PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Richard Bennett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rockson Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rua has chosen Travis Barker Remix Soulja Boy as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Bennett
vs
Rua

180 cm
26
198 lbs
18 - 9 - 1

186 cm
24
183 lbs
5 - 1 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hellbent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Richard Bennett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rockson Rua!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bennett moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Bennett tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from Bennett.
Rua thumps Bennett with a low kick.
Bennett fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bennett misses with a body shot.
Bennett keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bennett throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Bennett misses with a body shot
and Rua counters with a one-two to the body.
A big right from Rua misses.
Rua bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rua looks to land a right hand but Bennett moved out of range.
Rua misses with a body shot.
Rua swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rua walks into a left hand.
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!
Bennett tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bennett avoids the head kick by Rua.
Rua scores with a kick to the body.
Bennett misses with a body shot.
Nice jab there from Rua.
Richard Bennett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua misses with an uppercut. Bennett saw that one coming.
Bennett closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Bennett blocks the body kick.
Bennett on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Rua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bennett fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Rua checks it well.
Bennett misses with a wild combination.
Rua waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bennett.

Bennett closes the distance and clinches.
Rua blocking some punches.
Rua's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Good body shot from Rua.
Rua struggles to land a body shot inside as Bennett controls his hands.
Bennett is trying to stall.
Bennett is struggling to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bennett is keeping busy.
Bennett misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rua has a couple of punches blocked by Bennett.
Bennett creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rua's defenses.
Bennett takes an elbow to the forehead.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua throws a head punch that misses.
Bennett tries to work over Rua's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bennett misses with a body punch.

Rua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bennett is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Bennett throws a head kick but Rua moves out of range.
Bennett throws a head kick that misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Bennett, as that shot connected.
Bennett throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Rua counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bennett displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rua throws out the jab.
Rua defending well as Bennett loads up on a big left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennett pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rua is out of range and Bennett settles back down.
Bennett takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Bennett throws out a loose jab but Rua uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rua throws a right hand that misses
and Bennett cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bennett throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Bennett throws an overhand right that lands on Rua's shoulder, as Rua tries to avoid the shot.
Bennett swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Bennett throws a head kick that misses
and Rua counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bennett thinking.
Rua connects with a body shot.
Bennett tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rua connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Rua throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Rua fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bennett has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Rua does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Bennett is looking to clinch but Rua is avoiding it.
Rua misses with a straight right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Bennett misses.
Rua throws a low kick but it's checked well by Bennett.
Rua looks to throw the jab but Bennett is out of range.
Rua staying out of range there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rua uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bennett.
Good shot there by Bennett.
Rua misses the jab.
Rua throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Rua will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rua staying out of range there.
Bennett throws a lazy right hand but Rua sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bennett throws a body kick the misses
and Bennett takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rua ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bennett moves away.
Rua throws a looping overhand right but Bennett ducks down to avoid it.
Rua throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rockson Rua will probably get the nod.
That's time! Bennett's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bennett scores with a jab to the jaw.
Rua checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Rua swats away the attempt to clinch by Bennett.
Bennett looks to land a right hand but Rua moved out of range.
Rua bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Bennett digs a good hook to Rua's body.
Bennett has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Rua throws a right hand that Bennett ducks under and follows up with a left that Bennett also avoids with ease.
Bennett moves out of range of the strikes.
Rua throws a jab when Bennett was well out of range.
Rockson Rua seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A good leg kick by Rua.
Bennett takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rua missing with a left hand there. Bennett was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bennett is looking to chop away at Rua's legs.
Bennett throws a head kick but Rua moves out of range.
Bennett takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Bennett swings widly with a right hand
and Rua counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Rua.
Rua blocks a head kick by Bennett.
Bennett moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Bennett uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rua.
Rua takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Rua throws a looping overhand right but Bennett ducks down to avoid it.
Nice jab there from Bennett.
Rua is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rua wants to slow Bennett down by chopping away at his legs.
Bennett takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Bennett throws a head kick that misses.
Rua throws a jab but it's blocked by Bennett.
Bennett pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
The fighters circling - Rua throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Rua throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bennett takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Bennett throws a low kick but Rua avoids it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A swing and a miss from Rua.
Bennett is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Rua takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Bennett throws a head kick that misses.
Rua throws a jab when Bennett was well out of range.
Bennett dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rua. That did some damage!
Rua throws a lazy uppercut
and Bennett counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Rua.
Rua throws a big shot that misses.
Bennett with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Bennett slips a straight right by Rua.
Rua rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennett takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Rua fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Bennett looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Bennett has Rua up against the cage in a clinch.
Rua cracks Bennett with a nice body shot.
Bennett leaning his opponent against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bennett.
Bennett has a couple of punches blocked by Rua.
Bennett stalling.
Nice body punch from Bennett - that landed with a thud.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bennett.
Rua misses with a knee strike.
Rua is trying to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rua misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rua blocks a body shot from Bennett.
Rua lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rua is looking to control Bennett's arms but Bennett gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rua has his back to the cage.
Rua landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rua.
Rua lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rua stalling in the clinch but Bennett improves position.
Rua misses with an elbow strike.
Rua blocks a body shot from Bennett.
Rockson Rua seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Bennett has Rua pressed against the cage, preventing Rua from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Bennett takes an elbow to the forehead.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bennett struggles to land a body shot inside as Rua controls his hands.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Bennett tries to work over Rua's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bennett landing some nice looking knees to the body.
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 Richard Bennett will probably get the nod.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bennett lands a nice shot to the body.
Rua jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Bennett looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A big right from Bennett misses.
Bennett throws a body punch but Rua moves out of range.
Rua tries to bum rush Bennett with a series of wild strikes but Bennett uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice shot lands for Rua.
Nice straight punches there by Bennett. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Bennett.
Bennett ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rua checks a leg kick.
Rua works the jab nicely.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Bennett, right into the meat.
Bennett tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rua was well out of range. Poor timing from Bennett.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Bennett lands a jab to Rua's midsection.
Rua throws a hook to the side of Bennett's head but Bennett sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Bennett. Those never looked like landing.
Bennett ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bennett throws a leg kick which misses Rua's front leg but catches the back leg as Rua tries to avoid it.
Bennett misses with a body kick.
Bennett swings widly with a right hand
and Bennett takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bennett wants to clinch up but Rua keeps it at a distance.
Bennett looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Bennett slips under a jab from Rua.
A jab from Bennett does it's job there.
Rua misses with a hook.
Bennett misses with a low kick.
A left lands for Bennett.
Bennett tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rua manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rua shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Bennett connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bennett throws a lazy head kick
enabling Rua to counter with a crisp jab.
A solid leg kick lands there for Bennett.
Rua waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bennett.
Rua tries to clinch there but Bennett circles away.
Rua thows a body shot but no joy.
Bennett connects with an inside leg kick.
Bennett is looking to score with low kicks.
Rua throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bennett sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Bennett ducks under a wild hook from Rua.
Bennett is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rua.
Rua avoids the head kick by Bennett.
A head kick from Rua lands but Bennett takes it in his stride.
Bennett keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rua.
Rua takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A swing and a miss from Rua.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennett feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Ruas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Jab by Rua.
Both fighters circling a little - Rua finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Rua dips to his left and cracks Bennett with an uppercut!
Bennett avoids the body shot from Rua.
Rua catches Bennett with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rua looks to land a right hand but Bennett moved out of range.
Rua looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bennett avoids the body shot from Rua.
Bennett uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rua.
Rua swings for the body but Bennett moves out of range.
Bennett misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rua.
Rua throws the left hand but Bennett avoids the punch easily.
Rua throws a big shot that misses.
Bennett throws a head kick but Rua moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Rua blocks the low kick.
Rua is looking to land body kicks.
Bennett avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bennett moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Bennett moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bennett takes a swing at Rua's ribcage but misses.
Bennett misses with a low kick.
Rua paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Rua checks a leg kick.
A lazy left from Rua finds it's target.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bennett takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bennett throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richard Bennett showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Bennett has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Richard Bennett!
A very excited looking Richard Bennett rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.