PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Bennett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dennis Willkes (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.

Bennett
vs
Willkes

181 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
19
212 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve Bennett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dennis Willkes!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Willkes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bennett shoots in and drives through. Willkes sprawls well.

Willkes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bennett, pushing him back against the cage.

Bennett's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bennett fails with an attempt to clinch.

Bennett rushes Willkes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Willkes takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Dennis Willkes has been cut.
Willkes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Willkes stalling against the cage.
Bennett landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Bennett could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Bennett avoiding damage.
Bennett seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Willkes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bennett just stands there and leans against the cage.

Bennett breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Willkes has taken the fight to the clinch.

Bennett manages to break the clinch.
Willkes misses with the body kick

and Bennett counters by clinching up.
Bennett controlling the action here for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennett drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Willkes gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Willkes tries a knee to the head but Bennett blocks it.

Bennett escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bennett shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Willkes sprawls well. Willkes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bennett gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Bennett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Willkes misses with a body kick.

Bennett forces Willkes back against the cage and clinches.
Bennett is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Willkes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Willkes tries to circle away but Bennett has him pinned against the cage.

Bennett escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bennett throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Bennett closes the distance and clinches.

Bennett manages to break the clinch.

Bennett takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willkes wants a takedown.

Bennett manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bennett looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Horrible takedown by Willkes or perhaps it was just good defense by Bennett which made him look bad.
Willkes looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Bennett gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Bennett escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Bennett moves into the clinch successfully.

Bennett breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Willkes has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Bennett.
Willkes looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bennett is fending him off so far but Willkes persists. Nope, Bennett circles away and we're back to standing.
Bennett misses with a double jab.
Willkes swats away the attempt to clinch by Bennett.
Bennett blocks the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennett lands a slapping body shot.

Bennett moves into the clinch.
Bennett wants a takedown.
Bennett leaning against his opponent.
Willkes wants to stall.
Knees to the body from Bennett.
Willkes looks gassed!
Willkes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bennett is defending well for now.

Bennett works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Willkes being controlled here, momentarily.
Willkes is trying to keep Bennett in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bennett stopping the sweep attempt from Willkes.
Willkes striking off his back but it's not causing Bennett any problems.
Willkes has a closed guard, preventing Bennett from standing up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Willkes working for a triangle but Bennett defends it easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bennett sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Bennett dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dennis Willkes's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bennett throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Bennett has taken the fight to the clinch.

Willkes pulls Bennett into guard.
Bennett looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Bennett wants to stand but Willkes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Willkes throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bennett wants to get up but he can't break Willkes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willkes is trying to keep Bennett in close.
Bennett preventing the sweep.
Willkes trying to keep a closed guard but Bennett is proving a slippery customer.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Bennett trying to stand up but can't free himself from Willkes's guard.
Bennett knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Willkes on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Dennis Willkes hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Willkes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bennett, pushing him back against the cage.
Willkes takes an elbow to the temple.

Bennett pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bennett misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bennett tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Willkes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bennett won't be happy with that.
Bennett is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Willkes passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Bennett!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willkes tries to control but Bennett wriggling away.

Willkes get's back to his feet.
Bennett doesn't manage to clinch there - Willkes circles away.
Bennett fails with an attempt to clinch.

Bennett gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Willkes stops a takedown attempt from Bennett.

Bennett breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Willkes shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bennett pinned against the cage. Bennett gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Willkes is breathing heavily.

Willkes takes the fight into the clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willkes avoids the head kick by Bennett.
Willkes fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Willkes comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Bennett lands an elbow inside.
Bennett slows down the pace here.
Bennett wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Bennett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Willkes fails to pull guard.

Bennett ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Bennett no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Willkes trying to control the position from guard on top but Bennett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dennis Willkes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dennis Willkes's cut.
That's time! Bennett's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Willkes misses with the body kick

and Bennett counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bennett.
Willkes prevents a takedown attempt there.
Come on Bennett - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Bennett lands an elbow inside.

Bennett pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bennett tries to clinch there but Willkes circles away.
Bennett tries to clinch there but Willkes circles away.
Willkes shoots in for a takedown but Bennett shows good takedown defense.

Bennett darts in and clinches Willkes up against the cage.

Bennett manages to break the clinch.

Bennett clinches up with Willkes and pushes him back against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Bennett.
Bennett stalling against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bennett breaks from the clinch.
Willkes fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Willkes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Bennett moves into the clinch.
Bennett avoiding damage.

Bennett breaks the clinch.
Bennett fails with an attempt to clinch.

Bennett gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Bennett landing knees to the head.
Willkes is trying to drag Bennett to the mat but Bennett just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Steve Bennett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dennis Willkes.
Willkes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Steve Bennett has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Bennett.

Bennett breaks from the clinch.

Bennett rushes Willkes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Bennett with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Bennett breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Willkes throws a sloppy head kick and Bennett moves out of range easily.

Bennett has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bennett lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Bennett escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Willkes.
Willkes misses with a takedown attempt - Bennett sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Bennett moves into the clinch successfully.
The referee calls for Bennett to work.
Bennett wants a takedown but no success here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willkes takes an elbow to the forehead.
Willkes is looking to break free of the clinch but Bennett has double underhooks.
Willkes takes a knee to the side of the body.
Willkes takes an elbow to the forehead.

Bennett breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bennett closes this distance looking for a takedown but Willkes circles away.

Bennett clinches up with Willkes and pushes him back against the cage.

Bennett is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Willkes can't fight it off and eventually Bennett manages to take the fight to the floor. Willkes looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Willkes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Willkes has a closed guard, preventing Bennett from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Willkes pushes Bennett off and gets back to his feet.
Willkes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bennett sprawls well. Bennett wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Willkes gets slowly back to his feet.

Bennett has managed to clinch.
Bennett scores with a nice hook to the head.

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

Bennett clinches up with Willkes and pushes him back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Bennett showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bennett has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Bennett!