PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Seth Bender (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Koscheck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Seth Bender is staring across the ring at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Bender
vs
Koscheck

165 cm
20
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

184 cm
22
160 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Seth Bender!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thiago Koscheck!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice combination there by Bender.
Koscheck looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bender is fending him off so far but Koscheck persists. Nope, Bender circles away and we're back to standing.
Bender slips under a jab from Koscheck.
Koscheck throws a big shot that misses.
Koscheck throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

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

Bender is looking for a kimura but Koscheck is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bender to get the leverage.

Koscheck kicks Bender off and gets back to his feet.
Bender wants to clinch up but Koscheck keeps it at a distance.
Bender throws a series of punches but Koscheck moves out of range.
Koscheck doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Bender counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bender.
Bender is looking to advance position but Koscheck has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Koscheck lands a nice shot to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Koscheck is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Bender moves in looking to clinch but Koscheck pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koscheck tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Bender counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Bender fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Koscheck sprawls well initially but Bender persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Koscheck has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Bender is looking for a kimura but Koscheck is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bender to get the leverage.
Bender trying to pass the guard but Koscheck defending well.
Bender thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Koscheck's head.
Koscheck is trying to stand.

Koscheck makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Bender closes the distance looking to clinch
and Koscheck counters with a three punch combo that has Bender backing up. Bender nods at Koscheck to acknowledge the strikes.
Bender is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bender wants to clinch

and Koscheck counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bender's guard now.
Bender might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Koscheck stands up from Bender's guard - Koscheck perhaps looking for a knockout.

Bender closes the distance and clinches.
Koscheck lands a hook that snaps the head of Bender backwards.

Koscheck breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Koscheck scores with a three punch combo!

It looks like Seth Bender has been cut.
Koscheck tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bender sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Koscheck somewhat.
Seth Bender has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Koscheck.
Koscheck takes one to the chin there.
Bender throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Koscheck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bender wants to clinch but Koscheck slips to the side
letting Koscheck counter with a right hand.
Some wild striking there from Koscheck.
Koscheck is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Bender.
Bender tries to clinch but Koscheck moves away

and Koscheck counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bender's guard now.
Koscheck wanted to stand there but Bender had control of the position.
Bender trying to control the position here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Bender is working an open guard so Koscheck takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Bender changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Koscheck looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Bender trying to control the action but Koscheck is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
You can see the frustration on Koscheck's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Koscheck tries to improve position but can't.
Bender knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Koscheck on the ground.
Bender working away.
Bender scores with a couple of short elbows.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bender is looking to take a break and control but Koscheck is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bender tries to score with some ground and pound. Koscheck controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Koscheck dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Seth Bender's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Bender moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Koscheck shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bender sprawls well. Bender wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Koscheck gets slowly back to his feet.
Bender walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Bender tries to close the distance and clinch but Koscheck swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Bender shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Bender showed some decent athleticism there.
Bender is keen to just control but Koscheck is a slippery customer.

Bender decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Koscheck fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bender manages to avoid it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bender fails in his attempt to clinch.
Koscheck misses with a straight left.
Bender throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Koscheck cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Koscheck swats away the attempt to clinch by Bender.
Seth Bender is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bender slips a straight right by Koscheck.

Bender closes the distance and clinches.
Bender tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Koscheck smiles and moves away.
Bender tries to clinch up
and Koscheck counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bender showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Koscheck.
Koscheck moves in looking to clinch but Bender pushes him off.
Bender tries to clinch up.
Bender tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Koscheck connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koscheck swinging wildly here.
Koscheck throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bender's waist but Bender gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Koscheck off to one side.

Bender closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Thiago Koscheck has got the better of the ground game so far.
Koscheck looks like he's trying to stand up.
Bender is controlling the pace.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Koscheck is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bender seems to be looking for submissions.
Bender thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Koscheck to regain full guard.
Bender postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Bender is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Koscheck is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Koscheck has escaped and now he's on top!
Bender is trying to control the position but Koscheck postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Koscheck stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Koscheck goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Bender takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Bender tries to clinch
and Koscheck counters with a nice uppercut.
Koscheck throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Bender counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bender.
Koscheck has had enough of the clinch but Bender keeps him there for the moment.

Bender manages to break the clinch.
Koscheck misses with a takedown

and Bender counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bender.
Seth Bender has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Koscheck.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bender wants to control from the top but Koscheck keeps moving.
Bender would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thiago Koscheck will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Seth Bender's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Bender shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Koscheck regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Bender.

Koscheck is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Bender frees his head nicely. Oh but Koscheck has switched to an armbar! Bender is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Thiago Koscheck!