PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dominick Benavidez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cyrille Chateau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benavidez comes to the cage accompanied by Kill Rock n roll-System of a down. Cyrille Chateau is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Benavidez
vs
Chateau

200 cm
25
255 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

205 cm
19
260 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dominick Benavidez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Cyrille Chateau!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Radbod Blank and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chateau throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Benavidez's waist but Benavidez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Chateau off to one side.
Benavidez looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Chateau shoots in for a takedown but Benavidez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Benavidez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Chateau.
Dominick Benavidez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cyrille Chateau.
Benavidez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Chateau counters with a nice low kick that buckles Benavidez's knee momentarily.
Benavidez leaves Chateau with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Chateau tries to keep at a distance but Benavidez has taken the fight into the clinch.
Benavidez throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Chateau blocks it with crossed arms.
Chateau tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Benavidez smiles and moves away.
Chateau tries to clinch there but Benavidez circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Chateau looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benavidez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Chateau tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Benavidez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Benavidez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Chateau pulls guard.
Chateau is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Chateau is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Chateau fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Chateau pulls Benavidez into guard.

Chateau has his foot on Benavidez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Benavidez works his way back into a safe position though.

Chateau looking for a guillotine here but Benavidez defends easily.
Benavidez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Chateau is proving hard to escape from.
Chateau is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benavidez looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Chateau pushes past his half guard into mount!
Benavidez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Chateau on the ground.
Benavidez is in all sorts of trouble here.
Benavidez is working hard here to advance position.
Chateau wants to control the pace but Benavidez is squirming around nicely.
Benavidez is trying to escape the mount.
Benavidez looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Benavidez right now.
Chateau has good solid back control here.
Chateau is hanging on to Benavidez's back as he tries to escape.
Can Benavidez hold on?! Chateau is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
You can see the frustration on Benavidez's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Benavidez avoids the strikes from Chateau.
Chateau biding his time, controlling Benavidez.
Benavidez breaks Chateau's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Benavidez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Chateau pushes Benavidez off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Benavidez wants to clinch.
Benavidez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Chateau counters with a left to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyrille Chateau dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Benavidez tries to clinch but Chateau moves away
and Chateau counters with a good low kick that Benavidez was not able to check.
Dominick Benavidez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chateau shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Benavidez looks to clinch
and Chateau counters with a nice leg kick.
Chateau tries to close the distance and clinch but Benavidez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Benavidez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Chateau.
Benavidez moves to clinch but Chateau breaks away
and Chateau counters with a nice body shot.
Chateau fails with the takedown.
Dominick Benavidez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cyrille Chateau.
Benavidez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Benavidez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Chateau manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benavidez blocks a low kick nicely.
Dominick Benavidez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Benavidez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Chateau makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Benavidez really felt that one!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Chateau moves in looking to clinch but Benavidez pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benavidez tries to clinch up.

Benavidez moves into the clinch.
Chateau tries to circle away but Benavidez has him pinned against the cage.
Benavidez landing knees to the body.
Benavidez lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Benavidez breaks from the clinch.
Benavidez looks to clinch
and Chateau connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Benavidez tries to clinch up

and Chateau counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Chateau.

Benavidez working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Chateau has passed into half guard!
Chateau seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Benavidez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Chateau connects with a nice short shot to Benavidez's temple.

Benavidez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benavidez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Chateau wants to control but Benavidez is keeping him busy.
Benavidez blocking the ground and pound attempt from Chateau.

Benavidez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Chateau pulls his head out easily.

Benavidez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Chateau pulls his head out easily.
Chateau is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Chateau wants to control the pace but Benavidez is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez gets back to half guard.
Chateau wants to take a breather but Benavidez is having none of it.

Benavidez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Benavidez looking for submissions off his back.
Benavidez is not content to let Chateau control the position.

Benavidez looking for submissions off his back.

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.

Benavidez looking for submissions off his back.

Chateau decides to stand up.
Benavidez tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Chateau counters by moving into the clinch.

Chateau manages to pull guard.
Benavidez wants to get up but he can't break Chateau's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Benavidez wants to stand and escape but instead Chateau has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyrille Chateau 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! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Chateau circles away from the clinch attempt
and Chateau finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Benavidez looks to clinch

and Chateau counters by clinching up.
Chateau wants a takedown but no success here.
Benavidez lands a knee to the head.
Benavidez misses with an elbow strike.
Chateau content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Chateau tries to pull guard but Benavidez won't allow it.
Benavidez creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Benavidez misses with a knee strike.
Chateau looking to throw knees to the head but Benavidez is blocking nicely.

Chateau jumps guard and drags Benavidez to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Cyrille Chateau has got the better of the ground game so far.
Benavidez wants to get up but he can't break Chateau's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Benavidez postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chateau has a closed guard, preventing Benavidez from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benavidez wants to stand and escape but instead Chateau has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Benavidez has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Chateau 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 Benavidez.

Chateau stands up.
Chateau circles away from the clinch attempt.
Chateau throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Benavidez's waist but Benavidez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Chateau off to one side.
Dominick Benavidez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cyrille Chateau.
A head kick from Benavidez lands but Chateau takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Chateau counters with a nice double leg into side control. Benavidez won't be happy with that.
Benavidez tries to improve position but can't.
Chateau wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benavidez keeps working.
Chateau gets to mount! Benavidez was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Benavidez on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Benavidez tries to get out of the position.
Benavidez looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Benavidez looking very determined here, making life difficult for Chateau.
You can see the frustration on Benavidez's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Chateau looking to control but Benavidez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Benavidez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Chateau fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Benavidez is desperately trying to improve his position but Chateau has a good base and remains in mount.
Benavidez gets back to half guard.

Benavidez looking for subs from the bottom but Chateau mounts him!
Benavidez working to try and regain half guard.

Chateau is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Benavidez is surviving well by controlling Chateau's body position as best he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chateau trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Benavidez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Chateau tries to control but Benavidez wriggling away.
Benavidez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Benavidez taking shots to the head.
Benavidez sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Benavidez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Dominick Benavidez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cyrille Chateau is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Benavidez misses with some strikes from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cyrille Chateau comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Chateau 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cyrille Chateau!