PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Tamburello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Benoit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Chris Tamburello has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Chris Tamburello seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Tamburello
vs
Benoit

195 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chris Tamburello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chris Benoit!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Benoit shoots in for a double leg but Tamburello sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Benoit swats away the attempt to clinch by Tamburello.
Benoit fails to land the takedown.
Benoit fails with the takedown

so Tamburello counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Chris Tamburello has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Benoit.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Benoit has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Tamburello can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Tamburello stands and steps away. Benoit gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Tamburello misses with an attempted mid kick.
Benoit misses with a takedown

and Tamburello counters by moving into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tamburello is pressed up against the cage. Benoit has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Tamburello down to the mat. Tamburello avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Tamburello shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Tamburello slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tamburello postures up.
Benoit wants to stand and escape but Tamburello is having none of it.
Benoit looks gassed!

Tamburello stands up and waves to Benoit to follow him.

Tamburello closes the distance and clinches.
Benoit wants a takedown.

Tamburello's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Benoit throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tamburello's waist but Tamburello gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Benoit off to one side.

Tamburello closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Tamburello lands in his opponent's guard.
Benoit being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Benoit is working an open guard so Tamburello takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Tamburello looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Tamburello instigates a clinch.

Tamburello manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Tamburello is trying to control the position but Benoit postures up.
Benoit won't allow Tamburello to get back to his feet.
Benoit throws a big elbow that misses.
Benoit won't allow Tamburello to sweep him here.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamburello engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tamburello working some strikes from top position.
Tamburello forces his way into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tamburello 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.
Benoit wants to control but Tamburello is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tamburello trying to pass the guard but Benoit defending well.
Well, if Tamburello is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Tamburello seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Benoit for as long as he can get away with.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benoit throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Tamburello dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Benoit tries for a takedown but Tamburello circles away easily

and Tamburello counters with a nice double leg into side control. Benoit won't be happy with that.
Benoit can't do much from the bottom here.
Benoit throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Benoit can't do much from the bottom here.
Tamburello is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Benoit's shoulder. That is not cool.

Tamburello decides to stand back up.

Tamburello dives in and scores a takedown into Benoit's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tamburello accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Benoit is breathing heavily.
Benoit keeping moving, preventing Tamburello from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tamburello slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Benoit avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tamburello looking to pass the guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Tamburello wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Benoit fails with the takedown

and Tamburello counters with a single leg into guard. Benoit didn't expect that.
Tamburello controlling from the top position.
Benoit can't keep his opponent in guard - Tamburello advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamburello seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Tamburello controlling the pace.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Benoit is staying active underneath Tamburello, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Benoit wants to sweep but Tamburello has passed to side control!
Tamburello wants to control but Benoit is keeping him busy.
Tamburello is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Benoit can do to turn this around?

Tamburello tries for a kimura but Benoit is defending well.
Benoit gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamburello is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Benoit can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Benoit's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Tamburello lands a big shot there that rocks Benoit but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Tamburello is landing with some decent strikes but Benoit is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Benoit has given up his back.
Tamburello softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Tamburello punches Benoit on the ear.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Tamburello controlling the positon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tamburello controlling well, preventing Benoit from escaping the position.
Tamburello biding his time, looking for the opening.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Tamburello. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Benoit looking very determined here, making life difficult for Tamburello.
Benoit trying to get back to his feet but Tamburello is in full control for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Tamburello is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Benoit is defending well though. Tamburello let's go of the attempt for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Tamburello dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Tamburello is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Benoit's half guard.
Tamburello prevents Benoit from standing back up.
Benoit moves into full guard.
Tamburello stops Benoit from standing up.
Tamburello sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Benoit's guard.

Benoit with the active half guard here but Tamburello passes nicely into side control.
Tamburello landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Benoit takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benoit seems a little lost for a moment, as Tamburello dominates the positioning.
Benoit wants to get back to his feet but Tamburello drags him back down.
Tamburello is staying tight to Benoit's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Benoit is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tamburello scores with a couple of short elbows.
Benoit on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Tamburello scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Benoit to see if he's OK.

Tamburello is trying to get an arm triangle but Benoit is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamburello taking a breather here.
Benoit takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Tamburello is trying to get an arm triangle but Benoit is defending well.
Tamburello has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Benoit!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The referee warns Benoit that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Tamburello controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benoit is bucking up trying to escape but Tamburello cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Tamburello landing strikes, looking to finish!
Tamburello wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Tamburello landing punches.

Tamburello looking for a guillotine from mount but Benoit is having none of it.
Benoit swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Tamburello has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Benoit's face.
Tamburello scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Benoit is bucking up trying to escape but Tamburello cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Tamburello raining down hammerfists from mount.
Benoit tries to control the position but Tamburello now has his back.
The referee is taking a good look at Benoit as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Tamburello!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tamburello controls the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Benoit just trying to survive but Tamburello is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Tamburello showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tamburello has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Tamburello!