PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Benson Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Cairo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Cairo has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Benson Henderson's chin.

Henderson
vs
Cairo

175 cm
23
159 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

170 cm
23
155 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Granite chin

BLKOUT CLothing 93% Laundry

Steel Terror-Trition: Video Proven 160Q

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Benson Henderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, John Cairo!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henderson tries to clinch there but Cairo circles away.
Henderson looks to clinch

and Cairo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Henderson is trying to control but can't.

Cairo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Henderson sees it coming and defends easily.
Cairo looks to land a strike but Henderson avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Cairo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Henderson keeping moving, preventing Cairo from controlling successfully.
Cairo controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cairo is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cairo postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Henderson wants to get back to his feet but Cairo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Cairo drops back looking for a leg! Henderson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Henderson manages to kick Cairo off! Cairo jumps back into Henderson's guard.
Cairo looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cairo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cairo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cairo throws a big elbow that misses.
Cairo prevents Henderson from getting back to his feet.
Cairo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Henderson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cairo trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cairo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Henderson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cairo.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cairo throwing strikes but missing.
Henderson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cairo on the ground.
Cairo passes into half guard.
Cairo wants to take a breather but Henderson is having none of it.

Henderson pushes Cairo off and gets back to his feet.
Henderson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cairo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Henderson as Cairo shoots in.
Henderson wants to clinch but Cairo slips to the side

and Cairo counters with a takedown into side control.
Henderson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cairo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cairo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Henderson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Cairo goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Henderson has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Cairo but great work by Henderson.

Henderson decides to stand back up. Henderson steps back and let's Cairo get back to his feet.
Henderson tries to clinch but Cairo is having none of it.

Henderson has closed the distance and engaged Cairo in a clinch.
Cairo managing to block the knees to the body from Henderson.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Henderson manages to break the clinch.
Cairo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cairo dives in and grabs Henderson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Henderson pushes down on Cairo's head and hops out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Henderson doesn't manage to clinch there - Cairo circles away.

Henderson closes the distance and clinches.

Henderson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cairo shoots for a double leg takedown but Henderson sprawls well. He's pushed Cairo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Henderson wants to clinch but Cairo slips to the side

and Cairo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Cairo passes into half guard.

Cairo is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Henderson has managed to free his arm - good work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cairo trying to control the action but Henderson is working from the bottom.

Cairo looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Cairo is trying to control. Henderson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cairo wants to pass to mount but Henderson is defending the position.
Cairo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cairo seems to be working for a kimura but Henderson defends the submission attempt.

Cairo seems to be working for a kimura but Henderson defends the submission attempt.
Cairo stops Henderson from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cairo is trying to control the action in half guard but Henderson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Cairo is working for a submission of some sort.
Henderson is trying to stand up here but Cairo is controlling him well.
Cairo looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Cairo seems to be looking for submissions.

Cairo looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cairo is looking for a kimura but Henderson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cairo to get the leverage.

Cairo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cairo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Cairo prevents Henderson from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Cairo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Henderson moves in looking to clinch but Cairo pushes him off.
Henderson tries to clinch there but Cairo circles away.
Henderson closes the distance but Cairo moves to the side

and Cairo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Henderson's guard.
Cairo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Cairo throws a big right hand that misses.
Henderson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Cairo drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Cairo seems to have locked his on tight now - Henderson screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Cairo, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). John Cairo!
After the big win, John Cairo made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Steel Penn's Laundry 93% and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.