PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Toney Benjamin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neymarl jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Benjamin
vs
jr

152 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

189 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Toney Benjamin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Neymarl jr!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
jr lands a jab to the head.

jr shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Benjamin wants to control but jr is keeping busy and won't allow it.

jr is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Benjamin as he works his way to full guard.
Benjamin looking to control.
jr trying to control but Benjamin is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
jr controlling from the top position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Neymarl jr wasn't active enough on the ground.
Benjamin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. jr tries to avoid it but Benjamin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag jr to the ground. jr escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

jr changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Benjamin looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

jr looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

jr working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Benjamin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
jr advances to mount.
Benjamin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin blocking the ground and pound.
jr trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Benjamin tries to hold on but jr postures up.
jr throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Benjamin because jr loaded up on that one.
jr cracks Benjamin with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
jr looking to control but Benjamin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
jr sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
jr looking to finish with strikes here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neymarl jr dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

jr shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
jr missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
jr is figuring out what he wants to do next.

jr stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

jr shoots in and gets a takedown into Benjamin's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
jr throws an elbow that misses. Benjamin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in jr's guard. Nice move by Benjamin!
jr looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Benjamin puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
jr keeping control of the position.
jr tries to roll over but Benjamin keeps him under control.
Benjamin trying to control the action but jr is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
jr flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
jr wants to control but Benjamin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
jr is looking to get back to is feet but Benjamin passes into side control.
jr struggling a bit here.
Benjamin trying to control the position but jr is working away.
jr sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Benjamin could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benjamin missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Benjamin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are battling for position here. jr manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
jr looking to hit a scissor sweep but Benjamin is one step ahead there.
jr throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
jr will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
jr being controlled here, momentarily.
jr controls Benjamin momentarily but Benjamin frees himself.
jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

jr manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Benjamin on his heels. He'll look to pass Benjamin's guard now, I'm sure.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
jr is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Benjamin is working an open guard so jr takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neymarl jr showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

jr fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Benjamin shoots in and drives through. jr sprawls well.
jr misses with a wild body shot.

jr drives through with a takedown into Benjamin's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Benjamin has a closed guard, preventing jr from standing up.
jr trying to control but Benjamin is working from the bottom.

jr stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Neymarl jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Benjamin enables jr to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Benjamin manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Benjamin trying to control the position here.
jr is looking to work some ground and pound but Benjamin has wrist control.
Neymarl jr has got the better of the ground game so far.
jr in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
jr in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Benjamin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Toney Benjamin just wasn't active enough.

jr drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
jr takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
jr throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
jr wants to control but Benjamin is keeping him busy.
Benjamin regains half guard, as jr was trying to land strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
jr trying to control the action but Benjamin is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Still in half guard, jr seems content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Neymarl jr.

jr has managed to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

jr has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Benjamin uses from the top position.
Benjamin wants to get up but he can't break jr's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Benjamin won't allow jr to get back to his feet.
Benjamin stands and throws jr's legs to the side, diving into side control.
jr is trying to control Benjamin's posture but Benjamin avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
jr manages to work his way to half guard, despite Benjamin's best efforts.
Toney Benjamin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Neymarl jr is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
jr is trying to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Neymarl jr comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well jr 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 John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Neymarl jr!