PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rumple Stiltzkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthieu Benoit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stiltzkin
vs
Benoit

186 cm
21
194 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rumple Stiltzkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matthieu Benoit!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stiltzkin misses with a double jab.
Benoit tries for a takedown but Stiltzkin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Stiltzkin scores with a takedown into Benoit's guard.
Benoit is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Stiltzkin stands up and waves to Benoit to follow him.
Benoit shoots in but no luck this time.

Benoit shoots in and bounces Stiltzkin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Benoit avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Benoit gets to his feet. Stiltzkin looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Stiltzkin looks to land a combination. Benoit sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Stiltzkin fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stiltzkin.
Stiltzkin misses with a takedown attempt - Benoit sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Benoit showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stiltzkin.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Benoit is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Stiltzkin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rumple Stiltzkin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthieu Benoit.
Stiltzkin wants to get back to striking at distance but Benoit won't allow it.

Benoit tightens his grip and picks Stiltzkin up, before dumping him to the ground. Stiltzkin manages to land in guard.
Stiltzkin has a closed guard, preventing Benoit from standing up.
Benoit passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Benoit working the ground and pound.
Stiltzkin tries to buck Benoit off but Benoit is having none of it.

Benoit tries for a kimura but Stiltzkin is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benoit wants to control but Stiltzkin is keeping him busy.
Benoit looks gassed!
Benoit working the head and body with strikes.
Benoit advances to mount.
Benoit has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Benoit is landing with some decent strikes but Stiltzkin is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Stiltzkin is working to get back to half guard.
Benoit lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Stiltzkin is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Benoit.
Benoit tries to control but Stiltzkin wriggling away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stiltzkin in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stiltzkin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Benoit stands up from mount. Strange move.
Benoit misses with a takedown

and Stiltzkin counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Benoit's guard now.
Stiltzkin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Benoit manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stiltzkin manages to get himself to full guard.
Stiltzkin trying to control the position.
Benoit trying to control but Stiltzkin is working from the bottom.

Stiltzkin had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Benoit is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Stiltzkin Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Benoit's back instead.
Stiltzkin not allowing Benoit to control his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit covering up well under a series of strikes from Stiltzkin.

Stiltzkin is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Benoit is defending well though. Stiltzkin let's go of the attempt for now.

Stiltzkin has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Benoit has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Benoit covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Stiltzkin somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

Stiltzkin working for a choke but Benoit is defending well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Stiltzkin goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Benoit escapes and is now in half guard on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matthieu Benoit 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.

Stiltzkin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Stiltzkin showed some decent athleticism there.
Benoit manages to get to full guard.

Benoit looking for a guillotine here but Stiltzkin defends easily.
Benoit striking from the bottom here.
Stiltzkin looking to pass the guard.
Stiltzkin postures up.
Stiltzkin throwing strikes from guard but Benoit blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stiltzkin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Benoit swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stiltzkin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Benoit manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Benoit lands a heavy elbow.
Stiltzkin is in all sorts of trouble here.
Benoit wants to control the pace but Stiltzkin is squirming around nicely.
Benoit scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Stiltzkin wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Benoit lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Benoit.
Stiltzkin tries to roll but Benoit sticks to his back.
Stiltzkin trying to get back to his feet but Benoit is in full control for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benoit controls the position.
Benoit softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Benoit trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Benoit looking for the choke from the back.
Stiltzkin turns into Benoit and is now in his guard.
Stiltzkin looking to pass the guard.
Stiltzkin is looking to advance position but Benoit has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Stiltzkin tries to reverse the position but Benoit maintains control.
Stiltzkin wants to try and get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Benoit get's back to his feet.
Rumple Stiltzkin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Stiltzkin!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stiltzkin lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Stiltzkin throws a combination. Benoit tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Stiltzkin scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Stiltzkin doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Benoit counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Stiltzkin regains full guard. Nicely done.

Stiltzkin is persistently looking for the submission but Benoit is defending it well.

Stiltzkin looking for the RNC.

Benoit is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Stiltzkin gets his way!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stiltzkin not allowing Benoit to control his hands.

Stiltzkin looking for the choke but no joy.
Benoit trying to control the position but Stiltzkin manages to sink in the hooks.

Stiltzkin is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Benoit has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Stiltzkin has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Benoit taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Stiltzkin doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Rumple Stiltzkin!