PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mitch Connel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benji Hidori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hidori comes into a darkened arena with his song building. allejandro kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Connel
vs
Hidori

185 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 19 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mitch Connel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 19 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Benji Hidori!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Winston Alpacca and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hidori lands a nice leg kick that just misses Connel's sensitive parts.
Nice sprawl there from Connel as Hidori shoots in.
Connel fails to land the takedown.

Connel darts in and clinches Hidori up against the cage.
Hidori goes for a takedown attempt but Connel pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Hidori gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Connel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hidori's coach down at Clean and Green was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Hidori's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Hidori tries to clinch there but Connel circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Connel is defended easily by Hidori.

Connel rushes Hidori and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connel holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Hidori wants a takedown.
Mitch Connel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benji Hidori.
Hidori tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Connel just stands there and leans against the cage.

Connel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Connel scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Connel misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Connel throws a combination that misses

and Hidori counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Connel!
Connel is looking for a sweep.
The strikes coming from Hidori are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Connel is looking for a sweep.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hidori tries to move into full mount but can't pass Connel's legs.
Connel sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connel wants to improve his position but Hidori is controlling well.
Hidori is looking to stall here but Connel recovers full guard.
Hidori must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Connel wants to sweep here but Hidori controlling him for the moment.
Hidori not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connel is trying to keep Hidori in close.
Connel pulls Hidori in close to prevent any damage.
Hidori stopping the sweep attempt from Connel.
Connel is breathing heavily.
Hidori stops Connel from standing up.

Mitch Connel has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Hidori wants to clinch.
Hidori shoots in for a takedown but Connel shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Connel on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Horrible takedown by Hidori or perhaps it was just good defense by Connel which made him look bad.
Hidori shoots in but no luck this time.
Connel stuffs the takedown attempt from Hidori. Hidori gets slowly back to his feet.
Hidori shoots for a double leg takedown but Connel sprawls well. He's pushed Hidori's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Connel dives in and grabs Hidori's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hidori pushes down on Connel's head and hops out.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Connel circles away from the clinch attempt.
Connel defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hidori.
Hidori slips a jab and a cross from Connel.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Benji Hidori will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hidori scores with a leg kick.
Hidori has a takedown stuffed.
Hidori fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Connel avoids it really well and circles away.
Connel lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Hidori throws a head kick that Connel semi-blocks.
Connel misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Connel shoots for a takedown but Hidori saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Connel misses with a head kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hidori plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Mitch Connel has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hidori looks to land a combination. Connel sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Connel scores with a takedown into Hidori's guard.
Hidori looking to control.
Hidori really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Connel. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Hidori had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Connel defends it easily.
Hidori keeping moving, preventing Connel from controlling successfully.
Hidori is trying to keep Connel in close.
Hidori lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Connel!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hidori content just to control the position here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hidori trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hidori throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Connel really wants to buck Hidori off and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connel working to try and regain half guard.
Hidori trying to control but Connel is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hidori putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Hidori is working for a guillotine from mount but Connel frees his head quite easily.
Connel is controlling an arm, preventing Hidori from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Benji Hidori has got the better of the ground game so far.
Connel is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hidori working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Hidori looking to control but Connel is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hidori is landing with some decent strikes but Connel is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Connel is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hidori lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benji Hidori showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mitch Connel's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Connel shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hidori not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Connel looking to pass the guard.
Hidori avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Connel cracks Hidori with a solid left hand.

Hidori has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Connel off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Hidori misses with a looping right.
Hidori tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Connel manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mitch Connel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Connel throws a lazy head kick
and Hidori counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Connel closes the distance and pushes Hidori back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hidori is trying to pull guard but Connel turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Hidori working hard to break the clinch.
Connel goes for a takedown attempt but Hidori pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Connel avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Connel shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hidori pinned against the cage. Hidori gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Hidori scores with a takedown into Connel's guard.
Hidori sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connel is trying to control the position but Hidori postures up.
Hidori wants to control from the top but Connel keeps moving.
Hidori slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Benji Hidori wasn't active enough on the ground.
Hidori fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Connel avoids it really well and circles away.
Hidori tries to clinch but Connel moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hidori tries for a takedown but Connel sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mitch Connel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benji Hidori.
Some wild striking there from Hidori.

Hidori clinches.
Connel gets underhooks to prevent Hidori's takedown attempt.
Connel wants to take the fight to the mat but Hidori manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Hidori wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hidori looking for a takedown.
Hidori prevents the takedown attempt.
Connel is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Hidori is trying to maintain a safe position but Connel gets an underhook and turns Hidori into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hidori breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Connel defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hidori.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Connel.
Hidori is trying to control Connel's posture but Connel avoids it.

Connel stands up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hidori shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Connel sprawls well. Connel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hidori gets slowly back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Benji Hidori.
I've got Hidori 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 27:30
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benji Hidori!
A determined Benji Hidori didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!