PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bubba Benton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Morris (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.

Benton
vs
Morris

205 cm
20
290 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

197 cm
27
230 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bubba Benton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paul Morris!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benton thows a body shot but no joy.
Benton misses with a few strikes there.
Benton throws a lazy uppercut
and Morris counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Benton thinking.
Morris throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Benton swings for the body but Morris moves out of range.
Morris comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Benton slaps away a takedown attempt from Morris, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Benton misses with an uppercut.
Sloppy strikes from Benton. Those never looked like landing.
Morris lands with a good body shot.
Morris jabs at Benton's body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benton misses with a series of wild punches.
Morris fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benton gets caught flat footed, as Morris shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Morris throwing strikes but missing.
Morris is working Benton over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Morris throws a big elbow that misses.
Morris trying to control the position from guard on top but Benton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morris trying to stand up but can't free himself from Benton's guard.

Benton is working an open guard so Morris takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Morris has a takedown stuffed.
Benton takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morris moves out of range as Benton strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Benton tries to bum rush Morris with a series of wild strikes but Morris uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Benton throws a poor cross that misses

and Morris counters with a single leg into guard. Benton didn't expect that.
Morris throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Morris wants to stand but Benton has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Benton is pulling down on Morris's head. It's preventing any offense from Morris, at least for the moment.
Benton wants to sweep but no luck.
Morris trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Morris trying to control but Benton is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris throwing strikes from guard but Benton blocks nicely.
Morris is looking to stand up but Benton won't let him.
Benton pulls Morris in to control the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Benton throws a right hand that Morris ducks under and follows up with a left that Morris also avoids with ease.
Morris dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Benton. That did some damage!
Nice takedown defense from Benton. No joy for Morris on that attempt.
Bubba Benton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Morris.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Morris is defended easily by Benton.
Benton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morris.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benton missing with a left hand there. Morris was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Benton throws a series of punches but Morris moves out of range.
Benton lands a jab-cross combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Morris moves into the clinch.

Benton breaks from the clinch.
Morris 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.
Benton thows a body shot but no joy.
Benton throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice defenses there by Morris.
Morris closes this distance looking for a takedown but Benton circles away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Benton throws a series of punches but Morris moves out of range.
Benton lunges at Morris with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Morris's hand.
Benton fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Morris dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Morris closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Benton quickly recovers to half guard.
Benton wants to control but Morris is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Benton holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Morris wants to stand up but Benton has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Benton is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Benton keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Benton wants to improve his position but Morris is controlling well.

We're going to have a standup here because Bubba Benton wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Benton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morris circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Morris lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Benton on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Bubba Benton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Benton misses with a looping right.
Paul Morris seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Morris blocks a jab.
Bubba Benton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morris scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Benton doesn't seem bothered though.
Benton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morris circles away quickly and effectively.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Morris closes the distance and clinches.

Morris jumps into guard, dragging Benton to the mat.

Morris has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Benton can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Benton throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Paul Morris has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benton throws a big elbow that misses.
Benton trying to control the position from guard on top but Morris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Benton throwing strikes from guard but Morris blocks nicely.

Morris is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Morris. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Benton wants to control from the top but Morris keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benton throwing strikes from guard but Morris blocks nicely.

Morris is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Benton defends well.
Benton cracks Morris with a solid left hand.

Morris is looking for a triangle but Benton pushes his legs off easily.
Benton looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Benton trying to control but Morris is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benton trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Benton is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Morris working a defensive guard here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Morris 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bubba Benton has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Benton misses with a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Morris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A shot to the liver by Benton. Beautiful body shot.
Benton scores with a body shot.
Morris throws a leg kick but Benton checks it.
Morris doesn't manage to clinch there - Benton circles away.
Benton lands a nice looking body shot.
Benton misses with a wild combination.
Morris slips under a jab.
Benton misses with a body shot.
Benton misses with a left hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Benton misses the body punch
and Morris counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Morris avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morris scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Benton is looking to control Morris's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Benton avoid being mounted?
Morris not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Benton has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Morris is working away from the top position though.
Benton gets full guard.
Morris tries to stand but Benton is controlling from the bottom.
Benton controls Morris momentarily but Morris frees himself.
Bubba Benton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morris landing some decent shots from guard.
Benton utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Morris is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Morris throws a big elbow that misses.
Morris wants to control from the top but Benton keeps moving.
Morris postures up in Benton's guard and throws a big left but Benton blocks it.
Benton is pulling down on Morris's head. It's preventing any offense from Morris, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Morris smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Morris uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Benton.
Benton throws a jab when Morris was well out of range.

Morris drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morris wants to stand but Benton is controlling his arm.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Benton wants to get back to his feet but Morris drags him back down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morris trying to control the action but Benton is working from the bottom.
Benton regains half guard.
Morris seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Benton wants to improve his position but Morris is controlling well.
Benton wants to get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morris is taking a breather. Benton says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Benton missing with punches from the bottom.
Paul Morris is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Morris working the head and body with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Morris comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Morris 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Morris!