PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dallas Strickland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edoja Benjamin (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.

Strickland
vs
Benjamin

163 cm
18
346 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
19
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dallas Strickland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Edoja Benjamin!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Hugh Johnson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Strickland clinches with his opponent.
Benjamin wants a takedown but no success here.
Strickland is trying to pull guard but Benjamin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Strickland could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Benjamin has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Strickland is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Benjamin is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Strickland to keep the fight standing.
Dallas Strickland has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Edoja Benjamin.

Strickland decides to pull guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Benjamin trying to control but Strickland is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benjamin preventing the sweep.
Strickland working a defensive guard here.

Benjamin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Strickland closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Strickland lands in his opponent's guard.
Benjamin controls Strickland momentarily but Strickland frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strickland engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Benjamin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Strickland.

Benjamin throws his legs up looking for a submission but Strickland uses it to pass to side control.
Benjamin is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Strickland is trying to get an arm triangle but Benjamin is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin is not content to let Strickland control the position.
The ground and pound from Strickland seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Strickland has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Benjamin is looking to clinch.
Strickland misses with a kick to the body.
Benjamin misses with a takedown

so Strickland counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benjamin isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Strickland stacks Benjamin on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Strickland!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benjamin looks winded!
Benjamin looks to move to half guard but instead Strickland has passed into mount! Damn!
Strickland in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Benjamin in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Strickland controlling the pace for now.

Strickland is working for a guillotine from mount but Benjamin frees his head quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strickland throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Strickland lands a couple of good shots and Benjamin has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Strickland is not going to allow Benjamin to sit and survive in this position.
Strickland trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Strickland has good solid back control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dallas Strickland dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Benjamin tries to clinch up but Strickland circles away and keeps his distance.

Benjamin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Benjamin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Strickland has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Benjamin has managed to get both his arms back between Strickland's legs - danger averted.
Strickland seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Strickland looking for a guillotine here but Benjamin defends easily.
Strickland is trying to control the position but Benjamin postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benjamin wants to control from the top but Strickland keeps moving.
Strickland being controlled here, momentarily.
Strickland looking for a sweep. Not yet Strickland, not yet.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Benjamin tries to free his leg and advance position but Strickland is retaining full guard.
Strickland keeping moving, preventing Benjamin from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Edoja Benjamin was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Benjamin tries to close the distance and clinch but Strickland swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin has his takedown stuffed

and Strickland counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Strickland.
Benjamin is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Strickland's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Strickland closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Benjamin to the mat! Benjamin manages to get full guard.
Benjamin is breathing heavily.
Benjamin wants to stand and escape but Strickland is having none of it.
Strickland works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Strickland wants to pass the guard but Benjamin is defending well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Strickland prevents Benjamin from improving his position.
Strickland with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Strickland is going to stand back up.
Strickland has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Benjamin manages to control the position for a moment.
Strickland trying to control but Benjamin is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin wants to control but Strickland is having none of it.
Strickland unloading with bombs!
Strickland controlling the pace for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A nice elbow there by Strickland.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dallas Strickland dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Benjamin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Benjamin doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Strickland finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Benjamin.
Benjamin leaves Strickland with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Strickland will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Benjamin has closed the distance and engaged Strickland in a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Benjamin.
Strickland throws a head punch that misses.
Benjamin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Benjamin has Strickland pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Strickland manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strickland tries for a takedown but Benjamin manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dallas Strickland. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Strickland pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Horrible takedown by Strickland or perhaps it was just good defense by Benjamin which made him look bad.
Benjamin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Benjamin is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Strickland to keep the fight standing.
Benjamin blocks an uppercut.
Benjamin fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Benjamin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Strickland has him pressed against the cage.
Benjamin is trying to break the clinch but Strickland is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Benjamin.
Benjamin is trying to push Strickland away but Strickland has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Strickland's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Strickland fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Benjamin avoids it really well and circles away.
Benjamin avoids the head kick by Strickland.
Strickland moves out of range of the body kick.
Strickland fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Benjamin avoids it really well and circles away.
Strickland stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Strickland wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Benjamin drives through and clinches with Strickland against the cage.
Benjamin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Strickland gets control of Benjamin's arms and successfully pulls guard. Strickland will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Benjamin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Strickland keeping moving, preventing Benjamin from controlling successfully.
Strickland trying to keep a closed guard but Benjamin is proving a slippery customer.
Strickland wants to get back to his feet but Benjamin is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strickland has a closed guard, preventing Benjamin from standing up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Strickland looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Benjamin!
Strickland tries to stand but Benjamin is controlling his head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benjamin struggling a bit here.

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 Dallas Strickland.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Strickland, 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dallas Strickland!