PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Benz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Curtis Lind (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Benz is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Benz
vs
Lind

171 cm
24
156 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

176 cm
25
159 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Broken Halo Pride Nutrition
Firebird Designs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Benz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Curtis Lind!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Benz shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Benz showed some decent athleticism there.
Lind trying to control here.
Benz is trying to control. Lind wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lind is looking to improve his position.
Lind has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Benz is working away from the top position though.
Benz with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Benz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lind wants to improve his position but Benz is controlling well.
Lind keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Benz content to control rather than advance.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice takedown defense from Benz. No joy for Lind on that attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lind throws a leg kick that misses.
Lind throws a sloppy head kick and Benz moves out of range easily.
Lind throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Benz closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lind to the mat! Lind manages to get full guard.
Benz throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lind is trying to control the position but Benz postures up.
Benz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Benz prevents Lind from getting back to his feet.
Benz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lind trying to keep a closed guard but Benz is proving a slippery customer.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Benz avoids the head kick by Lind.
Curtis Lind seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Lind dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Benz. That did some damage!
Benz lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Lind scores with a kick to the midsection.
A chopping leg kick lands by Benz.
Benz takes a swing at Lind's ribcage but misses.
Nice uppercut lands for Lind. That snapped Benz's head back.
Nice defenses there by Lind.
Lind misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lind throws a leg kick
and Benz counters with a nice body shot.

Benz darts in and clinches Lind up against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Benz as the two fighters clinch.
Benz digs a right hand underneath Lind's ribcage. Lind let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Lind looks gassed!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Benz breaks the clinch.
Lind walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Benz feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Benz slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lind is trying to keep Benz in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Benz dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Benz gets caught flat footed, as Lind shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Lind is fighting to break Benz's control of his arms but Benz is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Lind trying to control but Benz is working from the bottom.
Benz is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Benz lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lind chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Benz can pounce on him.
Lind thows a body shot but no joy.
Lind throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Benz with a jab.
Lind takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Benz connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Lind is breathing heavily.
An inside leg kick lands from Benz.
Benz throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Benz throws a predictable looking body shot

and Lind counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Benz is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Benz pulls Lind in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benz keeping moving, preventing Lind from controlling successfully.
Benz pulls Lind in close to prevent any damage.
Lind stopping the sweep attempt from Benz.
Benz manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lind working to try and regain half guard.
Benz controlling from the full mount.
Benz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

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.
Benz looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Lind tries to hold on but Benz pushes him away.
Benz misses with a head shot.
Benz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Benz avoids the attempt from Lind to control.
Benz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mike Benz will probably get the nod.
That's time! Benz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Benz slips under a jab from Lind.
Lind throws a leg kick
and Benz counters with a nice body shot.
Nice straight punches there by Benz. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Benz.
Lind takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Lind avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Benz lands a nice shot that snaps Lind's head back.
Benz misses with a leg kick
and Lind counters with a right hand to the body.
Benz swings for the body but Lind moves out of range.
Lind throws a leg kick
and Benz counters with a stiff right hand.
Benz dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Benz moves out of range as Lind throws a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benz lands with a straight right. Lind didn't see that one coming.
Benz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lind.
Benz lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Lind at a distance.
Benz stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Benz works the jab nicely.
Lind takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lind lands with a nice body kick.
Benz looks to score with a jab to the body but Lind is just out of range.
Benz tries to close the distance and clinch but Lind swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lind misses with the body kick
and Benz counters with an inside leg kick.
Lind tries a head kick but it misses.
Lind takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Benz tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benz lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Benz throws a lazy right hand but Lind sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lind takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Good standup being displayed there by Benz as he connects with a hook.
Lind fakes the leg kick and cracks Benz in the body.
Lind throws out a powerful jab.
Benz tries to clinch up but Lind circles away and keeps his distance.
Lind chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lind lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Mike Benz is winning the standup battle so far.
Lind gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Benz counters with a nice uppercut.
Benz thuds his right hand into Lind's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Lind looks to throw a body kick
and Benz counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Benz.
Lind connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Lind wants to land a leg kick but Benz is out of range.
Lind lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Lind loads up on a big right hand but Benz slips the punch.
Nice defenses there by Benz.
A head kick by Benz misses
and Lind connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lind throws a lazy head kick
and Benz counters with a low kick, right behind Lind 's knee.
Benz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Benz blocks the body kick.
Benz misses with a jab, cross combination.

Benz clinches up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lind throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Lind fails to land.
Benz lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Benz is trying to break free.
Benz misses with a short punch on the inside.
Benz is working Lind over against the cage.
Benz presses Lind against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Benz breaks from the clinch.
Benz thuds his right hand into Lind's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Benz lands a nice looking body shot.
Lind motions for Benz to come forward. Lind throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Benz wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Benz connects with an inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benz digs a good hook to Lind's body.

Benz moves into the clinch successfully.
Benz tries to score a body lock takedown but Lind shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Benz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Lind's elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Benz clearly takes that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lind stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Benz.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Benz lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Lind has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Lind and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Lind takes a jab right on the kisser.
Benz throws a lazy body kick
and Lind counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Benz is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Lind throws a head kick that misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Benz. That's going to slow Lind down.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Benz.
Benz swings for the body but Lind moves out of range.
Benz thows a body shot but no joy.
Lind is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Benz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lind was well out of range. Poor timing from Benz.
Benz is looking to wear down Lind with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Lind drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Lind throws a leg kick that is checked
and Benz makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benz scores with a jab. Lind acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Benz throws a lazy right hand but Lind sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Benz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Benz misses with a body punch
enabling Lind to counter with a crisp jab.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Lind checks a leg kick.
Lind takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Benz scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Lind wants to clinch up but Benz keeps it at a distance.
Lind throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Lind throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Benz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lind misses with a wild body shot.
Benz lands with an uppercut that bounces Lind off the cage and back into rage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benz lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Benz cracks Lind with an open hand slap.
Benz lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Benz scoring well with a low kick there.
Lind tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Benz just misses with a punch to the body.
Benz checks a leg kick.
Benz takes a swing at Lind's ribcage but misses.
Benz changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Benz throws a shot to the body.
Lind throws a leg kick
and Benz counters with a slapping leg kick.
Nice straight punches there by Benz. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Benz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lind looks to land a right hand but Benz moved out of range.
Benz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Benz misses with a straight left.
Lind's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Lind misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Benz.
Benz with a jab.
Benz stuns Lind with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Benz lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Lind wants to clinch but Benz slips to the side
and Benz makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Benz listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Benz connects with a nice looking jab.
Benz lands with a nice body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benz lands a nice looking body shot.
Lind with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Benz to score with a decent uppercut.
Benz stuns Lind with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Benz connects with a nice looking jab.
Benz works the jab nicely.
Lind tries to land a front kick but Benz steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Benz throws an overhand right that lands on Lind's shoulder, as Lind tries to avoid the shot.
Lind tries to land a body kick
and Lind takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Benz cracks Lind with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Benz lands a jab to Lind's midsection.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lind tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Benz had his way with Curtis Lind in that 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!

Lind takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Benz lands a right hook to the body.
Benz scores with a hook.
Benz connects with a jab.
Lind is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Benz.
Benz looks to land a right hand but Lind moved out of range.
Lind checks a leg kick.
Lind throws a leg kick
and Benz counters with a left to the body.
An inside leg kick lands from Benz.
Benz throws a right and a left that Lind avoids nicely.
Lind is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Lind has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Benz finds it's way round the side to connect with Lind's head.
Benz throws a body kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Benz misses the target.

Benz changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Lind looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Lind tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Benz creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Benz is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Benz throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lind tries to bench press Benz off him but Benz keeps the position.
Mike Benz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Benz scoring with punches and elbows.
Benz grinds an elbow into Lind's temple.
Lind is looking for a sweep.
Benz in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Benz cracks Lind with a big right hand but Lind just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benz lands an elbow.
Lind can't do much from the bottom here.
Benz controlling the position.
Lind tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Benz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Curtis Lind has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lind trying to remain calm as Benz controls from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Benz sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Lind is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Benz decides to stand up, so the ref orders Lind to his feet.
Lind has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Lind scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mike Benz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Benz connects with an inside leg kick.
Benz looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Benz swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Lind.
Benz scores with a leg kick.
Lind takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Benz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Benz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 50:45
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 50:45
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 50:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Benz!