PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Judah Benjamin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benjamin's entrance music is lions sleeps tonight. A fine choice. Smith has chosen You've Seen the Butcher as his entrance music. Judah Benjamin had a look across the ring there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Benjamin
vs
Smith

189 cm
37
276 lbs
22 - 14 - 0

193 cm
26
250 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
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 22 - 14 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Judah Benjamin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leon Smith!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benjamin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Smith pinned against the ropes. Smith gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Benjamin rushes Smith and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Smith has Benjamin pressed against the ropes.
Smith wants to break free but Benjamin has control.
Benjamin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Smith tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Benjamin avoids it.
Benjamin managing to block the knees to the body from Smith.
Smith is trying to drag Benjamin to the mat but Benjamin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Benjamin keeps control of Smith as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Benjamin is trying to drag Smith to the mat but Smith just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Judah Benjamin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benjamin tries for a takedown but Smith manages to get underhooks.

Smith has Benjamin pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Smith pulls back from the ropes and twists to the side, sending Benjamin tumbling to the mat - Smith dives into Benjamin's guard.
Benjamin wants to stand but Smith is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benjamin keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith throws a strike but Benjamin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Benjamin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith 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.
Benjamin trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Benjamin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Smith tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Smith looking to control.
Benjamin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Benjamin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Benjamin preventing the sweep.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Smith is on top in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Benjamin wants to stand and escape but Smith is having none of it.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Smith advances to half guard.
Smith thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to control. Benjamin wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ground and pound from Smith.
Smith is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Smith tries to pass to full mount but Benjamin defends it.
Smith sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Benjamin defending well though.
Smith trying to control the action but Benjamin is working from the bottom.
Smith might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Benjamin haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Nice strikes from Smith there.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Benjamin looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Benjamin defending well though.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benjamin keeps working.
Benjamin wants to get back to his feet.
Smith missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith stops Benjamin from getting back to his feet.
Smith lands strikes from half guard.
Smith stalling.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith trying to control from half guard but Benjamin is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Smith shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Benjamin pinned against the ropes. Benjamin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Smith bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Smith shoots in for a double leg but Benjamin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Smith is trying hard to land a takedown here. Benjamin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Judah Benjamin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Smith.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Benjamin is defended easily by Smith.
Benjamin tries to clinch up.
Benjamin closes the distance looking to clinch
and Smith counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Judah Benjamin has been cut.
Benjamin wants to clinch but Smith slips to the side
and Smith counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Benjamin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith shoots in and gets a takedown into Benjamin's guard.
Benjamin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Smith is standing up over Benjamin. Benjamin looks to escape but Smith dives into side control.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Benjamin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Benjamin wants to get back to his feet but Smith drags him back down.
Smith misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Smith has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Smith sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Benjamin is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Smith tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control the position but Benjamin is working away.
Leon Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Benjamin dodges the ground and pound from Smith.
Smith throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Smith goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Benjamin has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Smith but great work by Benjamin.
Benjamin scoring with punches from side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benjamin trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Benjamin slips a nice elbow through Smith's hands, connecting with Smith's forehead.
Smith wants to get back to full guard.

Smith is defending against the submission attempts here by Benjamin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Smith is refusing to be controlled, as Benjamin sits in half guard.

Benjamin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Smith gets back to full guard.
Smith manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Benjamin manages to get himself to full guard.
Smith trying to control but Benjamin is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Benjamin wants to get back to his feet but Smith is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Smith with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smith prevents Benjamin from getting back to his feet.
Smith throws a big right hand that misses.
Benjamin wants to stand and escape but Smith is having none of it.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Benjamin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Smith is trying to keep Benjamin in close.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benjamin trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Judah Benjamin's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A punch lands to the side of Benjamin 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Benjamin gets a clinch.
Smith missing with knees to the body.
Smith trying to control the position but instead, Benjamin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Smith into the ropes.
Smith misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Benjamin.
Benjamin can't get the takedown.
Smith misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Benjamin.
Smith trying to land knees to the body.
Benjamin avoiding damage as Smith throws knees to the body.
Smith is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Smith's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Smith changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Benjamin tries to avoid it but Smith manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Benjamin to the ground. Benjamin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Smith bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Benjamin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Benjamin bucks up and tries to throw Smith off but instead Smith has got his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith cracks Benjamin with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Benjamin from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Smith has Benjamin flattened out and is raining down punches.
Smith punishes Benjamin with strikes from the back mount.
Benjamin grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Smith somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Benjamin controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith scores with punches from the back.
Smith throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Benjamin!
Smith misses with a punch to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with punches from the back.
Smith punches Benjamin on the ear.
Smith misses with punches from the back.
Benjamin trying to get back to his feet but Smith is in full control for now.
Smith missing with strikes from the back.
Benjamin covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.

Judah Benjamin's cut is getting worse.
Benjamin is trying to get back to his feet but Smith has full control of the position and if anything, Benjamin has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Can Benjamin hold on?! Smith is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.

Judah Benjamin's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Even with his hooks in, Smith manages to miss with strikes from the back.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Smith. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Benjamin trying to get back to his feet but Smith is in full control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Benjamin knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Benjamin for a finish.
Smith missing with strikes from the back.
Benjamin controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Benjamin avoids the strikes from Smith.

Smith looking for the choke but no joy.
Benjamin trying to get back to his feet but Smith is in full control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is landing with strikes. Benjamin can't take much more of this.
Benjamin looking very determined here, making life difficult for Smith.
Smith misses with an elbow to the head.
Judah Benjamin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Benjamin staying busy and making it hard for Smith to control.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Smith struggling to land strikes to the head as Benjamin covers up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Benjamin looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith looking to soften up his opponent with punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leon Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Smith has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight for Leon Smith!
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight for Leon Smith!
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight for Leon Smith!

Leon Smith wins by unanimous decision!
After winning the bout, Leon Smith thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.