PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dante Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benjamin Benson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Benjamin Benson enters the cage!

Melendez
vs
Benson

173 cm
21
158 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

180 cm
21
171 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire
Dead Or Alive Nutrition 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dante Melendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Benjamin Benson!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melendez lands an overhand right.
Benson connects with a jab.
Melendez takes one to the chin there.

Melendez shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Melendez was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Melendez scoring with strikes but Benson is staying in there.
Melendez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Benson is trying to stand.
Benson is bucking up trying to escape but Melendez cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Benson avoids a series of strikes thrown by Melendez.
Melendez throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Melendez throws a strike there. Benson manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Benson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Melendez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melendez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Benson defending well though.
Benson has hold of Melendez's hands but Melendez slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Melendez 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.
Melendez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Benson defending well though.
Melendez trying to control the action but Benson is working from the bottom.
Nice strikes from Melendez there.
Melendez not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Melendez.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Melendez connects with a nice short shot to Benson's temple.
Melendez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Benson regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Melendez.
Melendez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Benson is keeping the position for now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Melendez throws an elbow that misses. Benson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Melendez's guard. Nice move by Benson!
Melendez pulls Benson in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Benson is controlling him.
Benson tries to stand but Melendez is controlling from the bottom.

Melendez is working an open guard so Benson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Melendez misses with a series of wild punches.
Benson cracks Melendez with a good jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Melendez misses the target.
Melendez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Melendez gets a double leg takedown into Benson's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benson keeping moving, preventing Melendez from controlling successfully.
Melendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Melendez looking to sit in guard and control but Benson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Benson would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Melendez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Melendez misses with an uppercut
and Benson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nice shot by Melendez.
Melendez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Benson defends it nicely.
Melendez throws an off balance right hand
and Benson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Melendez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Benson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Benson scores with a jab to the jaw.
Melendez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Benson swivels and escapes.
Benson lands a glancing blow to the side of Melendez's head.
Melendez connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Benson's hands.
Benson stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dante Melendez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Melendez fails to land with a series of punches.
Melendez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Benson pinned against the cage. Benson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Melendez tries for a takedown but Benson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Benson.
Melendez shoots for a takedown but Benson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Melendez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Benson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Melendez misses with an uppercut.
Melendez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Benson.
Benson with a hook.
Benjamin Benson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Melendez misses with a takedown attempt - Benson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Melendez throws a combination that misses
and Benson counters with a one-two to the body.
Melendez misses with a hook
and Benson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Melendez avoids a kick to the body.
Melendez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Dante Melendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benson throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Melendez throws a series of punches but Benson avoids them all with ease.
Benjamin Benson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Benson lands a jab-cross combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Benson tries a head kick but it misses.
Benson misses with a wild body shot.
Benson slips under a jab from Melendez.
Melendez lunges at Benson with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Benson's hand.
Melendez takes a swing at Benson's ribcage but misses.
Melendez swings for the body but Benson moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Benson throws a right hand that Melendez ducks under and follows up with a left that Melendez also avoids with ease.
Melendez uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Benson.
Melendez thows a body shot but no joy.
A nice leg kick lands there from Benson.
Benson needs to keep his hands up - Melendez had a free shot at his head there.
No luck for Melendez with that takedown attempt.
Melendez shoots in looking for a takedown. Benson tries to sprawl out of it but Melendez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Benson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Melendez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Benson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Benson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melendez takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Melendez throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Benson tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Melendez is in Benson's guard.
Melendez working some strikes from top position.
Benson can't keep his opponent in guard - Melendez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Benson is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Melendez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Benson regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Melendez.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Melendez 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.

That was a close second round but I would say that Dante Melendez will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Benson throws a series of punches but Melendez avoids them all with ease.
Benson scores with a shot to the body.
Melendez throws a hook but Benson blocks it.
Melendez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Benson dodges the punch combination from Melendez.
Melendez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Benson avoids it really well and circles away.
Melendez looks to land a right hand but Benson moved out of range.
Melendez swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Benson counters with a two punch combo.
Benson misses with an uppercut. Melendez saw that one coming.
Benson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Melendez was well out of range. Poor timing from Benson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Benson misses.
Melendez misses with a left hand
and Benson counters with a series of strikes. Melendez will be more careful next time no doubt.
Benson takes one on the button.
Melendez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Melendez throws a jab but it's blocked by Benson.
Benjamin Benson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Melendez looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Melendez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Melendez shoots in for a takedown but Benson shows good takedown defense.

Melendez scores with a takedown into Benson's guard.
Benson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Benson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Melendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Melendez throwing strikes but missing.
Dante Melendez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Benson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Melendez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Melendez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Melendez is stalling in the full guard.
Benson has momentary wrist control but Melendez slips an elbow through the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Benson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Melendez postures up in Benson's guard and throws a big left but Benson blocks it.
Benson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Melendez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Melendez throws a strike but Benson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Melendez pulls Benson in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson wants to get up but he can't break Melendez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dante Melendez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Melendez, 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dante Melendez!
Dante Melendez really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Dead Or Alive Nutrition 160 logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.