PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jong Sae Gun (ranked 3810 p4p, 4925 weight class) and Keshawn Benjamin (ranked 418 p4p, 480 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Sae Gun
vs
Benjamin

178 cm
25
173
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
175
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jong Sae Gun!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Keshawn Benjamin!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Santiago Holmes and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sae Gun is trying hard to land a takedown here. Benjamin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sae Gun doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Benjamin counters with a straight right hand.
Sae Gun looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Sae Gun shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Sae Gun is looking to clinch.

Sae Gun has Benjamin up against the cage in a clinch.
Benjamin trying to stall but Sae Gun improves his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sae Gun pulls guard successfully.
Sae Gun manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Benjamin manages to get himself to full guard.

Sae Gun slips nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sae Gun is trying to control the action in half guard but Benjamin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sae Gun is looking to advance position but Benjamin won't allow it.
Benjamin wants to improve his position but Sae Gun is controlling well.
Benjamin wants to control but Sae Gun is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Benjamin is doing well to control the position and prevent Sae Gun from advancing to side control.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sae Gun in particular looking to stall.
Benjamin trying to control but Sae Gun postures up.
Benjamin gets full guard.
Benjamin wants to sweep but no luck.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Benjamin can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Benjamin keeping moving, preventing Sae Gun from controlling successfully.
Benjamin pulls Sae Gun in to control the position.
Benjamin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sae Gun is one step ahead there.
Benjamin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sae Gun. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Benjamin trying to control the position here.
Benjamin wants to sweep here but Sae Gun controlling him for the moment.
Benjamin is controlling Sae Gun's posture.
Sae Gun is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Sae Gun trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Benjamin is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Keshawn Benjamin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sae Gun shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Benjamin sprawls well. Benjamin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sae Gun gets slowly back to his feet.
A little jabbing left from Benjamin on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jong Sae Gun. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benjamin misses with a looping right.
Benjamin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A little jabbing left from Benjamin on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Benjamin throws a looping overhand right but Sae Gun ducks down to avoid it.
Nice takedown defense from Benjamin. No joy for Sae Gun on that attempt.
Despite the aggression on Benjamin's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Sae Gun throws a left and a right that both miss
and Benjamin counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A punch combination from Sae Gun misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sae Gun is looking to clinch.
Benjamin lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Sae Gun tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Benjamin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sae Gun fails with a takedown attempt.
Sae Gun is looking to clinch.
Benjamin slaps away a takedown attempt from Sae Gun, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Benjamin let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sae Gun moves to clinch but Benjamin breaks away
and Benjamin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keshawn Benjamin dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sae Gun tries to clinch up
enabling Benjamin to counter with a crisp jab.
Jong Sae Gun seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sae Gun thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sae Gun has a takedown stuffed.
Benjamin appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Sae Gun takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Come on Sae Gun - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Sae Gun obliges.
Sae Gun holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Benjamin is pressed up against the cage. Sae Gun has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Benjamin down to the mat. Benjamin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sae Gun defending well as Benjamin loads up on a big left hand.
Sae Gun tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Benjamin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Benjamin! But no joy.
Benjamin slaps away a takedown attempt from Sae Gun, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jong Sae Gun. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sae Gun has a takedown stuffed.
A little jabbing left from Benjamin on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Jong Sae Gun is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sae Gun tries to clinch up.
Sae Gun misses with a head kick.
Keshawn Benjamin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sae Gun wants to clinch up but Benjamin keeps it at a distance.
It seemed like Benjamin was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sae Gun dives in and grabs Benjamin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Benjamin pushes down on Sae Gun's head and hops out.
Sae Gun fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sae Gun misses with a takedown
and Benjamin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sae Gun darts in trying to clinch
and Benjamin counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sae Gun shoots in for a takedown but Benjamin shows good takedown defense.
Benjamin now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Sae Gun wants to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Benjamin! But no joy.
Sae Gun is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Benjamin doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sae Gun tries to clinch up but Benjamin circles away and keeps his distance.
Sae Gun shoots in but no luck this time.
Sae Gun doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Benjamin counters with a straight right hand.
Sae Gun tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Benjamin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A head kick misses from Sae Gun.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keshawn Benjamin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sae Gun tries to close the distance and clinch but Benjamin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sae Gun looks to clinch
and Benjamin counters with a nice uppercut.
Sae Gun keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Benjamin.
Sae Gun tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sae Gun throws a right hand that misses
and Benjamin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sae Gun shoots in looking for a takedown. Benjamin tries to sprawl out of it but Sae Gun keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Benjamin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Benjamin! But no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sae Gun tries for a takedown but Benjamin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Benjamin is looking for the big counter here.
Sae Gun tries for a takedown but Benjamin circles away easily
and Benjamin counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jong Sae Gun. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sae Gun shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Benjamin counters with a nice uppercut.
Benjamin moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sae Gun closes the distance but Benjamin moves to the side
and Benjamin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Benjamin on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Sae Gun fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin punishes Sae Gun's body with a nice straight punch.
Sae Gun looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Benjamin is fending him off so far but Sae Gun persists. Nope, Benjamin circles away and we're back to standing.
It seemed like Benjamin was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A cross from Benjamin lands.
Sae Gun fails with a takedown attempt.
Benjamin looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Benjamin throws a jab but it's blocked by Sae Gun.
Benjamin fails to land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin throws a shot from downtown. Sae Gun moves away and avoids it.
Sae Gun throws a leg kick but Benjamin sees it coming and moves out of range.
It seemed like Benjamin was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sae Gun tries to clinch but Benjamin moves out of range.
Benjamin fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sae Gun looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sae Gun tries to clinch up but Benjamin circles away and keeps his distance.
Sae Gun shoots in for a takedown but Benjamin shows good takedown defense.
Sae Gun uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Benjamin.
Nice jab there from Benjamin.
Benjamin connects with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin looks to land a right hand but Sae Gun moved out of range.
Sae Gun tries for a takedown but Benjamin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Benjamin! But no joy.
Sae Gun takes one to the side of the head.
Benjamin throws a hook to the side of Sae Gun's head but Sae Gun sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
As Benjamin looks to move away, Sae Gun throws a big counter combo but Benjamin just gets out of the way.
Benjamin jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Sae Gun takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benjamin shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Sae Gun eats them both and turns towards Benjamin to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sae Gun tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Benjamin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jong Sae Gun has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A punch lands to the side of Sae Gun 's head but he takes it in his stride.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keshawn Benjamin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Benjamin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 26:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keshawn Benjamin!