PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Benson Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Badong Vargas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Phillips
vs
Vargas

165 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Big heart

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Benson Phillips!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Badong Vargas!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phillips misses with a combination
and Vargas counters with a straight right hand.
Phillips misses with a double jab
and Vargas counters with a stiff right hand.
Phillips swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Phillips takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Phillips throws a left and a right that both miss
and Vargas counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Phillips misses with a combination
and Vargas counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Vargas.
Phillips misses with a combination

and Vargas counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Phillips has picked Vargas up - he's going for a ride! Phillips dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Vargas is not content to let Phillips control the position.
Vargas tries to roll over but Phillips keeps him under control.
Phillips tries to stand but can't do so whilst Vargas controls his leg.
Phillips is just content to waste time from the top position. Vargas takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Phillips accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vargas keeping moving, preventing Phillips from controlling successfully.
Phillips trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Phillips stands up and waves to Vargas to follow him.
Phillips swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Vargas counters with a two punch combo.
Phillips misses with a body shot.
Phillips misses with a combination
and Vargas counters with a series of strikes. Phillips will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Phillips scores with a punch to the head.
Phillips throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Benson Phillips seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phillips falls off balance throwing a combination

and Vargas counters by clinching up.
Phillips is stalling here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Phillips pulls guard successfully.
Phillips has Vargas pulled in close to control his posture.
Vargas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Vargas thows a big elbow that misses.

Phillips pushes Vargas off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Phillips throws a combination that misses
and Vargas counters with a body kick.
Phillips uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vargas.

Vargas is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Phillips's half guard.
Vargas working the head and body with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vargas looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Phillips with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Vargas is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Badong Vargas will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Phillips throws a combination that misses
and Vargas counters with a left and a right that stings Phillips.
Vargas wants to clinch up but Phillips keeps it at a distance.
Phillips falls off balance throwing a combination
and Vargas counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Phillips misses with a double jab

and Vargas counters by clinching up.

Phillips breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phillips throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Vargas counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Come on Phillips - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Vargas pulls guard successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips advances position into side control!

Phillips decides to stand back up. Phillips steps back and let's Vargas get back to his feet.
Phillips throws a left and a right that both miss
letting Vargas counter with a right hand.

Phillips gets caught flat footed, as Vargas shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Phillips controls Vargas momentarily but Vargas frees himself.
Phillips is really struggling to control Vargas but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Vargas keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Phillips's head.

Vargas stands and steps away. Phillips gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Phillips throws a left and a right that both miss
and Vargas counters with a left and a right that stings Phillips.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vargas takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Donk. Phillips catches Vargas right on the button with a cross.
Phillips misses with a combination
and Vargas counters with a three punch combo that has Phillips backing up. Phillips nods at Vargas to acknowledge the strikes.
Phillips throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Phillips swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Vargas counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Phillips successfully pulls guard.

Phillips working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vargas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vargas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Phillips is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas is trying to break the clinch but Phillips is controlling him.

Phillips gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Vargas is trying to maintain the position but Phillips is very close to passing his half guard.
Vargas is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Vargas is defending against the submission attempts here by Phillips.
Phillips is taking a breather. Vargas says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phillips is thwarting Vargas's attempts to control the position.
Vargas is refusing to be controlled, as Phillips sits in half guard.
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 Benson Phillips will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Phillips misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Vargas.
Phillips misses with a double jab
and Vargas counters with a two punch combo.
A shot to the body from Phillips misses
and Vargas counters with a series of strikes. Phillips will be more careful next time no doubt.

Vargas closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Phillips to the mat! Phillips manages to get full guard.
Vargas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Phillips is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Phillips uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Vargas looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Vargas's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Vargas postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vargas throws a big right hand that misses.
Vargas scoring with punches to the head and body.
Vargas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Phillips throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Vargas lands a couple of elbows.
Badong Vargas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Phillips avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Vargas is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Vargas distracts Phillips with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Phillips working a defensive guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Phillips manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips throws a left and a right that both miss
and Vargas counters with a left and a right that stings Phillips.

Vargas closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Phillips quickly recovers to half guard.
Phillips blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vargas.
Phillips is pressing down on Vargas's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Vargas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Vargas is fighting to break Phillips's control of his arms but Phillips is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Vargas postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Phillips scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Phillips throws a one two combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Phillips paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Phillips throws a left and a right that both miss
and Vargas counters with a nice body shot.
Phillips swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Vargas counters with a two punch combo.

Vargas shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Phillips manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Vargas is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Vargas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Phillips works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Vargas won't allow Phillips to sweep him here.
Vargas lands a couple of elbows.
Vargas working some strikes from top position.
Vargas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vargas lands a couple of digs.
Vargas lands a couple of elbows.
Vargas throwing strikes from guard but Phillips blocks nicely.
Vargas must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Phillips looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Phillips trying to keep a closed guard but Vargas is proving a slippery customer.
Phillips looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Vargas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Phillips not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Benson Phillips.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Vargas 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 Phillips has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Phillips and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

And that's the end of the fight!
Badong Vargas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Vargas 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Badong Vargas!