PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Justin Gauss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Benoit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gauss
vs
Benoit

183 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
258 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Justin Gauss!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Benoit!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Russell Pearce and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benoit blocks a head kick by Gauss.
Gauss throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Gauss moves into the clinch successfully.
Gauss is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Benoit gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Benoit escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Benoit finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Benoit will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gauss closes this distance looking for a takedown but Benoit circles away.
Benoit tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gauss swivels and escapes.
Benoit closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gauss circles away.
Justin Gauss has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Benoit.
A head kick misses from Benoit.
Gauss waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Benoit.
Benoit tries to clinch up.
Gauss has his takedown stuffed

and Benoit moves into the clinch.
Gauss is looking to break free of the clinch but Benoit has double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gauss gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Gauss manages to pull guard.
Gauss on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Gauss tries to get out of the position.
Gauss tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Benoit trying to control but Gauss is working from the bottom.
Gauss is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gauss tries to strike from the bottom.
Benoit looks gassed!
Gauss looking to control.
Gauss wants to get back to his feet but Benoit is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Benoit throws a sloppy head kick and Gauss moves out of range easily.

That's two 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.
Benoit tries to close the distance and clinch but Gauss swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Horrible takedown by Benoit or perhaps it was just good defense by Gauss which made him look bad.
Benoit misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gauss tries to close the distance and clinch up but Benoit swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gauss could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gauss tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Benoit manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gauss looks for the body kick but Benoit saw that one coming.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Benoit!

Gauss clinches up with Benoit and pushes him back against the cage.
Gauss looking for a takedown.
Benoit wants a takedown but no success here.
Benoit being controlled against the cage.

Gauss breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gauss shoots in and bounces Benoit off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Benoit keeping full guard, as Gauss tries to pass.
Gauss trying to control but Benoit is working from the bottom.
Gauss is stalling in the full guard.
Gauss would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gauss missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gauss content to stall in guard here.

We're going to have a standup here because Justin Gauss wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Benoit blocks a head kick by Gauss.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benoit avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gauss thows a body shot but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Gauss dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gauss shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Benoit is trying to defend but Gauss finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Benoit is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Benoit trying to control but Gauss postures up.
Benoit is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gauss keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit is staying active underneath Gauss, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gauss works his foot free and advances to mount.

Gauss with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
A nice elbow there by Gauss.
A nice elbow there by Gauss.
Gauss controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gauss can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Benoit is looking to escape.
Benoit tries to control Gauss's body but Gauss pushes him off. Benoit squirms to his side and now Gauss has his back!
Gauss punishes Benoit with strikes from the back mount.
Benoit prevents Gauss from getting a body triangle.

Benoit defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Gauss's arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benoit wants to control his opponent's hands but Gauss gets his hands free.
Gauss has the hooks in. Benoit is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Benoit trying to control the hands but Gauss won't let him.

Gauss is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gauss tries to get the hooks in deep but Benoit pushed the leg off.
Benoit tries to escape the position.
Gauss wants to control but Benoit is keeping busy.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
You can see the frustration on Benoit's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gauss biding his time, looking for the opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Gauss dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gauss closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gauss slows the pace down in half guard.
Benoit is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gauss's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gauss's back!
Gauss tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Gauss is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gauss really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gauss looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit controls the action.
Benoit misses with a punch to the head.

Benoit looking for the RNC.
Benoit throws a series of strikes and Gauss wriggles onto his back, so he's now mounted. He's in real trouble here.
Gauss working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Benoit tries to control but Gauss wriggling away.
Gauss is working to get back to half guard.
Gauss wants to hold on but Benoit pushes him away.

Benoit swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Gauss is now in Benoit's guard. A big mistake from Benoit there, giving up the dominant position!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gauss pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Benoit is keeping the position for now.
Gauss stops Benoit from standing up.
Gauss scoring with some ground and pound.
Gauss with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gauss with a nice head shot there.

Gauss drops back looking for a leg! Benoit is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Benoit manages to kick Gauss off! Gauss jumps back into Benoit's guard.
Gauss trying to control the position from guard on top but Benoit is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Gauss postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Benoit has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Gauss is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Benoit.
Benoit is not content to let Gauss control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Gauss showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gauss, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Gauss!