PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Benevidi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vasilii Oshchepkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Oshchepkov has chosen Soviet National Anthem as his entrance music. The key to victory for Jake Benevidi has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Benevidi
vs
Oshchepkov

186 cm
24
192 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

185 cm
24
190 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
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 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jake Benevidi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasilii Oshchepkov!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Igor Prikhodko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good exchange - Benevidi coming out on top.
Benevidi digs a good body shot into Oshchepkov's ribs.
Jake Benevidi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benevidi lands with a right hand.
Oshchepkov shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Benevidi sprawls well. Benevidi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Oshchepkov gets slowly back to his feet.

Oshchepkov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Benevidi, pushing him back against the cage.
Benevidi drops down looking for an ankle pick but Oshchepkov pulls his leg out and moves away.
Oshchepkov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Benevidi goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Good shot there by Benevidi.
Benevidi blocks a head kick by Oshchepkov.
The crowd cheers as Benevidi lands an impressive looking overhand right. Oshchepkov doesn't seem phased though.
Left hook, right uppercut from Oshchepkov.
Benevidi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Oshchepkov.
Benevidi lands a nice shot that snaps Oshchepkov's head back.
Oshchepkov tries to score a power double leg takedown but Benevidi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Oshchepkov somewhat.
Jake Benevidi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasilii Oshchepkov.
Benevidi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Benevidi enables Oshchepkov to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Benevidi manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Benevidi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Benevidi has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Oshchepkov has passed into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Oshchepkov throws an elbow but Benevidi slips to the side and avoids it well.
Benevidi is looking to reverse the position.
Benevidi sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Oshchepkov escapes and gets back to his feet.
Benevidi lands a nice hook to Oshchepkov's body. Oshchepkov takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Oshchepkov shoots in looking for a takedown but Benevidi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Oshchepkov's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Benevidi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Oshchepkov manages to avoid it.
Benevidi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Oshchepkov at a distance.
Oshchepkov takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Benevidi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Oshchepkov misses with a takedown attempt - Benevidi sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Oshchepkov looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benevidi goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Benevidi lands a body shot.
Oshchepkov on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Benevidi looks to score with a jab to the body but Oshchepkov is just out of range.

Oshchepkov closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Benevidi to the mat! Benevidi manages to get full guard.
Benevidi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Oshchepkov wants to control from the top but Benevidi keeps moving.
Benevidi wants to stand and escape but Oshchepkov is having none of it.
Oshchepkov thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benevidi pulls Oshchepkov in close to prevent any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Oshchepkov shoots for a double leg takedown but Benevidi sprawls well. He's pushed Oshchepkov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A swing and a miss from Benevidi.
Benevidi works Oshchepkov's body with a nice hook.

Oshchepkov scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Oshchepkov connects with a nice short shot to Benevidi's temple.
Oshchepkov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Benevidi wants to control but Oshchepkov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Oshchepkov is keen to just control but Benevidi is a slippery customer.
Oshchepkov prevents Benevidi from improving his position.
Oshchepkov uses his free foot to push down on Benevidi's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Benevidi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oshchepkov sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Oshchepkov thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Oshchepkov landing shots from mount.

Benevidi defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Oshchepkov.

Oshchepkov working for a guillotine from mount but Benevidi is in no mood to give up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benevidi is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Oshchepkov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Benevidi's waist but Benevidi gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Oshchepkov off to one side.
Benevidi lands a lovely overhand right.
Oshchepkov on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Oshchepkov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Benevidi connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Benevidi lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Oshchepkov takes one on the button.
Benevidi scores with a jab.
That kick from Oshchepkov tenderised Benevidi's leg. Benevidi is trying to keep his angry face on.
Benevidi misses with a combination

and Oshchepkov counters with a single leg into guard. Benevidi didn't expect that.
Oshchepkov trying to control but Benevidi is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Oshchepkov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Oshchepkov stands up and waves to Benevidi to follow him.
Benevidi jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Benevidi tries to bum rush Oshchepkov with a series of wild strikes but Oshchepkov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Benevidi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Oshchepkov has Benevidi up against the cage in a clinch.
Oshchepkov prevents a takedown attempt there.

Oshchepkov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A punch combination from Benevidi misses.

Oshchepkov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Benevidi quickly recovers to half guard.
Oshchepkov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Oshchepkov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Oshchepkov lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Oshchepkov is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Benevidi has managed to free his arm - good work.
Still in half guard, Oshchepkov seems content to control.

Oshchepkov is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Benevidi has managed to free his arm - good work.
Oshchepkov is trying to control the action in half guard but Benevidi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oshchepkov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Oshchepkov in particular looking to stall.
Oshchepkov passes to side control.
Benevidi is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Oshchepkov is controlling him well.
Oshchepkov is looking to take a break and control but Benevidi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Oshchepkov looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Oshchepkov working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benevidi is letting Oshchepkov control him for a moment.
Oshchepkov working the ground and pound from side control.

Oshchepkov looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Oshchepkov is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Oshchepkov tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasilii Oshchepkov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Oshchepkov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Benevidi swivels and escapes.
Benevidi misses with a double jab.
Benevidi closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Oshchepkov drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Oshchepkov wants to control from the top but Benevidi keeps moving.
Vasilii Oshchepkov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Benevidi trying to keep a closed guard but Oshchepkov is proving a slippery customer.
Oshchepkov slips nicely into half guard.

Oshchepkov is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Oshchepkov is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Benevidi is just riding it out for now. Oshchepkov eventually gives up the hold.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benevidi is looking to improve his position.
Oshchepkov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Oshchepkov thows a huge punch but Benevidi dodges it nicely.
Benevidi avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Oshchepkov.
Jake Benevidi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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

Oshchepkov seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Benevidi is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Vasilii Oshchepkov!