PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Agustin Benitez (ranked 2578 p4p, 0 weight class) and Armondo Munoz (ranked 3334 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Benitez
vs
Munoz

173 cm
29
153 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

192 cm
37
150 lbs
24 - 17 - 2

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Dangerous GnP
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Agustin Benitez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 17 - 2, fighting out of Hilo, Armondo Munoz!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Ryoma Takatsuka and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donk. Munoz catches Benitez right on the button with a cross.
Benitez takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A left lands for Munoz.
Benitez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Munoz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Benitez somewhat.
Benitez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Munoz circles away.
Munoz lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Munoz scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Benitez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Munoz napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Benitez is looking to take a break and control but Munoz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Munoz dodges the ground and pound from Benitez.
Munoz wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Munoz is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Benitez's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Munoz keeping hold of Benitez's head, controlling as best he can.
Munoz is pressing down on Benitez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Munoz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Benitez manages to get himself to full guard.

Munoz stopping the sweep attempt from Benitez.
Munoz postures up.
Munoz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Benitez looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Munoz passes into half guard.
Munoz prevents Benitez from improving his position.
Munoz landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benitez has hold of Munoz's hands but Munoz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Munoz uses his free foot to push down on Benitez's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Benitez.
Benitez tries to hold on but Munoz pushes him away.
Munoz with shots to the head and body - Benitez looks very uncomfortable down there.
Benitez is in a horrible position here. Munoz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Benitez manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Munoz slips a nice elbow through Benitez's hands, connecting with Benitez's forehead.
Munoz slips a nice elbow through Benitez's hands, connecting with Benitez's forehead.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Munoz scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Munoz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Benitez looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Munoz drops an elbow to the side of Benitez's head.
Benitez keeping hold of Munoz's head, controlling as best he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Munoz lands with a punch from half guard.
Munoz is thwarting Benitez's attempts to control the position.
Munoz winds up and cracks Benitez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Benitez is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Munoz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Munoz working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Munoz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Benitez is just riding it out for now. Munoz eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benitez wants to control but Munoz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Munoz seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Benitez is holding on to half guard well.
Munoz tries to pass to full mount but Benitez defends it.
Benitez moves into full guard.

Benitez is looking for a triangle but Munoz pushes his legs off easily.
Munoz wants to pass the guard but Benitez is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Munoz slips a jab from Benitez.

Benitez shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Benitez was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Benitez controls the position.
Munoz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Benitez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Benitez trying to control the position but Munoz is working away.
Benitez tries to move to mount but Munoz blocks the move with his legs.
Benitez scoring with punches from side control.
Munoz can't do much from the bottom here.
Benitez lands an elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Munoz is looking to reverse the position.
Munoz takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Munoz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Benitez working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benitez tries for a kimura but Munoz is defending well.
Benitez tries to move to mount but Munoz blocks the move with his legs.
Benitez landing a few strikes.
Benitez working the body and head with strikes.
Benitez scores with a couple of short elbows.
Benitez lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Munoz is looking to regain half guard here but Benitez keeps moving and retains side control.
Munoz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Munoz struggling a bit here.
Benitez wants to control but Munoz is keeping him busy.

Benitez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Benitez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Munoz is looking to regain half guard here but Benitez keeps moving and retains side control.
Benitez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Munoz keeps working.
Munoz on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Munoz gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Munoz is staying active underneath Benitez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Benitez wants to pass the guard but Munoz is defending well.
Munoz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Benitez lands strikes from half guard.
Munoz is looking for a sweep. Benitez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Benitez passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Munoz!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benitez with shots to the head and body - Munoz looks very uncomfortable down there.
Armondo Munoz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Munoz keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Munoz in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benitez trying to control but Munoz is having none of it.
Munoz wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Benitez.
Munoz is squirming around, avoiding Benitez's attempts to control the action.
Munoz really wants to buck Benitez off and get back to his feet.
Munoz tries to reverse the position but Benitez maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benitez is landing with some decent strikes but Munoz is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Benitez lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Benitez jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Munoz manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Benitez in the domination position with Munoz hanging on.
Benitez landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Munoz taking a bit of punishment here - Benitez scoring with strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Benitez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Benitez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Munoz wants to control but Benitez postures up.
Benitez working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Benitez trying to control the position but Munoz is working away.
Munoz is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Benitez is controlling him well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Agustin Benitez 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!

Decent striking displayed by Munoz there.
Benitez fails with a takedown attempt.
Munoz tests Benitez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Munoz scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Munoz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Benitez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Munoz counters with a nice body shot.

Benitez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Munoz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Benitez's guard.

This has been an exciting period of action!
Munoz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Munoz works over Benitez with some ground and pound from guard.
Benitez looking for a sweep. Not yet Benitez, not yet.
Munoz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benitez wants to sweep here but Munoz controlling him for the moment.
Munoz lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Munoz makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Munoz connects with a couple of short punches.
Benitez is trying to control the position but Munoz postures up.
Munoz postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Munoz trying to control but Benitez is working from the bottom.
Benitez wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Munoz is now in half guard.
Benitez is trying to control but can't.
Munoz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Munoz wants to pass the guard but Benitez is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benitez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Benitez is looking to control Munoz's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Benitez avoid being mounted?
Benitez has hold of Munoz's hands but Munoz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Benitez flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Munoz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Benitez defending well though.
Munoz is thwarting Benitez's attempts to control the position.
Benitez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Benitez makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Benitez.

Benitez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Munoz is aware though and is defending well.
Benitez is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Munoz's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Munoz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Munoz throwing strikes but missing.

Benitez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Munoz is aware though and is defending well.
Munoz landing with the ground and pound.
Benitez keeping full guard, as Munoz tries to pass.
Benitez controlling the position.
Munoz postures up and lands a big shot to Benitez's brow.
Munoz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Benitez trying to keep a closed guard but Munoz is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Munoz tries to free his leg and advance position but Benitez is retaining full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Benitez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Munoz with a flurry of punches that miss.

Benitez is looking for a triangle but Munoz pushes his legs off easily.
Munoz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Benitez is pulling down on Munoz's head to control his posture.

Benitez is looking for a triangle but Munoz pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Benitez is trying to control the position but Munoz postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benitez darts in looking for a takedown but Munoz gets double underhooks and turns Benitez into the cage.
It seemed like Munoz was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Agustin Benitez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Munoz lets loose with a powerful body kick. Benitez will feel that in the morning.
Nice body punch from Munoz.

And that's the end of the fight!
Armondo Munoz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Munoz has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Armondo Munoz!
Armondo Munoz thanked the fans post fight for their support.