PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nigel Benn Jnr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Bixler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Benn Jnr
vs
Bixler

172 cm
19
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
19
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Prefers standup

AnonymouS
Namunamu Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Nigel Benn Jnr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Bixler!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Columbo Gatti and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benn Jnr avoids a kick to the body.
Benn Jnr feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Benn Jnr throws a chopping leg kick but Bixler manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Bixler is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Benn Jnr moves into range and clinches up with Bixler.
Bixler scores a nice knee to the body.
Benn Jnr takes a knee right on the jaw!
Benn Jnr avoiding damage as Bixler throws knees to the body.
Bixler stops a takedown attempt from Benn Jnr.
Bixler managing to block the knees to the body from Benn Jnr.
Bixler is pressed up against the cage. Benn Jnr has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bixler down to the mat. Bixler avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bixler misses with a body shot.
Benn Jnr shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bixler throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Benn Jnr looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Benn Jnr does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Benn Jnr. Bixler does a little dance to reset his feet.
Benn Jnr tries a head kick but it misses.
A slapping leg kick lands for Benn Jnr.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benn Jnr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Benn Jnr moves out of range of the leg kick from Bixler.
As Bixler looks to move away, Benn Jnr throws a big counter combo bu Bixler just gets out of the way.
Bixler tries to clinch up but Benn Jnr circles away and keeps his distance.

Benn Jnr scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Benn Jnr looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Bixler trying to control here.
Benn Jnr wants to pass the guard but Bixler is defending well.
Bixler is trying to stand.
Bixler felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

Benn Jnr is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Benn Jnr content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Benn Jnr is looking for a kimura but Bixler is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Benn Jnr to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bixler tries to get to full guard but Benn Jnr has control of the leg.
Still in half guard, Benn Jnr seems content to control.
Benn Jnr wants to free his trapped foot but Bixler is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Bixler wants to get back to his feet.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Bixler wants to control but Benn Jnr is keeping busy.
Benn Jnr looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Benn Jnr feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Bixler's calf.
Bixler takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Bixler wants to clinch up but Benn Jnr keeps it at a distance.
Benn Jnr throws a quick counter kick to the body but Bixler avoids it.
Bixler is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Benn Jnr.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benn Jnr throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Bixler was covering up waiting for the punch and Benn Jnr finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Bixler wants to stand and escape but Benn Jnr is having none of it.

Benn Jnr drops back looking for a leg! Bixler is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bixler manages to kick Benn Jnr off! Benn Jnr jumps back into Bixler's guard.

Benn Jnr drops back looking for a leg! Bixler is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bixler manages to kick Benn Jnr off! Benn Jnr jumps back into Bixler's guard.
Bixler wants to stand but Benn Jnr is controlling the position.
Benn Jnr sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bixler is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Benn Jnr is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benn Jnr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bixler swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Benn Jnr trying to control the position from guard on top but Bixler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Benn Jnr lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bixler's sensitive parts.
Bixler throws the left hand but Benn Jnr avoids the punch easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bixler blocks a low kick nicely.
Benn Jnr uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bixler.
Chris Bixler is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Benn Jnr looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benn Jnr content to control rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nigel Benn Jnr 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.

Bixler tries to clinch but Benn Jnr is having none of it.
Benn Jnr throws a quick counter kick to the body but Bixler avoids it.
Benn Jnr pushes Bixler away with a front kick.
Bixler wants to clinch up but Benn Jnr keeps it at a distance.
Benn Jnr changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Benn Jnr avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bixler tries to clinch up but Benn Jnr circles away and keeps his distance.
Benn Jnr throws a lazy right hand but Bixler sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Benn Jnr avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Benn Jnr lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Bixler at a distance.
Bixler is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Benn Jnr pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bixler is out of range and Benn Jnr settles back down.
Bixler takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Benn Jnr swats away the attempt to clinch by Bixler.
Benn Jnr lands with a thumping leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bixler tries to clinch but Benn Jnr moves out of range.
Bixler ducks under a wild hook from Benn Jnr.
Chris Bixler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Benn Jnr shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Bixler napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Benn Jnr working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bixler dodges the ground and pound from Benn Jnr.

Benn Jnr looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Benn Jnr controls the position from side control.
Benn Jnr trying to control the action but Bixler is working from the bottom.

Benn Jnr looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Benn Jnr tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Benn Jnr working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
An elbow from Benn Jnr crashes against the mat.
Nigel Benn Jnr overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bixler is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Benn Jnr has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Bixler is trying to get back to half guard.
Benn Jnr is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Benn Jnr tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Benn Jnr has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benn Jnr tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Bixler is trying to improve his position.
Bixler is pushing Benn Jnr's head away, looking to escape. Benn Jnr manages to hold on to the position though.

Benn Jnr is trying to get an arm triangle but Bixler is defending well.
Benn Jnr controls the position from side control.

Benn Jnr is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Bixler knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bixler is trying to improve his position.
Bixler prevents Benn Jnr from moving into mount.
Benn Jnr cracks Bixler with a big right hand but Bixler just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The ground and pound from Benn Jnr seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Benn Jnr tries for a kimura but Bixler is defending well.
Bixler is looking for a sweep.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Benn Jnr is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bixler is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Benn Jnr in side control, throwing shots but Bixler defends.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nigel Benn Jnr dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bixler fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bixler will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Benn Jnr attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Bixler fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bixler wants to clinch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Benn Jnr.
Benn Jnr dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bixler. That did some damage!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Benn Jnr. That's going to slow Bixler down.
Benn Jnr shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bixler but Bixler pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Benn Jnr is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bixler can do to turn this around?
Bixler moves to clinch but Benn Jnr breaks away
and Benn Jnr cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bixler wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benn Jnr looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Bixler!
Bixler is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Benn Jnr in side control, throwing shots but Bixler defends.
Bixler is trying to buck Benn Jnr off.
Benn Jnr tries to score with some ground and pound. Bixler controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Bixler manages to work his way to half guard, despite Benn Jnr's best efforts.
Benn Jnr missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Benn Jnr wants to pass the guard but Bixler is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benn Jnr trying to control the action but Bixler is working from the bottom.
Benn Jnr with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Benn Jnr is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Still in half guard, Benn Jnr seems content to control.

Benn Jnr is looking for a kimura but Bixler is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Benn Jnr to get the leverage.
Bixler wants to get back to his feet.
Bixler is looking for a sweep. Benn Jnr is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Benn Jnr is taking a breather. Bixler says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Benn Jnr trying to mount his opponent but Bixler defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benn Jnr is controlling the pace.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Benn Jnr keeps the fight on the outside.
Bixler fails in his attempt to clinch.
Benn Jnr digs a good hook to Bixler's body.
Benn Jnr scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Benn Jnr manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bixler on his heels. He'll look to pass Bixler's guard now, I'm sure.
Benn Jnr pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bixler is keeping the position for now.
Bixler wants to stand but Benn Jnr is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benn Jnr is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Bixler is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Benn Jnr is controlling him.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Benn Jnr throws a big elbow that misses.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Benn Jnr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Benn Jnr swats away the attempt to clinch by Bixler.
Bixler tries to clinch but Benn Jnr moves out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bixler is looking to clinch.
Benn Jnr lands a leg kick that knocks Bixler off balance momentarily.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Benn Jnr, right into the meat.
Chris Bixler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nigel Benn Jnr is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bixler looks to clinch
and Benn Jnr counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nigel Benn Jnr showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Benn Jnr, 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:26
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:26
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nigel Benn Jnr!