PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cyrus Benton (ranked 8651 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeff Simond (ranked 5677 p4p, 0 weight class). Jeff Simond is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Benton
vs
Simond

158 cm
24
194 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
192 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cyrus Benton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jeff Simond!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Jonathan Paton and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Simond does no damage.
Simond throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Benton counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Benton.
Simond is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Benton trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Simond is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Simond not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Simond wants to pass to mount but Benton is defending the position.
Simond trying to control from half guard but Benton is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benton wants to get back to full guard.
Simond trying to pass the guard but Benton defending well.
Simond throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Simond tries to pass to full mount but Benton defends it.
Simond not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Simond tries to pass the half guard into mount. Benton knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Simond is still trying to improve position.
Simond is trying to control the action in half guard but Benton is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Simond passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Benton!
Benton is in a horrible position here. Simond smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benton manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Simond has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Benton is not content to let Simond control the position.
Simond stalling away here and it's allowed Benton to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Simond looking to sit in guard and control but Benton gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Benton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Benton postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Benton stands up over Simond, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Benton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benton scoring with punches to the head and body.
Benton scoring with punches to the head and body.
Simond looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Benton scoring with some ground and pound.
Benton with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Benton missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Benton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Benton connects with a couple of short punches.
Benton throws a big elbow that misses.
Benton scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Benton could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Benton preventing the sweep.
Simond is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Benton lands a couple of elbows.
Benton working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Simond's head.
Simond preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Simond is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Benton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Benton working some strikes from top position.
Benton throws a big elbow that misses.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Benton's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Simond wants to sweep but no luck.
Simond looks winded!
Benton postures up and lands a big shot to Simond's brow.
Benton lands a couple of elbows.
Benton lands a couple of digs.
Simond has momentary wrist control but Benton slips an elbow through the middle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Benton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Benton postures up and lands a big shot to Simond's brow.

Simond is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Benton postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyrus Benton dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Simond looks to score with a jab to the body but Benton is just out of range.
Benton attempts a counter takedown but Simond avoids it well and moves away.
Simond throws a left and a right that both miss
and Benton counters with a one-two to the body.
Jeff Simond seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Simond lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Benton circles away quickly and effectively.
Simond will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Simond jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Simond shoots in for a takedown but Benton shows good takedown defense.

Benton has Simond up against the cage in a clinch.
Simond is trying to push Benton away but Benton has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benton misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Benton prevents Simond from breaking the clinch.
Simond looking to slow down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benton wants a takedown.
Simond is trying to break the clinch but Benton is controlling him.

Simond has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Benton is trying to keep an underhook but Simond manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Simond is breathing heavily.
Benton tries to kick Simond off but Simond keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Benton misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Simond wants to work for an arm triangle but Benton is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Simond stops Benton from getting back to his feet.
Simond is looking to stall here but Benton recovers full guard.
Simond trying to control but Benton is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Simond working some strikes from top position.
Benton throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Simond throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Benton works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Simond throwing strikes from guard but Benton blocks nicely.

Simond got a little sloppy there for a moment and Benton has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Simond has managed to get both his arms back between Benton's legs - danger averted.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Simond trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Benton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Simond can do to turn this around?
Simond trying to control but Benton is working from the bottom.

Benton is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Simond defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Simond lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Simond wants to control from the top but Benton keeps moving.

Simond got a little sloppy there for a moment and Benton has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Simond has managed to get both his arms back between Benton's legs - danger averted.
Simond is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Simond stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Benton swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Simond lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Simond with a flurry of punches that miss.
Benton keeping moving, preventing Simond from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Simond throws a right hand that Benton ducks under and follows up with a left that Benton also avoids with ease.
A low kick from Simond is predictable there

and Benton counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Benton.

Benton manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Simond looking to pass the guard.
Simond postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Benton keeping moving, preventing Simond from controlling successfully.
Simond throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Cyrus Benton 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Simond connects with a single shot there.
The fighters circling - Simond throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Simond throws a combination that misses

and Benton holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Benton manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Benton is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Simond with a flurry of punches that miss.
Simond is in close to Benton's body, working some short punches and elbows.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Simond pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Benton is keeping the position for now.

Simond has gone for a leg lock! Benton slips out almost immediately though and dives into Simond's guard.

Simond takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Benton landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Simond utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Simond looking to hit a scissor sweep but Benton is one step ahead there.
Benton postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Benton scoring with some ground and pound.
Benton working some strikes from top position.

Simond is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Benton is aware though and is defending well.
Benton postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Benton lands a couple of digs.
Benton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Benton postures up and lands a big shot to Simond's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Simond wants to sweep but no luck.
Benton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Benton has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Benton with a nice head shot there.
Benton postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Benton postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Benton scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Benton cracks Simond with a solid left hand.
Benton content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Benton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Benton cracks Simond with a solid left hand.
Benton cracks Simond with a solid left hand.
Benton cracks Simond with a solid left hand.
Benton working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Benton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benton cracks Simond with a solid left hand.
Benton working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Benton working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Benton is working Simond over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Benton content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Benton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Benton cracks Simond with a solid left hand.
Jeff Simond has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Simond has momentary wrist control but Benton slips an elbow through the middle.
Benton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cyrus Benton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Benton is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Benton postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Benton works over Simond with some ground and pound from guard.
Benton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Benton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benton working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Simond's head.
Benton keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Simond's head.
Benton working some strikes from top position.
Simond has momentary wrist control but Benton slips an elbow through the middle.
Benton scoring with punches to the head and body.
Simond working a defensive guard here.
Simond has momentary wrist control but Benton slips an elbow through the middle.
Benton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Benton working some strikes from top position.
Benton chips away with some ground and pound.
Benton cracks Simond with a solid left hand.
Benton is working Simond over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Simond trying to control the position.
Cyrus Benton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Benton works over Simond with some ground and pound from guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cyrus Benton showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Benton, 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cyrus Benton!