PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Henson Benderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Because I Can (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benderson comes to the cage accompanied by The Time is Now. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Benderson
vs
I Can

168 cm
25
148 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

155 cm
26
145 lbs
13 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Henson Benderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Because I Can!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benderson misses with a straight left.
The fighters circling - I Can throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Benderson takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Benderson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
I Can tries to bum rush Benderson with a series of wild strikes but Benderson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
I Can looks to score with a jab to the body but Benderson is just out of range.
The fighters circling - I Can throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
I Can misses with a combination
and Benderson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Good shot there by Benderson.
I Can ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Benderson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Benderson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Benderson has managed to clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Benderson missing with knees to the body.
I Can blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benderson scores with a knee to the head.
Benderson displaying some good clinch control by pressing I Can up against the cage.
Benderson leaning his opponent against the cage.
Benderson tries to land a knee to the head but I Can blocks with his arms.
I Can fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
I Can fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Benderson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Benderson will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning I Can up against the cage.
I was talking to Benderson's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
I Can takes an elbow to the forehead.
Benderson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but I Can has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
I Can swings away with an uppercut that misses.
I Can goes for a takedown in the clinch but Benderson prevents it.
Benderson with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I Can lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Benderson is stalling here.
Benderson misses with a knee to the head.
Benderson just leaning against I Can, taking a breather.
I Can is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Benderson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Henson Benderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Because I Can.

I Can manages to pull guard.
I Can tries to strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benderson is stalling in the full guard.
I Can working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Benderson.
I Can wants to sweep but no luck.
I Can working a defensive guard here.
I Can being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

I Can ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Benderson moves away.
Benderson throws a head kick that I Can semi-blocks.
Benderson lands with an overhand left.
The fight stays on the outside here - Benderson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Donk. I Can catches Benderson right on the button with a cross.
Benderson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Benderson scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Benderson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Benderson blocks a jab.
I Can throws out a loose jab but Benderson uses good head movement to avoid it.
A big right from I Can misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
I Can misses with an uppercut
and Benderson counters with a straight right hand.
Nice jab there from I Can.
Benderson fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and I Can has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Benderson's corner calls for a 1-2. Benderson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
I Can missing with a left hand there. Benderson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
I Can feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Bendersons jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Benderson takes the fight into the clinch.
Benderson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Benderson displaying some good clinch control by pressing I Can up against the cage.
I Can throws a punch but it's blocked by Benderson.
Benderson taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
I Can tries a body shot but Benderson blocks it.
Benderson is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Benderson landing knees to the head.
Benderson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but I Can has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
I Can is trying to drag Benderson to the mat but Benderson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

I Can pulls guard successfully.
I Can avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Benderson controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benderson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
I Can looking for a sweep. Not yet I Can, not yet.
Benderson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. I Can is keeping the position for now.
Benderson is pushing down on I Can's leg trying to pass to half guard. I Can is fighting to maintain full guard but Benderson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Benderson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that I Can can do to turn this around?
I Can is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
I Can is looking to control Benderson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can I Can avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Benderson content to control rather than advance.
I Can is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Benderson jumps into side control!
I Can is trying to escape the position but Benderson is controlling the position.
I Can is looking for a sweep.
Benderson happy to just control the position for now.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henson Benderson dominated that second round.
That's time! Benderson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Benderson scores with a nice head shot.
Benderson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
I Can has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Benderson moves into range and connects with a jab.
A swing and a miss from I Can.
As I Can looks to move away, Benderson throws a big counter combo but I Can just gets out of the way.
Benderson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from I Can.
I Can walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
I Can looks to land a right hand but Benderson moved out of range.
Benderson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from I Can.
Benderson drops down looking for a counter takedown but I Can sprawls and moves away.
I Can scores with a jab to the head.
Benderson keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
I Can displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Benderson throws out the jab.
I Can misses with an uppercut. Benderson saw that one coming.
Benderson throws a hook to the side of I Can's head but I Can sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A big left from I Can misses.
Benderson is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
I Can throws out a loose jab but Benderson uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benderson misses with a head kick.
A nice side step and I Can releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Benderson looks to throw the jab but I Can is out of range.
I Can swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Benderson fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
I Can misses the jab.
Benderson sizes up I Can with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A slow jab from I Can misses its intended target.
I Can throws a looping overhand right but Benderson ducks down to avoid it.
Benderson scores with the left hand. I Can knows he should have avoided that one.
Benderson misses with a series of wild punches.

Benderson clinches up with I Can and pushes him back against the cage.
I Can working aggressively here.
I Can blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Because I Can has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benderson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, Benderson scores with a nice short uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
I Can swings wildly with an uppercut but Benderson uses good head movement to avoid it.
I Can misses with a hook from the clinch.
Henson Benderson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Benderson looking to throw knees to the head but I Can is blocking nicely.
A head punch on the inside from I Can fails to land.
Benderson tries to land knees in the clinch but I Can avoids the damage to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I Can avoiding damage as Benderson throws knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from I Can fails to land.
I Can fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
I Can takes a knee right on the jaw!
Benderson stalling the fight.
Benderson tries a knee to the head but I Can blocks it.
I Can takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benderson tries a knee to the head but I Can blocks it.
Benderson stalling in the clinch.
I Can blocks a body shot from Benderson.
I Can blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
I Can lands a shot to the body.
Benderson will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning I Can up against the cage.
Benderson blocks a punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Henson Benderson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Benderson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Henson Benderson!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Henson Benderson waved his t-shirt featuring Humanoid Nutrition (160Q for 180$)'s logo in front of the cameras.
Because I Can was interviewed post fight and said 'I'm so handsome i'm not surprised this guy was all over me the way he was!'.