PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tarmo Suulas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Bennett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bennett has chosen Sauf Keita-Tomorrow as his entrance music. Tarmo Suulas could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Mike Bennett's chin.

Suulas
vs
Bennett

170 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
153 lbs
11 - 12 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tarmo Suulas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mike Bennett!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Patrick Alders and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Suulas keeps the fight on the outside.
Bennett avoids a punch combination nicely.
Suulas attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Bennett gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Bennett is trying to stall.
Bennett misses with an elbow over the top.
A left hand lands to the body for Suulas.
Bennett lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Tarmo Suulas has been cut.
Suulas misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bennett wants to get back to striking at distance but Suulas won't allow it.
Suulas misses with a punch on the inside.
Suulas lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A head punch on the inside from Suulas fails to land.
Bennett misses with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bennett.
Suulas swings wildly with an uppercut but Bennett uses good head movement to avoid it.
Suulas lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Bennett.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Suulas.
A body shot lands from Suulas.

Suulas lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Bennett is looking to improve his position.
Bennett trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suulas is trying to control the action in half guard but Bennett is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Bennett won't allow Suulas to pass to mount.
Suulas controlling the pace.
Suulas tries to pass to full mount but Bennett defends it.
Suulas is trying to control. Bennett wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

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

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Suulas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Suulas tries to clinch up but Bennett circles away and keeps his distance.
Suulas tries to clinch but Bennett moves away

and Bennett counters by clinching up.
Suulas lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Bennett or not.
Suulas tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bennett.
Suulas working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Bennett lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bennett scores with a nice hook to the head.
Suulas dodges an elbow strike from Bennett.
Bennett looking to throw knees to the head but Suulas is blocking nicely.
Suulas scores with a hook to the body.
Suulas tries to throw a body punch but Bennett avoids it by throwing Suulas back against the cage.
Bennett blocking some punches.

Suulas gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Bennett pulls Suulas in close to prevent any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Suulas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suulas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Suulas pushes down on Bennett's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Bennett trying to control here.
Suulas stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Suulas working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Suulas thows a huge punch but Bennett dodges it nicely.
Suulas with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Suulas is trying to control. Bennett wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Suulas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bennett is staying active underneath Suulas, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bennett regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tarmo Suulas dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tarmo Suulas's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Suulas throws a sloppy head kick
and Bennett counters with a nice uppercut.
Bennett throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
A big left from Suulas misses.
Suulas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bennett is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Suulas.
Bennett feints and then cracks Suulas's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Suulas down.
Bennett doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Suulas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bennett swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Suulas slips a jab and a cross from Bennett.
Suulas avoids the head kick by Bennett.
Bennett swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Suulas scores with a hook to the body. Bennett takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Suulas lands a nice hook to Bennett's body. Bennett takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Bennett throws the left hand but Suulas avoids the punch easily.
A swing and a miss from Suulas.

Suulas changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Bennett looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Bennett is trying to get back to half guard.
Suulas controlling the position from side mount.
Bennett is not content to let Suulas control the position.
Bennett is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Suulas wants to stand but Bennett is controlling his arm.
Bennett tries to improve position but can't.
Bennett wants to control but Suulas postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bennett scores with a jab to the head.
Suulas misses with a body kick.
Suulas swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Bennett counters with a nice low kick that buckles Suulas's knee momentarily.
Suulas shoots in and drives through. Bennett sprawls well.
Bennett connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Suulas tries to clinch there but Bennett circles away.
Bennett doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Suulas holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suulas tries to work over Bennett's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Suulas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Suulas dodges an elbow strike from Bennett.
Bennett working aggressively here.
Suulas works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nice body punch from Suulas - that landed with a thud.
Bennett has a couple of punches blocked by Suulas.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bennett.
Bennett blocks a body shot from Suulas.
Suulas lands with a right to the head.
Suulas prevents the takedown attempt.
Bennett is breathing heavily.
Bennett wants to break free but Suulas has control.
Bennett swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Suulas blocks the elbow strike.
Bennett misses with a knee to the head.
Suulas tries for a takedown. No joy.
Bennett misses with a knee strike.
Bennett creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Suulas lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Bennett or not.
A right handed body shot lands from Suulas.
Suulas lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bennett tries to break the clinch but Suulas is controlling the position.
Bennett tries to land knees in the clinch but Suulas avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bennett throws an elbow but it misses.
Suulas presses Bennett against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Bennett swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bennett throws a punch but it's blocked by Suulas.
A short body shot lands from Suulas as the two fighters clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Suulas creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Suulas lands with a short shot to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bennett.
Suulas works on Bennett's body with a couple of short punches.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Bennett.
Bennett missing with knees to the body.
Suulas lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bennett backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Suulas.
Suulas lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Suulas on the inside.
Suulas lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Bennett.
Suulas wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tarmo Suulas. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Suulas turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Suulas is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Bennett will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Bennett is not content to let Suulas control the position.
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 Tarmo Suulas will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tarmo Suulas's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Suulas swats away the attempt to clinch by Bennett.
Suulas throws a front kick that sends Bennett stumbling back into the cage.
Suulas throws a leg kick
and Bennett counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Suulas takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
A nice leg kick lands there from Suulas.
Suulas swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Bennett counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Suulas!
Bennett working the ground and pound effectively.
Bennett thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Suulas keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennett misses with a head shot.
Bennett thowing shots but they're missing.
Suulas working to try and regain half guard.
Suulas suckers Bennett into throwing a sloppy strike and uses the momentum to reverse the position beautifully! Suulas is now in Bennett's guard!
Suulas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bennett working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bennett tries to clinch but Suulas moves away
and Suulas counters with a left to the body.
Bennett tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Suulas tries to clinch but Bennett moves out of range.
Suulas will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Suulas looks to land a combination but Bennett avoids it well.
Bennett throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Bennett lands a nice looking body shot.
Bennett takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bennett. Suulas does a little dance to reset his feet.
Suulas misses with a kick to the body
and Bennett counters with a nice leg kick.

Suulas takes the fight into the clinch.
Suulas is leaning against Bennett and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Suulas lands a right hand.
Bennett gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Suulas.

Bennett has hold of one of Suulas's legs. Suulas is fighting the takedown attempt but Bennett gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suulas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Suulas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bennett is one step ahead there.
Tarmo Suulas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bennett thows a big elbow that misses.
Suulas 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.

Suulas kicks Bennett off and gets to his feet.
Tarmo Suulas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bennett throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Bennett gets caught flat footed, as Suulas shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bennett is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Suulas pushes down on Bennett's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Bennett trying to hold on to Suulas's head to control him but Suulas postures up.
Mike Bennett has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Suulas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bennett tries to roll over but Suulas keeps him under control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Bennett comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Suulas 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tarmo Suulas!