedetti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mantle's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Benedetti connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Mantle scrambles back to his feet.
Benedetti jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Benedetti gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Benedetti connects with a jab.
Lorenzo Benedetti is winning the standup battle so far.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mantle darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Benedetti lands a lovely overhand right.
Benedetti slips a straight right by Mantle.
Benedetti lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Mantle scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Benedetti doesn't seem bothered though.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mantle throws a hook to the side of Benedetti's head but Benedetti sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Benedetti lands a nice shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Benedetti. Mantle does a little dance to reset his feet.
Benedetti pushes Mantle away with a front kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mantle changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Mantle shoots in and bounces Benedetti off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Benedetti 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.
Graham Mantle has got the better of the ground game so far.
Benedetti working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mantle.
Benedetti looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mantle is one step ahead there.
Mantle with a nice head shot there.
Mantle trying to control the position from guard on top but Benedetti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mantle working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantle wants to control from the top but Benedetti keeps moving.
Mantle engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Mantle tries to free his leg and advance position but Benedetti is retaining full guard.
Mantle sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
No joy there for Mantle, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mantle looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benedetti catches Mantle with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti misses with a looping right.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Mantle! But no joy.
Benedetti misses the shot to the body.
Mantle steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Benedetti. That one must have hurt.
Mantle keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A punch lands to the side of Benedetti 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Benedetti throws the kick towards the body but Mantle avoids it.
Benedetti swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Benedetti throws a leg kick that misses.
A punch combination from Mantle misses.
Benedetti stuffs the takedown attempt from Mantle. Mantle gets slowly back to his feet.
Benedetti lands a nice looking body kick.
Mantle digs a good body shot into Benedetti's ribs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mantle closes the distance and clinches up with Benedetti, looking for a takedown. Mantle pushes Benedetti against the cage but Benedetti circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Graham Mantle will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Mantle looks to score with a jab to the body but Benedetti is just out of range.
Benedetti misses the jab.
Mantle uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Benedetti.
Benedetti takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Benedetti misses with a wild body shot.
Benedetti throws a leg kick which misses Mantle's front leg but catches the back leg as Mantle tries to avoid it.
Benedetti lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Mantle misses with a straight right.
Mantle drops his hands momentarily and Benedetti takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mantle misses with an uppercut. Benedetti saw that one coming.
Benedetti buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mantle ducks right into an uppercut from Benedetti.
Mantle will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mantle rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Benedetti counters with a low kick, right behind Mantle 's knee.
Mantle steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Benedetti.
Mantle lands a jab to Benedetti's midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantle tries to clinch but Benedetti is having none of it.
Benedetti scores with a nice right hand.
Benedetti looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Mantle! But no joy.
Benedetti sizes up Mantle with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Benedetti takes a swing at Mantle's ribcage but misses.
Mantle misses the jab.
Benedetti takes one to the chin there.
Benedetti swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mantle is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Benedetti.
As Mantle backs away, Benedetti returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Benedetti fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Mantle on the side of the head.
Benedetti wants to slow Mantle down by chopping away at his legs.
Benedetti jabs Mantle right on the nose. Mantle blinks but takes it well.
Mantle lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Benedetti circles away quickly and effectively.
Mantle's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Mantle sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Benedetti misses with a hook.
Good exchange - Benedetti coming out on top.
Lorenzo Benedetti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Graham Mantle is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice sprawl there from Benedetti as Mantle shoots in.
Benedetti pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Benedetti fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Mantle has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Mantle throws a lazy uppercut
and Benedetti counters with a slapping leg kick.
Mantle uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Benedetti throws a good cross that connects.
Mantle checks a leg kick.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Mantle! But no joy.
Mantle throws out a loose jab but Benedetti uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benedetti defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mantle.
Lorenzo Benedetti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Graham Mantle.
Benedetti throws a leg kick but Mantle sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Mantle misses with a body shot.
Benedetti misses with a body shot.
Mantle lands with a nice combination. Benedetti backs away looking to recover.
Mantle lands a jab to Benedetti's midsection.
Mantle throws a body shot but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

Mantle has managed to clinch.
Benedetti blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Benedetti lands a nice elbow.
Mantle blocking some punches.
Mantle blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Benedetti comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Our sources have told us that Benedetti has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Benedetti lands with a short shot to the head.
Mantle blocking some punches.
Benedetti scores with a shoulder strike.
Mantle is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Benedetti pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Benedetti tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Benedetti lands an elbow inside that Mantle shrugs off.
Mantle lands a shoulder strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Benedetti as Mantle tries to tie him up.

Benedetti manages to break the clinch.
Mantle scores with a nice strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benedetti swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Mantle counter with a right hand.
Benedetti misses with a looping left.
Benedetti throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Mantle looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mantle performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Benedetti tries to kick Mantle off but Mantle keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Benedetti looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Benedetti wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lorenzo Benedetti showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mantle has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Graham Mantle!
Graham Mantle decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.