PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Justin Case (ranked 3492 p4p, 3942 weight class) and Ritanzo Benzo (ranked 344 p4p, 379 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Case
vs
Benzo

178 cm
23
165
6 - 8 - 2

177 cm
23
156
1 - 1 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 6 - 8 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Justin Case!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ritanzo Benzo!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Case just misses with a punch to the body.
Benzo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Case.
Benzo now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
A big right from Case misses.
Case sets himself, and Benzo steps forward looking for the clinch! Case avoids it this time.
Case shoots and misses
and Benzo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Justin Case has been cut.
Case closes this distance looking for a takedown but Benzo circles away.
Benzo darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Benzo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
That kick from Case tenderised Benzo's leg. Benzo is trying to keep his angry face on.
Benzo misses the shot to the body.
Justin Case seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benzo leaves Case with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Case. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Case shoots for a double leg takedown but Benzo sprawls well. He's pushed Case's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Benzo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Case looks to land a right hand but Benzo moved out of range.
Case misses with a straight left.
Benzo lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Benzo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Case on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Benzo.
Case throws a looping overhand right but Benzo ducks down to avoid it.
A big left from Case misses.
Case on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Benzo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Case.
Benzo is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Case with a body shot.
Benzo stuns Case with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Benzo throws a leg kick which misses Case's front leg but catches the back leg as Case tries to avoid it.
Case throws out a loose jab but Benzo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Case shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Benzo defends it nicely.
A little jabbing left from Benzo on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Benzo connects with a solid leg kick.
Case gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Benzo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Case fails with the takedown.
Case throws a lazy right hand but Benzo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Case lands a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Case closes the distance and clinches up with Benzo, looking for a takedown. Case pushes Benzo against the cage but Benzo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Case shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Benzo sprawls well. Benzo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Case gets slowly back to his feet.
Case misses with a hook. Benzo ducked under it nicely.
Benzo is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Case with a body shot.
Benzo blocks a low kick nicely.
The fighters circling - Case throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Case is trying hard to land a takedown here. Benzo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Benzo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Case.
Benzo connects with a body shot.
Benzo feints and then cracks Case's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Case down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Case looks for a takedown but Benzo sprawls well.
Good work by Benzo as he checks the leg kick.

Case closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Benzo slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Case preventing the sweep.

Benzo working for a triangle but Case defends it easily.
Case won't allow Benzo to get back to his feet.
Case stands up over Benzo, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Case landing with the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Case accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benzo is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Case dives into side control.
Benzo is looking for a sweep.

Case is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Benzo knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Case 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.
Benzo wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Case is trying to get an arm triangle but Benzo is defending well.
Case working away.
Case trying to control the position but Benzo is working away.
Case is chipping away with strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ritanzo Benzo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Justin Case's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Case misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Case shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Benzo as he avoids it easily.
Benzo jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

Case looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Case is standing up over Benzo. Benzo looks to escape but Case dives into side control.
Benzo felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

Case advances to full mount.
Benzo is looking to improve his position but Case isn't that keen on the idea.
Case with the ground and pound from mount.
Benzo is desperately trying to improve his position but Case has a good base and remains in mount.
Benzo keeps trying to improve his position.
We've been hearing that Case has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Case working for a guillotine from mount but Benzo is in no mood to give up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Case looking to control but Benzo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The referee warns Benzo that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Benzo is looking to get to half guard.
Case avoids the attempt from Benzo to control.
Case connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Benzo gets back to half guard.
Case prevents Benzo from standing back up.
Benzo wants to improve his position but Case is controlling well.
Case lands with a punch from half guard.
Benzo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Case. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Case is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Benzo sees it coming and defends easily.
Benzo looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Case not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Case tries to pass to full mount but Benzo defends it.
Case is taking a breather. Benzo says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Case trying to control the action but Benzo is working from the bottom.
Case slips a nice elbow through Benzo's hands, connecting with Benzo's forehead.
Benzo tries to kick Case off but Case keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Benzo wants to get back to full guard.
Benzo wants to get back to his feet.

Case is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Case is working for a kimura but Benzo is defending it quite comfortably.

Benzo manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Benzo gets caught flat footed, as Case shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Case won't allow Benzo to sweep him here.
Benzo keeping moving, preventing Case from controlling successfully.
Case postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Case passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benzo is pushing Case's head away, looking to escape. Case manages to hold on to the position though.
Case throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Benzo works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Case stops Benzo from getting back to his feet.
Case throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Benzo looks like he's trying to stand up.
Case is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Benzo wants to get back to his feet.
Case not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Benzo makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Case scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Case throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Benzo shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Case dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Justin Case's cut.
That's time! Case's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice defenses there by Benzo.
Benzo tries to counter with a clinch but Case shakes him off and moves away.
Case misses with a takedown
and Benzo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Case misses with an uppercut. Benzo saw that one coming.
Benzo swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Benzo throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Case has his takedown stuffed
and Benzo counters with a good low kick that Case was not able to check.
Case connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Benzo connects with a crisp jab.
Benzo misses with a hook. Case ducked under it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benzo plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
A combination from Case does no damage.
Case shoots for a takedown but Benzo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Case. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benzo scores with a spinning back kick!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Case shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Benzo makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benzo throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
A jab from Case misses.
Benzo throws a fast counter high kick but Case manages to duck under it in time.
Case walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Benzo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Benzo lands a nice looking body kick.
Benzo lands a slapping body shot.
Case fails with the takedown.
Benzo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
The fight stays on the outside here - Benzo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Case appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Case lands with a nice body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benzo throws a leg kick which misses Case's front leg but catches the back leg as Case tries to avoid it.
Benzo tries to clinch but Case moves out of range.
Benzo lands a nice leg kick that just misses Case's sensitive parts.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Case keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Benzo cracks Case with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Case shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Benzo has one foot on Case's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Benzo has Case up against the cage in a clinch.
Benzo looking to stall.
Case misses with some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Case escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Case dives in and grabs Benzo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Benzo pushes down on Case's head and hops out.
Benzo scores with a shot to the body.
Case shoots in but no luck this time.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Benzo. Case shrugs it off though.
Case tries for a takedown but Benzo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Case shoots in for a double leg but Benzo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Benzo blocks a head kick by Case.
A telegraphed right hand from Case misses the target.
Case dives in and grabs Benzo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Benzo pushes down on Case's head and hops out.
Case on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Benzo works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Benzo moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Case throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Benzo lands with a good body shot.
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!
Benzo connects with a leg kick.
Benzo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Benzo scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Benzo bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Benzo thows a body kick. Case tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Case shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Benzo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Case throws a leg kick
and Benzo counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Benzo keeps Case at a distance using the push kick.
Case changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Benzo tries to avoid it but Case manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Benzo to the ground. Benzo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Case is defended easily by Benzo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ritanzo Benzo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Benzo 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ritanzo Benzo!