PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jim Bentiels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rickard Franzen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Jim Bentiels has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Bentiels
vs
Franzen

186 cm
18
212 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
21
195 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Machine Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jim Bentiels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rickard Franzen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bentiels tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franzen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bentiels is looking to clinch but Franzen is avoiding it.
Bentiels throws a nice looking combination but Franzen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bentiels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bentiels takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Franzen avoids the body shot from Bentiels.
Bentiels misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bentiels throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Franzen.
Jim Bentiels seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bentiels tries to clinch there but Franzen circles away.
Bentiels tries to clinch there but Franzen circles away.
Bentiels scores with a shot to the body.
Franzen finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Bentiels throws a nice looking combination but Franzen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bentiels scores with a head kick. Franzen tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Bentiels tries to close the distance and clinch but Franzen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Franzen closes the distance and clinches.
Bentiels blocks an uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Franzen takes a knee right on the jaw!
Franzen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Knees to the body from Bentiels.
Bentiels creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bentiels throws a punch but it's blocked by Franzen.
Franzen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Bentiels tries to throw a body punch but Franzen avoids it by throwing Bentiels back against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Franzen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Bentiels's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Franzen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Franzen is struggling to control the position.
Bentiels unloads a knee to the mid-section. Franzen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Bentiels stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Bentiels pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Bentiels misses with a punch to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Franzen's face as he tries to break the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Franzen manages to break the clinch.
Franzen ducks under a wild hook from Bentiels.
Bentiels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bentiels is breathing heavily.
Franzen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bentiels misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bentiels misses the shot to the body.
Franzen lands a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bentiels steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Franzen. That one must have hurt.

Franzen shoots in and gets a takedown into Bentiels's guard.
Bentiels is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Pro Pain Gym that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Franzen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Bentiels has momentary wrist control but Franzen slips an elbow through the middle.
Franzen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Franzen chips away with some ground and pound.
Franzen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bentiels wants to stand but Franzen is controlling the position.
Franzen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Franzen won't allow Bentiels to get back to his feet.
Franzen controlling from the top position.
Bentiels is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Franzen dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franzen working the ground and pound from side control.
Franzen controlling from side mount.
Franzen cracks Bentiels with a big elbow.
Bentiels knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Franzen on the ground.
Bentiels takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Franzen in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Franzen in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Bentiels is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Franzen landing a few strikes.
Franzen lands a nice forearm strike.
Franzen scores with a couple of short elbows.

Bentiels bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Bentiels keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A little feinted left hand from Bentiels on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Jim Bentiels is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bentiels slips under a jab from Franzen.
Bentiels takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Franzen slips a jab and a cross from Bentiels.
Franzen takes a kick to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Franzen scores with a jab. Bentiels acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Franzen misses with a looping right.
Bentiels keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Franzen.
Franzen cracks Bentiels with a good jab.
Franzen catches Bentiels with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Bentiels misses with a jab, cross combination.
Franzen swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Bentiels tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Franzen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Franzen slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Franzen looks to throw the jab but Bentiels is out of range.
Bentiels lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Bentiels.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bentiels moves in looking to clinch but Franzen pushes him off.
Franzen has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Bentiels fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Franzen checks it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rickard Franzen will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Franzen cracks Bentiels with an open hand slap.
Bentiels thows a body kick. Franzen tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Franzen cracks Bentiels with a good jab.
Bentiels walks into a jab.
Franzen avoids the head kick by Bentiels.
Franzen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bentiels throws a head kick that misses
and Franzen counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Franzen throws a sloppy head kick and Bentiels moves out of range easily.
Bentiels has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Bentiels there as he acknowledges the shot.
Franzen sizes up Bentiels with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Bentiels misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Franzen tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Bentiels looks to land a left hand but Franzen moved out of range nicely.
Jim Bentiels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bentiels tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Franzen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Bentiels throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Franzen moves out of range as Bentiels throws a body kick.
Franzen throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bentiels throws a head kick but Franzen moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Bentiels.
Bentiels misses with a head kick.
Franzen cracks Bentiels with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Franzen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Bentiels looks to land a body kick but Franzen moved away.
Franzen scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Franzen, right into the meat.
Rickard Franzen seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Franzen forces Bentiels back against the cage and clinches.
Bentiels lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Bentiels tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Franzen's elbow.
Bentiels trying to land knees to the body.
Franzen pushes off an throws an elbow but Bentiels leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Bentiels trying to land knees to the body.
Bentiels tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Franzen avoids it.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Franzen. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Franzen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bentiels's elbow.
Franzen looking to throw knees to the head but Bentiels is blocking nicely.
Bentiels tries a knee to the head but Franzen blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franzen trying to land knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Franzen breaks from the clinch.
Franzen lands a glancing blow to the side of Bentiels's head.

Franzen has managed to clinch.
Franzen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Franzen scores a nice knee to the body.
Franzen tries a knee to the head but Bentiels blocks it.
Franzen cracks Bentiels with a nice body shot.
Franzen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rickard Franzen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Bentiels blocks an elbow strike.
Bentiels blocks an elbow strike from Franzen.
Franzen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bentiels.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Franzen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Franzen holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Franzen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Franzen just misses with a elbow thrown towards Bentiels's brow.
Bentiels tries to work over Franzen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franzen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Bentiels struggles to land a body shot inside as Franzen controls his hands.
Franzen tries a knee to the head but Bentiels blocks it.
Bentiels creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Bentiels throws a knee to the head but misses.
Bentiels dodges an elbow strike from Franzen.
Bentiels tries to land knees in the clinch but Franzen avoids the damage to the body.
Franzen scores with a shot to the side of Bentiels's head.
Bentiels is trying to push Franzen away but Franzen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Franzen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Franzen moves away from the strike by Bentiels.
Franzen throws a series of punches but Bentiels avoids them all with ease.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Franzen.
Bentiels takes one to the side of the head.
Franzen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Franzen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Bentiels closes the distance looking to clinch
and Franzen counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Bentiels is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bentiels moves in looking to clinch but Franzen pushes him off.
It seemed like Franzen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Franzen uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Bentiels displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Franzen throws out the jab.

Franzen moves into the clinch.
Franzen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bentiels's efforts to push away.
Bentiels takes a shot to the head.
Franzen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Franzen has Bentiels pressed against the cage.
A short right from Franzen.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Bentiels lands a nice knee to the body.
Franzen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bentielss head.
Franzen throws a punch but it's blocked by Bentiels.

Franzen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Franzen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
As Franzen tries to get set, Bentiels tries to push him back and clinch up but Franzen manages to avoid the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rickard Franzen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Bentiels's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Bentiels moves in looking to clinch but Franzen pushes him off.
Good work by Franzen as he checks the leg kick.
Franzen paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Bentiels tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Franzen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Franzen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A bone on bone clash there as Franzen blocks the leg kick.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Franzen.
Bentiels lands a two punch combo.
Franzen throws a quick inside leg kick.
Bentiels wants to clinch.
Bentiels tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franzen throws a leg kick but Bentiels sees it coming and moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice uppercut there from Franzen.
Bentiels on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Bentiels is looking to clinch.
A cross from Franzen lands.
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!
Bentiels pivots, looking for a leg kick but Franzen is out of range and Bentiels settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Franzen.
Franzen wants to land a leg kick but Bentiels is out of range.
Bentiels looks to throw the jab but Franzen is out of range.
Bentiels gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Franzen.
Franzen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Bentiels has time to react.
Bentiels misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A nice side step and Franzen releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
No joy there for Bentiels, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Franzen scores with a hook.
Bentiels misses the shot to the body.
Bentiels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Franzen forces Bentiels back against the cage and clinches.
Franzen lands with a left to the head.
Franzen lands a body punch.
Franzen lands a hook that snaps the head of Bentiels backwards.
Bentiels blocks a body shot from Franzen.
Franzen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bentiels's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bentiels lands a knee to the body.
Franzen lands an elbow inside.
Bentiels with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Franzen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Good shot there by Franzen.
Franzen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Bentiels on the side of the head.
Franzen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bentiels. That did some damage!
Franzen connects with a body shot that sends Bentiels's belly button to the back.
Bentiels will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Franzen is looking for the big counter here.
Franzen lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Franzen connects with a leg kick. Bentiels looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Franzen tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bentiels defends well and Franzen ends up having to push Bentiels into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Franzen swats away the attempt to clinch by Bentiels.
It seemed like Franzen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Bentiels moves forwards but Franzen connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Franzen takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franzen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bentiels defends it nicely.

Bentiels gets tackled into the cage by Franzen. Franzen maintains the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Bentiels throws an elbow but misses.
Franzen misses with a punch on the inside.
Rickard Franzen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bentiels tries to land knees in the clinch but Franzen avoids the damage to the body.
Franzen lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Bentiels.
Bentiels blocks an elbow strike.
Franzen tries to land a knee to the head but Bentiels blocks with his arms.
Bentiels fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bentiels being controlled against the cage.
Franzen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franzen working aggressively here.
Bentiels avoiding damage as Franzen throws knees to the body.
Franzen stalling.
A short right from Franzen.
Bentiels wants to get back to striking at distance but Franzen won't allow it.

Franzen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bentiels misses with a wild combination.
Bentiels avoids the head kick by Franzen.
Franzen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Bentiels has time to react.
Bentiels is looking to slow Franzen down with leg kicks.
Bentiels fails in his attempt to clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bentiels lands the left hand.
Franzen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Franzen connects with a jab.
Jim Bentiels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bentiels looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Franzen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bentiels is out of range and Franzen settles back down.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rickard Franzen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Franzen 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rickard Franzen!
Our winner, Rickard Franzen, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.