PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Grant Benton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesse Jalkalukko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benton's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, I get Knocked Down. Jalkalukko has chosen Jordan Sparks ft. Chris Brown - No Air as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Benton
vs
Jalkalukko

180 cm
39
185 lbs
22 - 16 - 1

190 cm
44
200 lbs
33 - 37 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Grant Benton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 37 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Jesse Jalkalukko!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benton swings for the body but Jalkalukko moves out of range.
Benton jabs at Jalkalukko's body.
Benton throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A head kick by Jalkalukko misses
and Benton connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jalkalukko keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Benton.
Benton misses with an uppercut.
Benton misses with a straight right.
Benton looks to land a left hand but Jalkalukko moved out of range nicely.
Benton throws an overhand right that lands on Jalkalukko's shoulder, as Jalkalukko tries to avoid the shot.
Jalkalukko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Benton is looking to counter punch.
Jalkalukko tries for a takedown but Benton sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Jalkalukko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Benton swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benton throws an overhand right that lands on Jalkalukko's shoulder, as Jalkalukko tries to avoid the shot.
Jalkalukko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Benton.
Jalkalukko only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Benton connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Benton swings widly with a right hand
and Jalkalukko counters with an inside leg kick.

Jalkalukko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jalkalukko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Benton keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Jalkalukko tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Jalkalukko has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Benton is letting Jalkalukko control him for a moment.
Benton is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Jalkalukko is looking to take a break and control but Benton is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Jalkalukko is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Benton is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Benton parries the strikes from Jalkalukko easily there. Jalkalukko is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Benton to escape.
Benton wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
The strikes coming from Jalkalukko are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Jalkalukko tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Benton bucks up and tries to throw Jalkalukko off but instead Jalkalukko has got his back!
Benton tries to roll but Jalkalukko sticks to his back.
Benton is trapped and Jalkalukko is scoring with shots to the head and body.

Benton is having to fend off submission attempts from Jalkalukko, who is looking to sink in the choke. Jalkalukko doesn't have the hooks in though and Benton manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
Benton postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jalkalukko is controlling Benton's posture.
Jalkalukko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Benton is one step ahead there.
Jalkalukko is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Benton won't allow Jalkalukko to sweep him here.

Jalkalukko is working an open guard so Benton takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Grant Benton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A leg kick checked by Benton.
Grant Benton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jalkalukko finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Benton scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Jalkalukko gets the takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Benton dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A bone on bone clash there as Benton blocks the leg kick.
Jalkalukko 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.

Jalkalukko scores with a takedown into Benton's guard.
Jalkalukko looking to pass the guard.

Benton pushes Jalkalukko off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Benton throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Benton takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benton digs a good body shot into Jalkalukko's ribs.
Jalkalukko moves away from the strike by Benton.
Jalkalukko connects with an inside leg kick.
Benton misses with a lunging right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Jesse Jalkalukko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jalkalukko with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Benton misses with an uppercut. Jalkalukko saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton takes a swing at Jalkalukko's ribcage but misses.
Jalkalukko takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Nice sprawl there from Benton as Jalkalukko shoots in.
Benton scores with a jab to the body.
Jalkalukko throws a head kick that half lands.
Benton looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Jalkalukko needs to keep his hands up - Benton had a free shot at his head there.
Jalkalukko misses with a wild body shot.
Benton fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jalkalukko manages to avoid it.
A slow jab from Benton misses its intended target.
Grant Benton is winning the standup battle so far.
A head kick misses from Jalkalukko.
A left lands for Benton.
Jalkalukko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A decent looking cross lands there for Benton.
Jalkalukko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benton stuns Jalkalukko with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Benton throws an overhand right that lands on Jalkalukko's shoulder, as Jalkalukko tries to avoid the shot.
Jalkalukko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Benton.
A big left from Benton misses.
Jalkalukko tries to clinch but Benton is having none of it.
Jalkalukko lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Benton misses with a hook to the body
and Jalkalukko makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Benton throws a body shot but no joy.
Benton fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jalkalukko manages to avoid it.

Jalkalukko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Benton tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Jalkalukko working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The referee asks Jalkalukko politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Jalkalukko prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benton sneaks back into half guard.
Jalkalukko not doing much here.

Jalkalukko is working for a kimura but Benton is defending it quite comfortably.
Jalkalukko trying to pass the guard but Benton defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Jalkalukko not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Benton pushes Jalkalukko off and gets back to his feet.
Jalkalukko moves away from the strike by Benton.
Jalkalukko only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Benton throws a predictable looking body shot
letting Jalkalukko counter with a right hand.
A clash of legs there as Benton blocks the low kick.
Benton throwing a counter right hand but Jalkalukko manages to avoid it.
Benton swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jalkalukko avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Benton misses with a body shot.
Benton cracks Jalkalukko with an open hand slap.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Benton dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Benton throws the left hand but Jalkalukko avoids the punch easily.
Jalkalukko fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Benton has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Jalkalukko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Benton misses the shot to the body.
Jalkalukko takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A punch combination from Benton misses.
Jalkalukko appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Jalkalukko feints and then cracks Benton's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Benton down.
Jalkalukko throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Benton displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jalkalukko.
Benton lands with a good body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jalkalukko slips under a jab.
Jalkalukko appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Jalkalukko tries for a takedown but Benton sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Benton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A slapping leg kick lands for Jalkalukko.
Benton is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Jalkalukko.
Jalkalukko takes one to the chin there.
Benton misses with a double jab
and Jalkalukko makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Benton really felt that one!
Benton swings for the body but Jalkalukko moves out of range.
It seemed like Jalkalukko was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Benton looks to throw the jab but Jalkalukko is out of range.
Jalkalukko changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Jalkalukko lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Jalkalukko throws a quick inside leg kick.

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

Benton has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Jalkalukko is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Benton misses with some punches.
Jalkalukko tries to break free but Benton pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benton has Jalkalukko pressed against the cage, preventing Jalkalukko from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Benton struggles to land a body shot inside as Jalkalukko controls his hands.
Benton struggles to land a body shot inside as Jalkalukko controls his hands.

Jalkalukko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Benton throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Jalkalukko on the side of the head.
Jalkalukko scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Jalkalukko feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Benton's calf.

Jalkalukko looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Benton manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Jab from Benton.

Jalkalukko is rocked!
Benton throws a series of punches but Jalkalukko moves out of range.
Jalkalukko is still on wobbly legs! Can Benton finish him?
Jalkalukko looks up at the clock. Bad move! Benton lands a right hand from hell, dropping Jalkalukko. Benton pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Grant Benton!
Grant Benton seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.