PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Andre Koefti (ranked 1330 p4p, 1235 weight class) and Rafael Benedetti (ranked 136 p4p, 125 weight class). Koefti comes to the cage accompanied by IZ - E Ala E. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Koefti
vs
Benedetti

170 cm
31
150
13 - 11 - 1

175 cm
35
155
26 - 15 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

Wrestler Wayfare

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 13 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Andre Koefti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rafael Benedetti!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koefti looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Koefti with the inside leg kick.
Benedetti's corner calls for a 1-2. Benedetti obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Benedetti darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Koefti goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Benedetti slips under a jab from Koefti.
Koefti checks a low kick from Benedetti.
Benedetti scores with a shot to the body.
We've been told by Koefti's head coaches at 3Band MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Koefti with a hook.
Koefti tries to move into range but Benedetti moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Koefti tries to land a leg kick but Benedetti saw it coming and moves away.
Koefti swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Benedetti.
Rafael Benedetti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benedetti looks to score with a jab to the body but Koefti is just out of range.
Koefti blocks a head kick by Benedetti.
Koefti half committed to a counter leg kick.

Koefti forces Benedetti back against the cage and clinches.
Benedetti misses with a punch to the body.
Benedetti tries to work over Koefti's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Benedetti tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Koefti's elbow.
Koefti throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Benedetti misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Koefti working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Benedetti blocks a body shot from Koefti.
Koefti misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benedetti is working Koefti over against the cage.
Benedetti lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Benedetti lands a right hand.
Benedetti blocks an elbow strike.
Benedetti lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Koefti backwards.
A short body shot lands from Benedetti as the two fighters clinch.
Benedetti lands a left hand that snaps the head of Koefti backwards.
Benedetti lands with a left to the head.
Benedetti lands a nice uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Benedetti as the two fighters clinch.
Benedetti goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Benedetti works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Benedetti goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A shot in the inside from Benedetti.

Benedetti breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
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!
Koefti on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Koefti bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Koefti throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Benedetti throws a low kick, looking for Koefti's leg but Koefti calmly moves out of range.
Benedetti with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koefti misses with a low kick.
Benedetti keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Benedetti thows a left - swing and a miss!
Decent striking displayed by Benedetti there.
Benedetti fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Koefti on the side of the head.
Koefti is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Benedetti moves out of range as Koefti throws a body kick.
Koefti throws a body kick that misses.
Benedetti swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A chopping leg kick lands by Benedetti.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Benedetti with the inside leg kick.
Koefti takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Koefti fails to land with a series of punches.
Benedetti defending well as Koefti loads up on a big left hand.
Benedetti throws a body shot but no joy.
A head kick misses from Koefti.
Benedetti with a hook.

Benedetti has closed the distance and engaged Koefti in a clinch.
Koefti throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Koefti tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Koefti blocks a body shot from Benedetti.
Koefti lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Benedetti lands a right hand.
Benedetti tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Koefti is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Benedetti is defending well for now.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koefti.
Knees in the clinch landing for Koefti.
Benedetti lands with a right to the head.
Benedetti misses with a body punch.
Koefti lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Rafael Benedetti has been cut.
Koefti blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Benedetti misses with a short punch on the inside.
Benedetti misses with a hook to the ribs.
Koefti pushes off an throws an elbow but Benedetti leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Benedetti escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Koefti takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Benedetti connects with a leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Benedetti misses with a looping left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Benedetti checks a low kick from Koefti.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Benedetti! But no joy.
Benedetti connects with a leg kick.
Koefti uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Benedetti.
Nice shot by Benedetti.
Benedetti throws a chopping leg kick but Koefti manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Benedetti tries to clinch up but Koefti circles away and keeps his distance.
Koefti throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Benedetti connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Benedetti scores with a nice body kick.
Benedetti is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Benedetti moves into range and clinches up with Koefti.
Benedetti tries a body shot but Koefti blocks it.
Benedetti misses with a punch on the inside.
Benedetti struggles to land a body shot inside as Koefti controls his hands.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benedetti tries to throw a body punch but Koefti avoids it by throwing Benedetti back against the cage.
Benedetti lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Koefti throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Benedetti lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Benedetti lands a body punch in the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Benedetti dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rafael Benedetti's cut.
That's time! Koefti's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Benedetti avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Benedetti swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rafael Benedetti seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Benedetti fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Koefti looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Benedetti has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Benedetti scores with a nice right hand.
Benedetti lands a nice leg kick that just misses Koefti's sensitive parts.
Benedetti cracks Koefti with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Koefti tests Benedetti's chin there with a solid looking shot.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Benedetti scores with a jab to the jaw.
Benedetti connects with a leg kick.
Benedetti bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Benedetti misses with a looping left.
Koefti takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head kick misses from Koefti.
Benedetti jabs Koefti to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Benedetti 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.
Benedetti fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Koefti manages to avoid it.
A left lands for Benedetti.
Benedetti lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Koefti ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Koefti was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benedetti fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Koefti.
Benedetti swings for the body but Koefti moves out of range.
Benedetti misses with a straight right.
Benedetti thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Koefti if he has to take too many more of those.
Benedetti misses with a body kick.
Koefti throws a solid leg kick but Benedetti takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Koefti.
Koefti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Benedetti.
Koefti misses with a straight right.
Koefti lands a high kick!
Koefti tries to work over Benedetti's front leg with a kick but Benedetti checks it.
Koefti tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Benedetti connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Benedetti connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Benedetti pushes Koefti up against the cage in a clinch.
Benedetti misses with a short punch on the inside.
Benedetti lands with a left to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Koefti creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koefti.
Benedetti blocks the elbow strike.
Benedetti has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Koefti seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Benedetti can turn it around.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti tries to throw a body punch but Koefti avoids it by throwing Benedetti back against the cage.
Benedetti struggles to land a body shot inside as Koefti controls his hands.
Koefti throws a head punch that misses.
Benedetti struggles to land a body shot inside as Koefti controls his hands.
Koefti lands a shoulder strike.
Koefti tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Koefti pushes off an throws an elbow but Benedetti leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Benedetti pulls guard successfully.
Benedetti looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Koefti wanted to stand there but Benedetti had control of the position.
Benedetti wants to stand and escape but Koefti is having none of it.
Benedetti has control of Koefti's left arm, preventing Koefti from doing any damage.
Benedetti manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Koefti manages to get himself to full guard.

Koefti is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Benedetti is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Benedetti trying to control but Koefti is working from the bottom.
Benedetti's corner is telling him to maintain position.
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.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Benedetti stops Koefti from standing up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Koefti loads up on a big right hand but Benedetti slips the punch.
Koefti wants to clinch.
Benedetti looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Koefti gets cracked there but stands up to it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Koefti misses with a punch on the inside.
Koefti looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Benedetti pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Koefti slips under a jab from Benedetti.
Koefti throws out a loose jab but Benedetti uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Benedetti showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rafael Benedetti'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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

The fighters circling - Benedetti throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Benedetti motions for Koefti to come forward. Benedetti throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Koefti throws a looping overhand right but Benedetti ducks down to avoid it.
A jab lands there for Benedetti.
Benedetti lands a glancing blow to the side of Koefti's head.
A bone on bone clash there as Benedetti blocks the leg kick.
Benedetti throws out a loose jab but Koefti uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benedetti works the jab nicely.
Benedetti stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Koefti fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Benedetti checks it well.
Benedetti was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Koefti takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Koefti lands with a shot to the body.
Benedetti blocks a head kick by Koefti.
Koefti walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Benedetti checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Koefti is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Benedetti throws a leg kick but Koefti sees it coming and moves out of range.
Benedetti lands a nice looking body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Koefti dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Benedetti. That did some damage!
Koefti misses with a low kick.
Benedetti throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Benedetti scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benedetti looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Benedetti misses with a leg kick.
Benedetti tries to bum rush Koefti with a series of wild strikes but Koefti uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A quick step to the side and Koefti tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

Benedetti forces Koefti back against the cage and clinches.
Benedetti misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benedetti.
Benedetti tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Benedetti lands with a right to the head.

Koefti breaks the clinch.
Benedetti scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Benedetti misses with a looping left.
Koefti misses with a head kick.
Koefti ducks under a wild hook from Benedetti.
Koefti looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Benedetti tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Koefti manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Koefti tries to close the distance and clinch but Benedetti swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Benedetti has closed the distance and engaged Koefti in a clinch.
Benedetti misses with a body punch.
Andre Koefti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benedetti misses with a short punch on the inside.
Benedetti swings wildly with an uppercut but Koefti uses good head movement to avoid it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice elbow from Koefti.
Benedetti tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Koefti's elbow.
Benedetti misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Benedetti misses with a punch to the body.
Benedetti misses with a punch to the body.
A short body shot lands from Benedetti as the two fighters clinch.
Koefti lands a body shot.
Benedetti misses with a body punch.
Benedetti swings wildly with an uppercut but Koefti uses good head movement to avoid it.
Koefti lands an elbow inside.
Nice body punch from Benedetti - that landed with a thud.
Koefti goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Koefti blocks a body shot from Benedetti.
Benedetti tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Koefti's elbow.
Nice elbow from Koefti.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koefti trying to land knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Koefti.
Koefti prevents a body shot from Benedetti.
Koefti lands an elbow that stopped Benedetti in his tracks for a moment.
Benedetti lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Benedetti softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Koefti misses with an elbow over the top.
Benedetti tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Benedetti lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Benedetti tries to pull guard but Koefti holds him up against the cage and eventually Benedetti drops back down to his feet.
Benedetti softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Benedetti is looking to control Koefti's arms but Koefti gets an underhook and turns him. Now Benedetti has his back to the cage.
Koefti is working Benedetti over against the cage.
Benedetti misses with a body punch.
Koefti softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Benedetti takes an elbow to the forehead.
Koefti misses with an elbow over the top.
A short right from Benedetti on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Benedetti working aggressively here.
Koefti lands a nice uppercut.
Benedetti presses Koefti against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Koefti crunches a lovely knee into Benedetti's ribcage.
Benedetti takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Koefti lands a hook that snaps the head of Benedetti backwards.
Benedetti blocks an elbow strike.
Koefti looking to throw knees to the head but Benedetti is blocking nicely.
Koefti misses with a punch on the inside.
Benedetti avoids the elbow strike from Koefti, against the cage.
Koefti lands a left hand.
Koefti gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Benedetti dodges an elbow strike from Koefti.
Benedetti blocks an elbow strike.
Benedetti lands a left hand that snaps the head of Koefti backwards.
Koefti is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Benedetti is defending well for now.
Benedetti blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
With the fighters up against the cage, Koefti throws an elbow but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benedetti blocks an elbow strike.
Benedetti has Koefti pressed against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rafael Benedetti.
Well Benedetti has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Benedetti!
Rafael Benedetti seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
The defeated Andre Koefti had this to say: 'Congratulations for the victory. I thank God for being able to face such a good opponent. I will improve and I will come back stronger 🔥'.