PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hooper Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phan Benjawan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benjawan has chosen It Comes and It Goes as his entrance music. Hooper Smith has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Smith
vs
Benjawan

182 cm
29
150 lbs
5 - 15 - 0

170 cm
19
145 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 15 - 0, fighting out of London, Hooper Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Phan Benjawan!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Colin Fotheringham and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith misses with an attempted mid kick.
Benjawan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Smith throws out the jab.
Smith throws a body kick that misses.
Smith throws a jab when Benjawan was well out of range.
Benjawan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Smith throws out the jab.
Hooper Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benjawan takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Benjawan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Smith won't allow Benjawan to pass to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
Smith trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Benjawan controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is looking to improve his position but Benjawan isn't that keen on the idea.
Benjawan controlling from the full mount.
Benjawan looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Phan Benjawan.
Smith lands an overhand right.
Smith tries to clinch but Benjawan is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Benjawan.
Benjawan scoring with punches from side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Smith gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Benjawan controlling the pace for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
It looks like Benjawan might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Phan Benjawan was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Smith scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Smith scores with a head kick. Benjawan tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Benjawan is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Smith.

It looks like Phan Benjawan has been cut.
Benjawan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Benjawan misses with the combination.
Benjawan misses with a hook. Smith ducked under it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smith looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benjawan looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Benjawan drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benjawan passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Smith!
Benjawan controlling from mount.
Benjawan's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Smith is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benjawan controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phan Benjawan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Phan Benjawan's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A head kick misses from Benjawan.
Smith misses with a two punch combination.
Smith lands a nice looking body shot.
Smith lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Benjawan drives through and clinches with Smith against the cage.
Smith lands a nice uppercut.

Benjawan breaks the clinch.

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

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

Benjawan looking to score a takedown here. Smith is defending well but Benjawan drives through and ends up in Smith's guard.
Benjawan passes Smith's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Benjawan stands up and beckons Smith to join him on the feet.
Benjawan misses with a wild combination.
Benjawan throws a leg kick which misses Smith's front leg but catches the back leg as Smith tries to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with a hook. Benjawan ducked under it nicely.
Smith moves into range and connects with a jab.

Benjawan drives through with a takedown into guard.
Benjawan lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Benjawan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Smith not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Benjawan scoring with some ground and pound.
Benjawan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Benjawan stands up and waves to Smith to follow him.
Smith misses with a straight right.
Smith really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Benjawan. Smith shrugs it off though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Benjawan moves into the clinch.

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

Benjawan changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Smith looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Smith is trying to get back to half guard.
Benjawan is chipping away with strikes.

Benjawan stands up and we're back to a striking position.
The crowd cheers as Benjawan lands an impressive looking overhand right. Smith doesn't seem phased though.

Benjawan shoots in and bounces Smith off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Benjawan's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Benjawan gets to his feet. Smith looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benjawan throws a body kick that misses.
Smith tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Benjawan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Benjawan on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Smith looks to land a combination but Benjawan avoids it well.

Benjawan decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Benjawan moves nicely into side control.
Phan Benjawan has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee asks Benjawan politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Benjawan prefers to stall for the moment though.
Benjawan advances nicely into full mount.
Benjawan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Phan Benjawan.
Benjawan blocks a head kick by Smith.
Benjawan tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.
Smith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Benjawan manages to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phan Benjawan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Phan Benjawan's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Benjawan feints and as Smith raises his hands in defense, Benjawan changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Benjawan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Benjawan stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Smith gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Benjawan to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Benjawan 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.
Benjawan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Smith trying to control the position.
Benjawan content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Benjawan gets to his feet - Smith follows without any prompting.
Smith looks to land a left hand but Benjawan moved out of range nicely.

Smith gets caught napping as Benjawan dives in and scores a takedown. Smith manages to retain guard.
Benjawan stays in close to Smith's body and controls the position.
Benjawan sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Smith's guard.
Benjawan trying to control the pace.

Benjawan stands up and beckons Smith to join him on the feet.
Hooper Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hooper Smith is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benjawan throws a leg kick which misses Smith's front leg but catches the back leg as Smith tries to avoid it.
Smith closes the distance but Benjawan moves to the side
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Benjawan. Smith shrugs it off though.
Benjawan cracks the inside of Smith's front leg.
Smith is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
A head kick misses from Smith.
Benjawan throws a right hand that Smith ducks under and follows up with a left that Smith also avoids with ease.
Smith lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Benjawan looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Benjawan is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benjawan gets to his feet - Smith follows without any prompting.

Benjawan closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Smith to the mat! Smith manages to get full guard.
Benjawan engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Benjawan advances position into side control!
Smith takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benjawan controlling from side mount.
Benjawan moves into full mount!
Benjawan controlling the position easily from mount.
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!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Benjawan lands a heavy elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Phan Benjawan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Benjawan winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phan Benjawan!
Phan Benjawan thanked the fans post fight for their support.