PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chucho Benitez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chucho Benitez has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Benitez
vs
Smith

170 cm
33
165 lbs
18 - 11 - 0

180 cm
28
167 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chucho Benitez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Smith!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith shoots and misses

and Benitez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Benitez.
Benitez prevents Smith from getting back to his feet.
Smith is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Benitez trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Benitez is really struggling to control Smith but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Smith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Benitez is controlling him.
Smith preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Smith wants to stand and escape but Benitez is having none of it.
Benitez tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.
Benitez throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benitez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Smith looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Smith looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Smith!
Benitez is trying to get back to half guard.
Benitez is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Benitez is looking to regain half guard here but Smith keeps moving and retains side control.
Benitez 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.
Smith fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Benitez is looking for a sweep.
Smith scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Benitez to see if he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Benitez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Benitez is looking to reverse the position.
Benitez wants to control but Smith postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith scores with a couple of short elbows.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Benitez tries to improve position but can't.
Benitez manages to work his way to half guard, despite Smith's best efforts.

Smith is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Benitez defends it well.
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Benitez gets back to full guard.
Benitez wants to sweep but no luck.
Benitez is working hard here to advance position.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Benitez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Benitez tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Benitez working for a triangle but Smith defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith pushing down on Benitez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benitez trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Smith manages to pass to mount!
Benitez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Smith looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Smith looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Benitez can't escape the position.
Smith looking to finish Benitez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Benitez!
Smith avoids the attempt from Benitez to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benitez slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith is pressing down on Benitez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Benitez is holding on for now.
Smith working the head and body with strikes.
Benitez tries to get to full guard but Smith has control of the leg.
Benitez moves into full guard.
Smith scoring with some ground and pound.

Smith avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Benitez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith wants to control from the top but Benitez keeps moving.

Benitez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Smith defends well.
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 Chucho Benitez will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Benitez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smith moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Smith throws a lazy head kick

and Benitez counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Benitez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Smith does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith controlling the position for now.
Benitez trying to mount his opponent but Smith defends it.
Smith tries to kick Benitez off but Benitez keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Smith manages to get to full guard.
Benitez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benitez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Smith manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Benitez has Smith in his guard.
Benitez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Smith won't allow Benitez to sweep him here.
Benitez looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Smith puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Smith looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Benitez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ground and pound from Smith.
We've been informed that Smith has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
The fighters are battling for position here. Benitez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Smith throwing strikes from guard but Benitez blocks nicely.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Benitez is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith preventing the sweep.
Chucho Benitez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Benitez is looking for a triangle but Smith pushes his legs off easily.
Smith trying to control but Benitez is working from the bottom.
Benitez controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smith lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Smith controls from within his opponent's guard.
Benitez tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Benitez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Benitez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking to advance position but Benitez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Benitez sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Benitez swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Smith is now in Benitez's guard. A big mistake from Benitez there, giving up the dominant position!
Benitez manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Smith is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Benitez locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! Smith is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Chucho Benitez!
An out of breath Chucho Benitez thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.