PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cletus Hensley (ranked 23437 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Joshua (ranked 5514 p4p, 620 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Ben Joshua was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Hensley
vs
Joshua

150 cm
20
214 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

210 cm
24
216 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cletus Hensley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Joshua!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Summer Carpenter and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Joshua shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Joshua showed some decent athleticism there.

Hensley kicks Joshua off and gets back to his feet.

Joshua closes the distance and clinches.

Joshua manages to break the clinch.

Joshua drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hensley really is a fat lump.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hensley tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Joshua tries to free his leg and advance position but Hensley is retaining full guard.
Hensley wants to sweep but no luck.

Hensley had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Joshua defends it easily.
Hensley keeping moving, preventing Joshua from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joshua throwing strikes but missing.
Joshua trying to control but Hensley is working from the bottom.
Hensley is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Joshua trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hensley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Joshua closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hensley to the mat! Hensley manages to get full guard.
Hensley thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Joshua is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Let's hope that Joshua has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Joshua throws a big right hand that misses.
Joshua showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hensley tries to strike from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Joshua is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Joshua gets a double leg takedown into Hensley's guard.
Hensley trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Joshua controls from within his opponent's guard.
Joshua loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hensley looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hensley managing to control the position.
Hensley tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Joshua showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Joshua has managed to clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Joshua just leaning against Hensley, taking a breather.
Joshua effectively controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Joshua dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Joshua has closed the distance and engaged Hensley in a clinch.

Joshua pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Joshua moves into range and clinches up with Hensley.
Joshua lands with a left to the head.
Hensley tries to pull guard but Joshua holds him up against the cage and eventually Hensley drops back down to his feet.

Joshua jumps into guard, dragging Hensley to the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hensley stopping the sweep attempt from Joshua.

Joshua working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hensley doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hensley manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Hensley trying to control but Joshua is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joshua is trying to control the position but Hensley postures up.
Joshua keeping moving, preventing Hensley from controlling successfully.

Joshua isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Hensley stacks Joshua on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Hensley!
Joshua is trying to get back to half guard.
Joshua sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Joshua works his way to full guard. Good work.

Joshua has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Hensley is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Hensley tries to pull guard but Joshua holds him up against the cage and eventually Hensley drops back down to his feet.

Joshua gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Hensley regains guard.
Hensley is trying to control the position but Joshua postures up.
Joshua in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hensley is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hensley keeping moving, preventing Joshua from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joshua not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Joshua wants to control from the top but Hensley keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Joshua prevents Hensley from getting back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Joshua fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hensley to the ground. Joshua is now in Hensley's guard.

Hensley pushes Joshua off and scrambles back to his feet.
Some wild striking there from Joshua.
Joshua is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Joshua drives through with a takedown into Hensley's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Hensley is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Joshua stopping the sweep attempt from Hensley.
Hensley has Joshua pulled in close to control his posture.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Joshua postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Joshua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Joshua gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Hensley counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Joshua!
Hensley trying to control the position but Joshua is working away.
Who's going to make the next move?

Hensley is trying to get an arm triangle but Joshua is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hensley is looking to take a break and control but Joshua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joshua is trying to improve his position.
Joshua is still trying to improve position.
Joshua trying to control but Hensley flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Joshua is really stuck here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hensley is not going to allow Joshua to sit and survive in this position.
Hensley has good solid back control here.
I really don't envy Joshua right now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joshua staying busy and making it hard for Hensley to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hensley is trying to stick to Joshua's back but Joshua is turning into Hensley. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Hensley's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Joshua.
Joshua throwing strikes from guard but Hensley blocks nicely.
Hensley keeping moving, preventing Joshua from controlling successfully.

Hensley looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hensley wants to sweep here but Joshua controlling him for the moment.

Hensley looking for a guillotine here but Joshua defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joshua with a flurry of punches that miss.
Joshua trying to control but Hensley is working from the bottom.

Hensley looking for a guillotine here but Joshua defends easily.
Joshua must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Joshua looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cletus Hensley showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Joshua has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Joshua!