PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tony Benson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ziggy Cliff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cliff is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by JAMROCK. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Benson
vs
Cliff

179 cm
31
175 lbs
23 - 6 - 0

182 cm
34
176 lbs
30 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Mohito Fightwear
DC Unrivaled

Apex
Conviction

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 23 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tony Benson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ziggy Cliff!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, James Glass and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Oooooh!!! Benson has knocked Cliff down with a huge combo! Benson steps away and waves a wobbly Cliff back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Ziggy Cliff has been cut.
Cliff with a jab.
Cliff throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cliff scores with a kick to the midsection.
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!
Cliff swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Benson swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cliff walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Benson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Ziggy Cliff seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fighters circling - Cliff throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Benson throws a big counter combination but Cliff scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
We've been told by Benson's head coaches at Breakdown Club that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Cliff stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Benson throws a hook but Cliff avoids it easily.
Benson misses with a kick to the body
and Cliff counters with a stiff right hand.
Cliff stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson lands a glancing blow to the side of Cliff's head.
A low kick from Cliff misses
enabling Benson to counter with a crisp jab.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cliff.
Benson lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Cliff swings widly with a right hand

and Benson counters with a nice right hand that sends Cliff toppling to the canvas! Cliff scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Benson finish him?!

Cliff is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cliff misses with an uppercut. Benson saw that one coming.
Cliff throws a series of punches but Benson avoids them all with ease.
No joy there for Benson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Benson blocks the body kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Benson misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cliff blocks the body kick.
Cliff looks to score with a jab to the body but Benson is just out of range.
Benson swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cliff with a jab.
Cliff lands with an uppercut that bounces Benson off the cage and back into range.
Benson throws a hook to the side of Cliff's head but Cliff sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cliff catches Benson with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Cliff loads up on a big right hand but Benson slips the punch.
Cliff fails with an attempt to clinch.

Cliff clinches with his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cliff slows down the pace here.
Benson is looking to break free of the clinch but Cliff has double underhooks.
Benson lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cliff backwards.
Cliff's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Cliff lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Cliff misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Benson tries to land knees in the clinch but Cliff avoids the damage to the body.
Cliff softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cliff.

Benson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Benson defending well as Cliff loads up on a big left hand.
Cliff throws a leg kick but Benson sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benson throws the left hand but Cliff avoids the punch easily.

Cliff forces Benson back against the cage and clinches.
Cliff pushes Benson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Benson breaks the clinch.
Benson lands with a nice combination. Cliff backs away looking to recover.

That has opened up Ziggy Cliff's cut even more.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cliff looks to throw the jab but Benson is out of range.
Benson lands a really nice looking cross but Cliff seems unphased.
Benson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cliff shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A low kick from Cliff is predictable there
and Benson counters with a body kick that stops Cliff in his tracks momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tony Benson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ziggy Cliff's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Benson gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Benson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cliff tries to clinch up
and Cliff takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Benson moves forwards but Cliff connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Benson moves out of range as Cliff strikes.
Benson will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cliff wants to counter with a clinch but Benson pushes him away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cliff misses with a leg kick
and Benson counters with a straight right hand.
Benson slips a straight right by Cliff.
Cliff connects with the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson throws a leg kick
and Cliff counters with a good low kick that Benson was not able to check.
Cliff pivots, looking for a leg kick but Benson is out of range and Cliff settles back down.
A lazy body kick from Benson
and Cliff counters with a nice low kick that buckles Benson's knee momentarily.
Cliff throws a head kick that misses
and Benson counters with a stiff right hand.
Benson throws a hook to the side of Cliff's head but Cliff sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Benson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Benson throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Cliff takes one to the chin there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cliff throws a lazy uppercut
and Benson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

The cut above Ziggy Cliff's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Benson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Benson misses with a hook
and Cliff counters with a slapping leg kick.
Cliff scores with a body shot.
A cross from Cliff lands.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cliff takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Cliff clinches up with Benson and pushes him back against the cage.
Cliff stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Cliff lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Cliff as the two fighters clinch.
Benson prevents a body shot from Cliff.
Cliff lands a right hand.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Benson.
A nice left hand lands by Cliff.
Cliff has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Benson seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Cliff can turn it around.
Benson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Cliff is keeping busy.
Cliff misses with a punch to the body.

Benson decides to pull guard.
Cliff controlling from the top position.
Cliff being controlled here momentarily.
Cliff content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cliff passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Benson is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Cliff is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Benson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Benson working to try and regain half guard.
Cliff scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ziggy Cliff showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ziggy Cliff's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Cliff lands a jab to the nose.
Cliff throws a jab when Benson was well out of range.
Cliff misses with a jab, cross combination.
Benson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Benson takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Benson throws a right and a left that Cliff avoids nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Benson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cliff dodges the punch combination from Benson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benson throws a series of punches but Cliff avoids them all with ease.
Cliff flicks out a counter leg kick but Benson steps away.
Cliff connects with a leg kick. Benson looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Cliff pushes Benson away with a front kick.
Cliff moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Cliff jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Cliff throws a nice looking combination but Benson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Benson checks a low kick from Cliff.
Benson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cliff counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benson jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Tony Benson is winning the standup battle so far.
Benson doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Benson avoids a kick to the body.
Cliff scores with a jab to the head.
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!
Cliff fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Benson checks it well.
Benson has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Benson there as he acknowledges the shot.
Benson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cliff.
Benson swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Benson moves into range and connects with a jab.
Benson lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cliff.
Cliff scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Cliff rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Benson counters with a body kick that stops Cliff in his tracks momentarily.
Benson throws a lazy body kick
and Cliff counters with a thumping low kick.
Cliff lands an overhand right.
Benson throws a nice looking combination but Cliff bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cliff fails in his attempt to clinch.
Benson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cliff.
Benson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cliff steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Benson.
Cliff misses with a low kick as Benson jumps back.
Cliff connects with an inside leg kick.
Benson throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Cliff counters with a nice body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Cliff gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Cliff presses Benson against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Cliff lands a shoulder strike.
Ziggy Cliff seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Benson prevents a body shot from Cliff.
Benson throws a head punch that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ziggy Cliff comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cliff has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ziggy Cliff!
Ziggy Cliff seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.