PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Caleb Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Benson (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.

Thomas
vs
Benson

180 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

188 cm
25
275 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Caleb Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mark Benson!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Winston Alpacca and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thomas lands a big head kick that sends Benson tumbling to the mat! Thomas takes a step backwards and waves Benson back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Mark Benson has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Benson is defended easily by Thomas.
Thomas shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Benson defends it nicely.
Thomas stalks Benson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Benson's face. Benson staggers backwards, shaken.

Benson shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Thomas napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Benson sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Thomas is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Thomas tries to escape but Benson is in control.
Benson works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Thomas is trying to improve his position.

Benson decides to stand back up. Benson steps back and let's Thomas get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Benson decides to stand back up. Benson steps back and let's Thomas get back to his feet.
Benson scores with a shot to the body.
Thomas tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Benson counters with a stiff right hand.
Thomas misses with a body punch
and Benson counters with a left and a right that stings Thomas.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thomas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thomas is breathing heavily.
Benson connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Thomas momentarily.

Benson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Benson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Benson cracks Thomas with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Nice sprawl there from Benson as Thomas shoots in.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thomas looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Benson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Benson lands with a punch from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benson drops an elbow to the side of Thomas's head.

Benson stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Thomas to get to his feet.

Benson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Thomas was covering up waiting for the punch and Benson finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Thomas is working an open guard so Benson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas tries to keep at a distance but Benson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Benson lands with a short shot to the head.
Thomas trying to control the position but instead, Benson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Thomas into the cage.
Thomas can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Caleb Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benson tries to circle away but Thomas has him pinned against the cage.
Benson should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Benson turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Benson manages to end up in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Benson controlling the position.
Benson is chipping away with strikes.

Benson stands up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Benson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Thomas did well to prevent Benson getting side control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Benson stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Thomas to get to his feet.
A combination from Benson does no damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Benson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mark Benson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Thomas fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Benson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Thomas to the ground. Benson is now in Thomas's guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Benson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Benson stands up and waves to Thomas to follow him.

Benson gets a double leg takedown into Thomas's guard.
Benson is stalling in the full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benson preventing the sweep.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Thomas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benson stands and steps away. Thomas gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Thomas throws a head kick that misses.
Caleb Thomas is winning the standup battle so far.

Benson clinches up with Thomas and pushes him back against the cage.
Benson is trying to break the clinch but Thomas is controlling him.
Thomas has had enough of the clinch but Benson keeps him there for the moment.
Thomas has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Benson after a bit of a struggle.
Benson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Benson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thomas has him pressed against the cage.
Benson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benson is trying to break free.
Benson pressing his opponent against the cage.
Thomas has had enough of the clinch but Benson keeps him there for the moment.
Benson tries to break the clinch but Thomas is controlling the position.
Benson prevents Thomas from breaking the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Benson's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Thomas tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Caleb Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Benson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Benson blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Benson breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benson scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Benson throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Thomas tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Benson is in Thomas's guard.

Benson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Benson lands a jab to the nose.
Caleb Thomas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Benson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Thomas's head.
Thomas trying to control the position.

Benson gets to his feet - Thomas follows without any prompting.
Benson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Benson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Thomas misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Thomas struggles to land a body shot inside as Benson controls his hands.
A shot in the inside from Benson.
Thomas trying to stall but Benson improves his position.

Benson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thomas throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Benson.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sloppy strikes from Benson. Those never looked like landing.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Benson.
Benson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Benson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mark Benson's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Benson lands with a nice combination. Thomas backs away looking to recover.
Thomas will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Benson works the jab nicely.
Benson digs a good hook to Thomas's body.

Benson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Thomas manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Benson lands a couple of digs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Benson stands up from Thomas's guard - Benson perhaps looking for a knockout.
Benson ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Benson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Thomas did well to prevent Benson getting side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Benson has eaten all the pies!
Benson lands a body shot.

Benson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A short uppercut from Benson.
Benson has had enough of the clinch but Thomas keeps him there for the moment.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Benson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Benson has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Thomas is trying to keep an underhook but Benson manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Thomas is trying to maintain the position but Benson is very close to passing his half guard.
Benson lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Benson stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Thomas to get to his feet.
Benson lands with a shot to the body.
Benson throws out a powerful jab.
Benson throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Thomas on the side of the head.

Thomas gets caught napping as Benson dives in and scores a takedown. Thomas manages to retain guard.
Benson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mark Benson has got the better of the ground game so far.

Benson gets to his feet - Thomas follows without any prompting.

Benson shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Benson decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benson gets a clinch.
Benson avoiding damage as Thomas throws knees to the body.
The referee is keeping an eye on Benson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Thomas tries to throw a body punch but Benson avoids it by throwing Thomas back against the cage.
Benson is trying to break free.
Come on Benson - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson tries to break free but Thomas pushes him back against the cage.
Benson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Thomas's efforts to push away.
Mark Benson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Benson is looking to break free of the clinch but Thomas has double underhooks.
Benson is trying to push Thomas away but Thomas has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thomas is looking to break free of the clinch but Benson has double underhooks.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Benson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Benson 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 David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Benson!