PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hugh Groughen (ranked 4550 p4p, 4949 weight class) and Reuben Benington (ranked 560 p4p, 578 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Groughen
vs
Benington

178 cm
22
170
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
24
176
0 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hugh Groughen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reuben Benington !
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Chad Campbell and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benington moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Groughen is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Benington .
Groughen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A left lands for Benington .
Groughen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Benington defends it nicely.
Groughen takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Groughen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Benington sprawls well. Benington wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Groughen gets slowly back to his feet.

Benington moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benington lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Benington pushes Groughen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Benington working aggressively here.
Benington misses with the head strike.
Benington misses with some punches.
Benington misses with a punch on the inside.
Still in the clinch, Benington scores with a nice short uppercut.
Benington misses with a short punch on the inside.
Benington lands with a right to the head.

Benington pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Reuben Benington seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benington scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Groughen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Groughen lands an elbow.
Groughen misses with the ground and pound.
Groughen cracks Benington with a big elbow.
Groughen lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Benington regains half guard.
Groughen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Benington wants to get back to full guard.
Benington won't allow Groughen to pass to mount.
Benington is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Groughen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Benington tries to roll over but Groughen keeps him under control.
Benington is trying to stand back up but Groughen is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Groughen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Groughen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Benington defending well though.
Groughen performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Benington really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Groughen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Groughen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Benington on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Groughen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Benington is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Groughen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Groughen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Benington 's head.
Groughen trying to mount his opponent but Benington defends it.

Groughen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Benington is just riding it out for now. Groughen eventually gives up the hold.
Groughen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Benington is not content to let Groughen control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reuben Benington dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Benington bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Groughen's head.
Benington pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Benington 's corner calls for a 1-2. Benington obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Groughen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Benington circles away from the clinch attempt.
Groughen walks into a left hand.
Benington misses with a few strikes there.
Groughen has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Groughen definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Benington moves into the clinch.
Benington lands an uppercut.

Benington breaks from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Benington takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Benington .
Benington has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Benington swings wildly with an uppercut but Groughen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Benington pressing his opponent against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Benington .
Groughen blocks an uppercut.
Benington lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Groughen has Benington pressed against the cage, preventing Benington from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Benington gets underhooks to prevent Groughen's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benington lands a hook that snaps the head of Groughen backwards.
Groughen wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hugh Groughen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Groughen is trying to pull guard but Benington turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Groughen blocks an uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Benington creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Benington lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Groughen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Benington lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Groughen backwards.

Benington breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Benington swinging wildly here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Groughen throws a sloppy head kick and Benington moves out of range easily.
Benington unleashes a big counter combination but Groughen bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Benington has closed the distance and engaged Groughen in a clinch.
Benington is looking to break free of the clinch but Groughen has double underhooks.
Benington misses with the head strike.

Benington breaks the clinch.
Groughen misses with a takedown attempt - Benington sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Benington rushes Groughen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Groughen takes a shot to the head.

Benington breaks the clinch.
Benington throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Benington instigates a clinch.
Benington lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benington tries to break the clinch but Groughen is controlling the position.
Benington lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Reuben Benington seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Groughen is looking for a takedown.
Benington is trying to push Groughen away but Groughen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Benington working aggressively here.
Benington lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Benington has Groughen pushed against the cage.
Groughen looking for a takedown.
Benington gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Groughen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Groughen tries to break the clinch but Benington is controlling the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reuben Benington showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Benington goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Hugh Groughen has been cut.
Groughen's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Benington connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Groughen scrambles back to his feet.
Groughen takes a head kick and keeps coming.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Benington lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Benington escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Benington scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Benington stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Benington wants it to stay on the feet.
It seemed like Benington was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Benington swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Groughen counters with a takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Groughen creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Benington sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Groughen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Benington tries to improve position but can't.
Groughen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benington wants to control but Groughen postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benington tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Benington parries the strikes from Groughen easily there. Groughen is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Benington to escape.
Groughen misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Groughen lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Groughen scoring with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benington parries the strikes from Groughen easily there. Groughen is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Benington to escape.
Benington avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Groughen.
Benington takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Hugh Groughen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Benington wants to control but Groughen postures up.
Groughen cracks Benington with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Groughen cracks Benington with a big elbow.
Benington managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Groughen.
Groughen misses with the ground and pound.
Groughen is looking to take a break and control but Benington is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benington parries the strikes from Groughen easily there. Groughen is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Benington to escape.
Groughen looks up at the clock and then as Benington takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Groughen smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Groughen has an Americana. Benington didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Groughen is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Groughen hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Hugh Groughen!