PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Diego Brandao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benson Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Diego Brandao has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Brandao
vs
Henderson

169 cm
29
150 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

175 cm
28
133 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Diego Brandao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Benson Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brandao misses with a looping right.
Brandao feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Hendersons jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Henderson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Brandao.
Brandao swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Henderson defending well as Brandao loads up on a big left hand.
Henderson misses with a two punch combination.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Brandao looks like he's trying to stand up.
Henderson is keen to just control but Brandao is a slippery customer.
Still in half guard, Henderson seems content to control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Henderson prevents Brandao from standing back up.
Henderson sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Benson Henderson was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Henderson takes the fight into the clinch.

Henderson tightens his grip and picks Brandao up, before dumping him to the ground. Brandao manages to land in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandao is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Henderson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Brandao swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Henderson won't allow Brandao to get back to his feet.
Henderson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Brandao keeping full guard, as Henderson tries to pass.
Brandao is looking to stand up but Henderson isn't so interested in that idea.
Henderson seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Brandao keeping full guard, as Henderson tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Henderson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Henderson wants to control from the top but Brandao keeps moving.
Henderson advances to half guard.
Brandao is trying to stand up here but Henderson is controlling him well.

Henderson is working for a submission of some sort.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Henderson is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Henderson passes the guard and advances to mount!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henderson content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson lands a nice shot to the head.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Brandao is trying to stand.
Henderson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Henderson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Henderson controlling from the full mount.

Henderson is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Brandao misses with a looping right.
Henderson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Brandao.
Brandao misses with a hook

and Henderson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Brandao!
Brandao is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Henderson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Brandao is looking to escape.
Henderson with a couple of short strikes.
A nice elbow there by Henderson.

Henderson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Brandao really wants to buck Henderson off and get back to his feet.
Henderson with the ground and pound from mount.
Henderson content just to control the position here.
Brandao is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The referee warns Brandao that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Henderson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Henderson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benson Henderson dominated 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.

Brandao throws a lazy right hand but Henderson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Henderson ducks right into an uppercut from Brandao.
Henderson gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Nice defenses there by Henderson.
Brandao misses with a hook.
Brandao is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Henderson.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Henderson is defended easily by Brandao.
Brandao lands the left hand.

Henderson is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Brandao is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Henderson.

Henderson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Brandao's guard.
Henderson trying to control but Brandao is working from the bottom.
Brandao wants to stand and escape but Henderson is having none of it.
Henderson forces his way into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Henderson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Henderson working for a submission but Brandao is keeping him at bay.
Henderson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Henderson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Brandao'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.
Henderson cracks Brandao with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Brandao tries to buck Henderson off but he can't manage it.
Henderson scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Henderson controlling his opponent.
Henderson tries to control but Brandao wriggling away.
Brandao'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.
Henderson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Henderson is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Brandao is surviving well by controlling Henderson's body position as best he can.
Brandao squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Henderson landing shots from mount.
Benson Henderson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson unloading with bombs!
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Henderson. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Henderson with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Henderson content just to control the position here.
Brandao has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.

Henderson is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Brandao defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Henderson sinks in the hooks and is looking for the choke. He's got it! Brandao taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Benson Henderson!