PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dan Benson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Roper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Benson might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Mobb Deep - Shook Ones. Dan Benson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Benson
vs
Roper

180 cm
28
185 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

182 cm
26
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dan Benson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Scott Roper!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Roper!
Benson with a nice cross.

Benson catches Roper napping and connects with a big right hand that sends Roper to the canvas!

Roper is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Benson throws a big elbow that misses.
Roper is still in real trouble! Can Benson finish him?
Benson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Benson passes into half guard.
Benson winds up and cracks Roper with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Benson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Roper seems to have recovered his senses.
Benson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Benson throwing shots but Roper is blocking nicely.

Benson is working for a kimura but Roper is defending it quite comfortably.

Benson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson throwing shots but Roper is blocking nicely.
Benson wants to pass to mount but Roper is defending the position.
Benson is keen to just control but Roper is a slippery customer.
Benson drops an elbow to the side of Roper's head.

Benson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benson seems to be looking for submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benson is trying to control the action in half guard but Roper is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Benson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Benson is looking for a kimura but Roper is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Benson to get the leverage.
Benson looks to land a strike but Roper avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Benson throws a strike but Roper rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benson uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Scott Roper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Roper moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Benson tries a head kick but it misses.
Benson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Roper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Benson drives through with a takedown into Roper's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Benson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Benson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Benson wants to pass the guard but Roper is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Benson throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Benson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benson wants to control from the top but Roper keeps moving.
Benson throws a big elbow that misses.
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!
Benson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Benson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Roper works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Benson 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.

Benson connects with a solid leg kick.
Benson tries for a takedown but Roper sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Benson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Benson scores with the left hand. Roper knows he should have avoided that one.
Benson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Roper swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Benson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Roper connects with a looping right hand.
Roper uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Benson.
Roper swings away with a body shot that misses

and Benson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Roper's guard now.
Benson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Roper is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Benson is controlling him.
Benson wants to control from the top but Roper keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Roper swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Benson postures up in Roper's guard and throws a big left but Roper blocks it.
Benson postures up in Roper's guard and throws a big left but Roper blocks it.
Benson is looking to work some ground and pound but Roper has wrist control.

Benson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Roper dives on top into guard.

Benson scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roper moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Roper throws a one two combo.
Benson misses with a looping right.
Dan Benson is winning the standup battle so far.
No joy there for Roper, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Benson shoots for a takedown but Roper saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Roper throws a right hand that Benson ducks under and follows up with a left that Benson also avoids with ease.
Roper misses with a two punch combination.
A head kick misses from Roper.

Benson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Roper to the mat! Roper manages to get full guard.
Roper is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Roper keeping moving, preventing Benson from controlling successfully.
Benson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Benson throwing strikes but missing.
Benson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Benson is looking to advance position but Roper has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Benson'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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Benson bucks Roper off and manages to get back to his feet!
Benson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Roper can do to turn this around?
No joy there for Roper, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Benson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Roper throws a head kick that misses.
Benson shoots in and drives through. Roper sprawls well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Roper defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Benson.
Roper shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Benson eats them both and turns towards Roper to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Benson shoots in looking for a takedown. Roper tries to sprawl out of it but Benson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Roper manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Benson dominated that second round.
That's time! Benson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Roper throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Benson.
Some wild striking there from Roper.
Roper throws a body kick that misses.
Benson takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Benson shoots for a takedown but Roper saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Benson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Roper counters with a three punch combo that has Benson backing up. Benson nods at Roper to acknowledge the strikes.
No luck for Benson with that takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Benson tries to clinch there but Roper circles away.

Benson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Benson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Roper works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Benson wants to pass the guard but Roper is keeping the position.
Benson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Roper wants to get back to his feet but Benson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Benson with a nice head shot there.
Benson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Benson throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Roper is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Roper tries to break the clinch but Benson is controlling the position.
Roper is trying to force a seperation but Benson has the dominant position.

Benson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Some wild striking there from Roper.
Roper slips a jab and a cross from Benson.
Roper throws a series of punches but Benson avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Roper as Benson shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Benson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benson throws out a loose jab but Roper uses good head movement to avoid it.
Roper stuffs the takedown.
Roper swinging wildly here.
Horrible takedown by Benson or perhaps it was just good defense by Roper which made him look bad.
Roper will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Roper throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Left hook, right uppercut from Roper.
Roper scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Dan Benson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Roper throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Roper with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson shoots in for a double leg but Roper sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Roper throws a series of punches but Benson moves out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Benson.
Benson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Roper throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Benson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Benson.
Roper tries to circle away but Benson has him pinned against the cage.
Roper prevents the takedown attempt.
Benson is trying to drag Roper to the mat but Roper just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Dan Benson.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Benson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Benson!
A very excited looking Dan Benson made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.