PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Massimo Benvenuti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arnavut Sevket (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Benvenuti
vs
Sevket

182 cm
33
187 lbs
29 - 6 - 0

182 cm
33
192 lbs
24 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Highland Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Massimo Benvenuti!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Arnavut Sevket!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Chris Edwards and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benvenuti just misses with a punch to the body.
Benvenuti fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Benvenuti fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sevket, pushing him back against the cage.
Benvenuti is trying to push Sevket away but Sevket has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A right hook to the body lands for Benvenuti.
Benvenuti lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Benvenuti can't find room to land a body shot as Sevket controls the action.
Benvenuti tries a body shot but Sevket blocks it.
Benvenuti gets through Sevket's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sevket misses with a punch to the body.
Benvenuti digs a right hand into Sevket's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sevket's gas tank.
Sevket tries a body shot but Benvenuti blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benvenuti lands a body shot in the clinch.
Sevket wants to break free but Benvenuti has control.

Benvenuti pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sevket ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Benvenuti moves away.
Sevket connects with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sevket misses with a looping left.
Benvenuti throws a good cross that connects.
Benvenuti with a hook.

Benvenuti instigates a clinch.
Benvenuti prevents a body shot from Sevket.
Benvenuti taking a breather.
Benvenuti tries a body shot but Sevket blocks it.
Benvenuti misses with a body punch.
Benvenuti pushes Sevket back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sevket blocks a body shot from Benvenuti.
Sevket tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Benvenuti scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Benvenuti misses with some punches.
A short left from Benvenuti.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Benvenuti.
Sevket tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benvenuti blocks a body shot from Sevket.
Stalling in the clinch from Benvenuti.
Sevket pressing his opponent against the cage.
Benvenuti is working Sevket over against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benvenuti is working Sevket over against the cage.
Benvenuti leaning against his opponent.
Sevket stalling against the cage.
Sevket misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sevket is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Benvenuti is keeping busy.
Benvenuti scores with a shot to the side of Sevket's head.

Benvenuti breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Benvenuti clobbers Sevket with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benvenuti with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sevket avoids the body shot from Benvenuti.
Benvenuti misses with a head kick.
Sevket lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Sevket ducks under a wild hook from Benvenuti.
Sevket throws a big shot that misses.
Sevket looks to score with a jab to the body but Benvenuti is just out of range.
Sevket ducks under a wild hook from Benvenuti.
Benvenuti displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sevket throws out the jab.
Good shot there by Benvenuti.
Sevket throws a nice looking combination but Benvenuti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Benvenuti seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Sevket on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Benvenuti. Benvenuti obviously looking to wear him down.
Good standup being displayed there by Benvenuti as he connects with a hook.
A head kick misses from Benvenuti.
Sevket takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Benvenuti lands with a slapping head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head kick misses from Benvenuti.
Benvenuti connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Benvenuti scores with a sloppy right hand. Sevket should have avoided that one.
Massimo Benvenuti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benvenuti wants to clinch up but Sevket keeps it at a distance.
Sevket on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Sevket throws a poor cross that misses
and Benvenuti connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A swing and a miss from Benvenuti.
Sevket takes a swing at Benvenuti's ribcage but misses.
Benvenuti is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Sevket keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Benvenuti.
Benvenuti just misses with a punch to the body.
Benvenuti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sevket.
Sevket misses with a body punch
and Benvenuti counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sevket throws a body shot but no joy.
Benvenuti tries to counter by clinching up but Sevket breaks away and moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Massimo Benvenuti dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Benvenuti with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Benvenuti is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sevket can do to turn this around?
Benvenuti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sevket.
Benvenuti scores with a jab to the body.
Benvenuti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sevket.
A decent looking cross lands there for Benvenuti.
Benvenuti is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sevket let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Sevket in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

Benvenuti pushes Sevket up against the cage in a clinch.
Sevket throws a punch but it's blocked by Benvenuti.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benvenuti's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Benvenuti presses Sevket against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Sevket is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Sevket misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sevket tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sevket's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
I was talking to Benvenuti's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benvenuti.
Benvenuti misses with a body punch.
Sevket is trying to break free.
A right hand to the body from Benvenuti.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Benvenuti.
Sevket being controlled against the cage.
Sevket prevents a body shot from Benvenuti.
Sevket misses with some punches.
Sevket is trying to break free.
Benvenuti swings wildly with an uppercut but Sevket uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benvenuti being controlled against the cage.
A body shot lands from Benvenuti.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benvenuti controlling the action here for a moment.
Benvenuti misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sevket fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Benvenuti stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A bit of stalling here from Sevket.
A nice left hand lands by Benvenuti.
Benvenuti lands with a light punch inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Benvenuti.
Benvenuti lands a body shot.
Benvenuti scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Benvenuti tries to work over Sevket's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sevket misses with a body punch.
Benvenuti lands with a left to the head.
Benvenuti stalls.
Benvenuti blocks a body shot from Sevket.
Benvenuti lands an uppercut.
Benvenuti lands a hook that snaps the head of Sevket backwards.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Benvenuti dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Benvenuti seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Benvenuti doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Benvenuti breaks from the clinch.

Benvenuti rushes Sevket and presses him up against the cage.
A short right from Sevket on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sevket stalling.
Sevket misses with a body punch.
Benvenuti softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Sevket tries to work over Benvenuti's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sevket is struggling to control the position.
Sevket is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Benvenuti.
Sevket doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sevket blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Benvenuti creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Benvenuti working aggressively here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Massimo Benvenuti dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Benvenuti lands a right hook to the body.
A head kick misses from Benvenuti.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sevket! But no joy.
Sevket with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sevket throws a poor cross that misses
and Benvenuti makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Massimo Benvenuti is winning the standup battle so far.

Benvenuti clinches up with Sevket and pushes him back against the cage.
Benvenuti blocks a body shot from Sevket.
Sevket misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sevket scores with a nice hook to the head.
Benvenuti throws a head punch that misses.
Benvenuti works on Sevket's body with a couple of short punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Benvenuti escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sevket tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Benvenuti was well out of range. Poor timing from Sevket.
Sevket misses with a body shot.
Benvenuti seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Benvenuti waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sevket.
Sevket lands the left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benvenuti scores with a nice strike.
Sevket misses with the combination.
Benvenuti is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sevket takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Benvenuti lands a head kick!

It looks like Arnavut Sevket has been cut.
Benvenuti lands an overhand right.
Benvenuti misses with a head kick.
Benvenuti blocks a jab.
A swing and a miss from Sevket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sevket takes one on the button.
Benvenuti fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
No joy there for Sevket, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Benvenuti gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Benvenuti lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Benvenuti punishes Sevket's body with a nice straight punch.
Benvenuti scores with a crisp jab that stopped Sevket in his tracks.
Nice shot lands for Sevket.
Benvenuti moves away from the strike by Sevket.

Benvenuti drops Sevket with a beautiful combination! Sevket stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Benvenuti is looking for the KO!

Sevket is rocked!
Sevket drops his hands momentarily and Benvenuti needs no second invitation. He sets himself and throws a perfect high kick, that clips Sevket just on the top of the head. Sevket drops like a sack of potatoes to the canvas, out cold! Oooooooh yeah! Stick a fork in Sevket - he's done!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Massimo Benvenuti!
Massimo Benvenuti is the new middleweight champion!
A victorious Massimo Benvenuti thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.