PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Clifton Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Benevides (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Barnes
vs
Benevides

182 cm
19
180 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
22
179 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Firebird Designs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Clifton Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chris Benevides!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A right-left combo lands from Barnes.

Benevides fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Barnes, pushing him back against the cage.
Barnes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Benevides breaks the clinch.
Benevides throws a left and a right that both miss
and Barnes counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Barnes looks to land a body kick but Benevides moved away.
Chris Benevides seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barnes tries to clinch

and Benevides counters by clinching up.
Barnes tries to score a body lock takedown but Benevides shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Barnes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Benevides throws a right and a left that both miss.
Barnes uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Benevides has time to react.
Benevides throws a front kick that sends Barnes stumbling back into the cage.

Benevides clinches up against the cage.

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

Barnes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Barnes is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnes wants to pass the guard but Benevides is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benevides looks like he's trying to stand up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Barnes'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.
Benevides is not content to let Barnes control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Barnes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Barnes trying to mount his opponent but Benevides defends it.
Barnes passes to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Barnes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Benevides is looking to escape.
Barnes is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Benevides can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Benevides's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Barnes throws some wild stikes that Benevides manages to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Clifton Barnes will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Barnes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barnes shoots for a takedown but Benevides saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Benevides tries to clinch there but Barnes circles away.

Benevides has closed the distance and engaged Barnes in a clinch.
Barnes wants to break free but Benevides has control.
Benevides works on Barnes's body with a couple of short punches.
Benevides is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Benevides landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Benevides lands a nice knee to the body.
Barnes can't get the takedown.

Benevides manages to break the clinch.
Barnes looks for a takedown but Benevides sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Clifton Barnes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barnes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benevides is looking to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Benevides. No joy for Barnes on that attempt.
Benevides tries to clinch up but Barnes circles away and keeps his distance.
Benevides fails in his attempt to clinch.

Barnes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Barnes stands up and beckons Benevides to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes shoots for a double leg takedown but Benevides sprawls well. He's pushed Barnes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Benevides misses with a series of wild punches.

Barnes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Benevides breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Barnes checks a low kick from Benevides.
Benevides throws a nice inside leg kick.

Benevides clinches with his opponent.
Benevides lands an elbow inside.
with the fighters clinched against the cage, Benevides creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Donk. Barnes catches Benevides right on the button with a cross.

Benevides clinches up with Barnes and pushes him back against the cage.

Benevides breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Barnes tries for a takedown but Benevides sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Barnes looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Benevides dodges the punch combination from Barnes.
Benevides works over Barnes's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Clifton Barnes has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes is looking to clinch but Benevides is avoiding it.
Benevides wants to clinch.
Benevides tries to clinch up.
Benevides tries to clinch up.
Barnes tries to clinch
and Benevides counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Benevides misses with a wild combination.

Benevides has taken the fight to the clinch.
Barnes looking for a takedown.
Nice body punch from Benevides - that landed with a thud.
Benevides connects with a knee to the head.
A short uppercut from Benevides.
Barnes wants to break the clinch but can't.
Benevides crunches a lovely knee into Barnes's ribcage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Benevides lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Benevides breaks the clinch.
Barnes with a lazy takedown attempt
and Barnes takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Benevides tries to clinch there but Barnes circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benevides throws out a leg kick but Barnes moves out of range and Benevides only half commits.
Barnes tries to clinch there but Benevides circles away.
Benevides throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Barnes counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Barnes.
Barnes pushing down on Benevides's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Barnes in particular looking to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Benevides showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Clifton Barnes's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Benevides throws a series of punches but Barnes moves out of range.
Benevides tries to close the distance and clinch but Barnes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Barnes connects with a high kick.
Barnes throws a quick inside leg kick.
Barnes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Benevides tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Barnes counters with a nice body kick.
Barnes tries to clinch there but Benevides circles away.
Barnes slips a jab from Benevides.

Barnes tries to keep at a distance but Benevides has taken the fight into the clinch.

Barnes turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Barnes manages to end up in side control.
Barnes staying calm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benevides wants to get back to his feet but Barnes drags him back down.
Barnes takes a little break here. Benevides wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Barnes prevents Benevides from escaping the position.
Benevides takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Barnes is looking to take a break and control but Benevides is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barnes controls the position from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Clifton Barnes just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Benevides throws a lazy right hand but Barnes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Chris Benevides is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice body punch from Barnes.
Barnes tries to clinch there but Benevides circles away.
Barnes scores with a sloppy right hand. Benevides should have avoided that one.
Barnes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Benevides will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Benevides just misses with a punch to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Benevides.
Benevides circles away from the clinch attempt
and Benevides counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A decent looking body kick lands there for Barnes.
Barnes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Benevides swivels and escapes.
Barnes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Benevides swivels and escapes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benevides clinches but Barnes breaks the clinch

and Barnes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Benevides's guard.
Benevides wants to stand and escape but Barnes is having none of it.
Barnes is stalling in the full guard.
Barnes wants to control from the top but Benevides keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Clifton Barnes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Barnes 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 Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Clifton Barnes!