PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shawn Thornton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and PJ Benn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Benn's choice of entrance music: Raised fist- Words and Phrases. This should be a great matchup!

Thornton
vs
Benn

187 cm
21
217 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

189 cm
25
210 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Virtual Fighter Clothing
Sublime Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Shawn Thornton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, PJ Benn!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thornton throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Thornton swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Benn shoots for a takedown but Thornton saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Shawn Thornton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thornton misses with a wild combination.
Benn displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Thornton throws out the jab.
Benn moves away from the strike by Thornton.
Thornton throws a solid leg kick but Benn takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Thornton.
Benn checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Nice straight punches there by Benn. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Benn.
Thornton stuffs the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thornton throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Benn sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Benn misses with a combination
and Thornton counters with a stiff right hand.
Benn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nice defenses there by Benn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn closes this distance looking for a takedown but Thornton circles away.
Shawn Thornton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of PJ Benn.
Benn ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Thornton throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thornton throws a left and a right that both miss
and Benn counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A punch combination from Thornton misses.
Thornton waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Benn.
Benn fails with the takedown
and Thornton counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like PJ Benn has been cut.
Benn shoots in for a double leg but Thornton sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Benn staying out of range there.
Thornton throws the left hand but Benn avoids the punch easily.
Thornton falls off balance throwing a combination

and Benn counters with a single leg into guard. Thornton didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benn is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Benn trying to control the position from guard on top but Thornton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thornton on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Thornton tries to get out of the position.
Thornton is controlling Benn's posture.
Benn sitting in guard here, content to control.
Thornton keeping moving, preventing Benn from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benn drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Benn jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Benn slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Benn tries for a kimura but Thornton is defending well.
Thornton is not content to let Benn control the position.

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.
Thornton manages to get back to half guard.

Benn is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Benn missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thornton is trying to maintain the position but Benn is very close to passing his half guard.
Benn looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Thornton wants to improve his position but Benn is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Thornton dominated that round.
The cut man is working on PJ Benn's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A nice combination there by Benn.
Benn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thornton manages to avoid it.
Benn throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Benn misses with a combination
and Thornton makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A shot to the body from Thornton misses

and Benn counters with a takedown into side control.
Benn wants to control but Thornton is keeping him busy.
Thornton tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Benn working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn wants to control but Thornton is keeping him busy.
Thornton is trying to get back to half guard.
Thornton is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Benn off and has taken his back!
Thornton has the hooks in. Benn is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Benn defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Benn is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Thornton doesn't have the hooks in and Benn manages to turn into his guard.
Benn wants to pass the guard but Thornton is keeping the position.

Benn drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Thornton dives on top into guard.
Benn is breathing heavily.
Benn trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thornton wants to stand and escape but instead Benn has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Benn trying to control but Thornton is working from the bottom.
Thornton controlling the position.
Thornton looking for a sweep. Not yet Thornton, not yet.
Benn missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Benn trying to control but Thornton is working from the bottom.
Benn is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Benn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Benn looks for a takedown but Thornton sprawls well.
Benn avoids a punch combination nicely.
Benn works over Thornton's head and body with a nice combination.
Benn defending well as Thornton loads up on a big left hand.
Benn misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Thornton swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Benn is defended easily by Thornton.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Shawn Thornton will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on PJ Benn's cut.
That's time! Thornton's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Thornton throws a leg kick
and Benn counters with a left and a right that stings Thornton.
A looping hook to the body misses from Benn. Thornton does a little dance to reset his feet.

Benn throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Thornton was covering up waiting for the punch and Benn finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Benn trying to control but Thornton is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thornton 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.
Thornton controlling Benn's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Benn postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Thornton is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Benn, into his guard.
Benn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Benn is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Thornton preventing the sweep.
Thornton has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Thornton scoring with some ground and pound.
Benn is trying to control the position but Thornton postures up.
Thornton content to stall in guard here.
Thornton trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Benn working a defensive guard here.

Thornton thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benn has his foot on Thornton's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Thornton works his way back into a safe position though.
Thornton stopping the sweep attempt from Benn.

Thornton avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Thornton is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Thornton postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four 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.
Thornton trying to control the position from guard on top but Benn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thornton is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Benn is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Thornton knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Benn on the ground.
Benn tries to land a sweep but no joy.
PJ Benn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thornton trying to control the position from guard on top but Benn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Thornton attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Benn lands a nice shot that snaps Thornton's head back.
Thornton misses with a jab to the body
and Benn counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
PJ Benn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thornton has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!