PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Steven Clifford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benji Veniamin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benji Veniamin told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Clifford
vs
Veniamin

183 cm
20
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steven Clifford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Benji Veniamin !
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Damien Edna and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Veniamin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Veniamin looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Clifford keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Veniamin lands a nice looking kick to the body. Clifford takes a step back to recover.
Clifford shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Veniamin sprawls well. Veniamin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Clifford gets slowly back to his feet.
Veniamin throws a front kick that sends Clifford stumbling back into the cage.
Clifford shoots in but no luck this time.
Veniamin stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steven Clifford. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Veniamin has closed the distance and engaged Clifford in a clinch.

Veniamin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Veniamin rushes Clifford and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Veniamin connects with a knee to the head.
Clifford tries for a takedown but Veniamin manages to get underhooks.
Clifford is breathing heavily.
Veniamin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Veniamin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A solid leg kick lands there for Veniamin .
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Veniamin moves into range and clinches up with Clifford.
Veniamin with a knee to the head.
Veniamin lands a good knee to the midsection. Clifford won't want to take too many of those.
A knee to the head by Veniamin .
Veniamin has Clifford pushed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clifford takes a knee to the side of the body.
Veniamin lands a knee to the body.
Veniamin lands a knee to the head.
Veniamin lands a knee to the body.
Veniamin landing knees to the body.
Veniamin lands a nice knee to the body.
Veniamin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Clifford's face.

Veniamin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A solid body kick from Veniamin .
Veniamin chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Veniamin scores with a head kick.
Clifford takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Veniamin has Clifford up against the cage in a clinch.
Clifford drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Veniamin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Veniamin is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Veniamin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Clifford has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Veniamin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Veniamin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clifford looks for a takedown but Veniamin sprawls well.
Veniamin throws a nice outside leg kick.
Veniamin throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Clifford fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Veniamin throws a nice outside leg kick.
Clifford tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
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!
Clifford steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Veniamin .
Veniamin scores with a kick to the body.

Veniamin closes the distance and clinches.
A knee to the head by Veniamin .
Veniamin unloads a knee to the mid-section. Clifford lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Veniamin unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Veniamin avoiding damage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Veniamin .

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veniamin connects with a knee to the head.
Clifford wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Veniamin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Benji Veniamin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Veniamin lands a head kick!
Veniamin lands a high kick!
Veniamin slaps away a takedown attempt from Clifford, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Clifford has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Veniamin .
Clifford stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Veniamin .
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Veniamin , right into the meat.
Veniamin moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Veniamin lands a high kick!
Veniamin goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Veniamin throws a quick inside leg kick.
Clifford is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Veniamin lands a high kick!
No luck for Clifford with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veniamin throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Veniamin lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Veniamin .
Veniamin looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Veniamin turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Veniamin moves into range and clinches up with Clifford.
Clifford takes a knee right on the jaw!
Veniamin with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Veniamin .
Veniamin landing knees to the head.
Clifford goes for a takedown attempt but Veniamin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Veniamin plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Veniamin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Clifford shoots in but Veniamin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Veniamin lands a high kick!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benji Veniamin dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Veniamin pushes Clifford up against the cage in a clinch.
Clifford is working for takedown but Veniamin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Clifford drops down looking for an ankle pick but Veniamin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Veniamin scores with a head kick.
Veniamin lands with a slapping head kick.
Benji Veniamin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Veniamin feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Clifford's calf.
Veniamin is looking to slow Clifford down with leg kicks.
Veniamin throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Veniamin moves into the clinch successfully.
Clifford takes a knee right on the jaw!
Clifford will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Knees to the body from Veniamin .
Veniamin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Clifford in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Veniamin utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Veniamin utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Veniamin lands a knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Veniamin is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Veniamin takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veniamin using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Clifford stalling in the clinch but Veniamin improves position.
Veniamin lands a good knee to the midsection. Clifford won't want to take too many of those.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Veniamin takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Clifford has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Veniamin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steven Clifford. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Veniamin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Veniamin darts in and clinches Clifford up against the cage.
Veniamin slowing the pace effectively.
Clifford is trying to break the clinch but Veniamin has him pressed against the cage.
Veniamin is pressed up against the cage. Clifford has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Veniamin down to the mat. Veniamin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Veniamin throws a leg kick which misses Clifford's front leg but catches the back leg as Clifford tries to avoid it.
Veniamin throws a leg kick which misses Clifford's front leg but catches the back leg as Clifford tries to avoid it.
An inside leg kick lands from Veniamin .
No luck with that takedown attempt from Clifford.

Veniamin moves into the clinch.
Veniamin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Veniamin obliges.
Clifford is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Veniamin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Veniamin crunches a lovely knee into Clifford's ribcage.

Veniamin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Veniamin forces Clifford back against the cage and clinches.
Veniamin looking to throw knees to the head but Clifford is blocking nicely.
Veniamin lands a knee to the body.
Clifford on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Clifford managing to block the knees to the body from Veniamin .

Clifford's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Veniamin gets a clinch.
Clifford has Veniamin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Veniamin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Veniamin pressing his opponent against the cage.
Clifford is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Benji Veniamin seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Veniamin lands a nice knee to the body.
Veniamin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Clifford in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Clifford tries to work over Veniamin 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Clifford jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Veniamin walks away with a smile on his face. Clifford gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Veniamin throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Clifford. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veniamin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Clifford shoots for a double leg takedown but Veniamin sprawls well. He's pushed Clifford's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice sprawl there from Veniamin as Clifford shoots in.
Clifford takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Veniamin clinches with his opponent.
Veniamin landing knees to the body.
Veniamin working Clifford over with knees to the body.
Veniamin leaning his opponent against the cage.
Knees to the body from Veniamin .
Veniamin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Clifford blocks it with crossed arms.
Clifford is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Clifford tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Veniamin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Veniamin .
Veniamin gets underhooks to prevent Clifford's takedown attempt.
Veniamin can't break the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Veniamin as Clifford tries to tie him up.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Veniamin obliges.
Clifford has Veniamin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Veniamin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clifford tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Veniamin smiles and moves away.
Clifford throws a right and a left that Veniamin avoids nicely.

Veniamin rushes Clifford and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Clifford tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Veniamin landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Veniamin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Clifford has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Veniamin landing knees to the body.
Clifford goes for a takedown attempt but Veniamin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Clifford shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Veniamin as he jumps to the side.
Veniamin lands with a thumping leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Veniamin tries to clinch up.
Veniamin scores with a push kick.
Veniamin wants to clinch up but Clifford keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benji Veniamin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Veniamin wants to clinch.

Veniamin pushes Clifford up against the cage in a clinch.
Veniamin trying to land knees to the body.
Veniamin missing with knees to the body.
Veniamin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Clifford goes for a takedown in the clinch but Veniamin prevents it.
Veniamin with a knee to the head.
Veniamin is looking to control Clifford's arms but Clifford gets an underhook and turns him. Now Veniamin has his back to the cage.
Clifford has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Veniamin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Veniamin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Clifford can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steven Clifford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Veniamin obliges.
Clifford takes a knee right on the jaw!
Knees to the body from Veniamin .
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Veniamin manages to break the clinch.
Clifford takes a kick to the side of the head.
Clifford takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Veniamin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Clifford tries to keep at a distance but Veniamin has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clifford goes for a takedown attempt but Veniamin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Veniamin rushes Clifford and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Veniamin prevents a takedown attempt there.
Veniamin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Veniamin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Clifford in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Veniamin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Veniamin scores a nice knee to the body.
Clifford is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Veniamin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Clifford is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Veniamin lands a knee to the body.
Clifford looking for a takedown.
Veniamin holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Clifford blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Clifford tries to break the clinch but Veniamin is controlling the position.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Veniamin obliges.
Clifford is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Veniamin manages to break the clinch.
Clifford shoots in and drives through. Veniamin sprawls well.
Clifford will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Veniamin lands a head kick. Clifford smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Clifford is defended easily by Veniamin .
Steven Clifford is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Veniamin throws a nice head kick!
Clifford has a takedown stuffed.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Veniamin - that will leave a mark!

Veniamin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Clifford, pushing him back against the cage.
Clifford drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Veniamin scores a nice knee to the body.
Veniamin unloads a knee to the mid-section. Clifford lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Veniamin unloads a knee to the mid-section. Clifford lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veniamin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Clifford in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Clifford blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Veniamin missing with knees to the body.
Clifford fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Veniamin trying to land knees to the body.
Clifford drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Veniamin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Clifford takes a knee to the side of the body.
Veniamin tries to land knees in the clinch but Clifford avoids the damage to the body.
Veniamin is pushing Clifford up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Clifford drops down looking for an ankle pick but Veniamin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Clifford shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Veniamin but Veniamin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Steven Clifford has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Veniamin looks to score with a jab to the body but Clifford is just out of range.
Clifford shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Veniamin pinned against the cage. Veniamin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Clifford takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Clifford fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A chopping leg kick lands by Veniamin .

Veniamin gets a clinch.
Clifford has Veniamin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Veniamin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Veniamin lands a good knee to the midsection. Clifford won't want to take too many of those.
Veniamin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Veniamin using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Clifford wants a takedown.
Knees in the clinch landing for Veniamin .
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Clifford as Veniamin tries to tie him up.
Veniamin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Clifford.
Clifford tries for a takedown. No joy.
A knee to the head by Veniamin .
Benji Veniamin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Veniamin lands a knee to the head.
Veniamin scores a nice knee to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benji Veniamin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Veniamin 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 John Mangel scores the fight 25:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 25:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benji Veniamin !