PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Van Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stu Bennett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kelly
vs
Bennett

181 cm
44
168 lbs
23 - 13 - 0

183 cm
28
170 lbs
19 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 23 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Van Kelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Stu Bennett!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kelly gets a takedown into half guard.

Bennett makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Kelly shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bennett pinned against the cage. Bennett gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Kelly closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kelly lands in his opponent's guard.
Kelly wants to pass the guard but Bennett is keeping the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kelly accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kelly tries to free his leg and advance position but Bennett is retaining full guard.
Kelly working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bennett avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kelly accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kelly working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kelly accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kelly throws a big right hand that misses.
Kelly loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kelly working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bennett preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kelly postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kelly throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bennett works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bennett avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kelly is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kelly throws a big right hand that misses.
Bennett has his hands on Kelly's head, controlling the position.
Kelly throwing strikes from guard but Bennett blocks nicely.
Bennett avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Kelly postures up and lands a big shot to Bennett's brow.
Bennett is looking to stand up but Kelly isn't so interested in that idea.
Kelly postures up in Bennett's guard and throws a big left but Bennett blocks it.
Kelly working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Bennett looking for a sweep. Not yet Bennett, not yet.
Bennett utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kelly with a nice head shot there.
Bennett preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kelly accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Bennett controls Kelly momentarily but Kelly frees himself.
Kelly throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bennett works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kelly missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kelly 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.
Kelly throwing strikes but missing.

Bennett manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Kelly keeps control of Bennett as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kelly lands a right hand.
Kelly goes for a takedown attempt but Bennett pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bennett connects with a solid leg kick.
Bennett lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Kelly tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bennett sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kelly somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Van Kelly. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kelly fails with a takedown attempt.
Kelly tries to close the distance and clinch but Bennett swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bennett works the jab nicely.
Kelly fails with the takedown.

Kelly instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bennett jumps guard but Kelly stands there with Bennett around his waist. Bennett gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Bennett is pushing Kelly up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Bennett is trying to break the clinch but Kelly is controlling him.
Kelly is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bennett pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Kelly keeps control of Bennett as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kelly has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bennett is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
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 Van Kelly will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kelly pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kelly tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bennett swivels and escapes.
Kelly throws a leg kick that is checked
and Bennett counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kelly misses with a head kick.
Kelly slips a jab and a cross from Bennett.
Van Kelly seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kelly tries to clinch but Bennett moves out of range.
Kelly checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
No luck for Kelly with that takedown attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Bennett misses the target.

Kelly looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Bennett pushes Kelly off and gets back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kelly changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bennett tries to avoid it but Kelly manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bennett to the ground. Bennett escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Van Kelly. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bennett connects with a single shot there.

Kelly shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Bennett manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennett stuffs the takedown.
Kelly tries to clinch but Bennett is having none of it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bennett! But no joy.
Kelly misses with a straight right.
Nice uppercut lands for Bennett. That snapped Kelly's head back.
Kelly misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
It seemed like Bennett was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Kelly looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Kelly closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Bennett's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bennett preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kelly loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly cracks Bennett with a solid left hand.
Bennett looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Bennett trying to control the position.
Kelly postures up in Bennett's guard and throws a big left but Bennett blocks it.
Kelly missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kelly chips away with some ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bennett not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Van Kelly overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kelly trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kelly trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kelly missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bennett seems keen to control Kelly's posture.
Kelly scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bennett utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kelly throws a big right hand that misses.
Kelly postures up in Bennett's guard and throws a big left but Bennett blocks it.
Bennett wants to stand and escape but Kelly is having none of it.
Kelly throwing strikes from guard but Bennett blocks nicely.
Kelly wants to pass the guard but Bennett is keeping the position.
Bennett preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kelly postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bennett wants to get back to his feet but Kelly is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bennett avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kelly throws a strike but Bennett rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Bennett slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Kelly looking for subs off his back but Bennett has passed one foot through into half guard.

Kelly looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Kelly is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bennett pulls his head out easily.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Bennett in particular looking to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kelly looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stu Bennett 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!

Ouch! a nice leg kick from Bennett, right into the meat.

Kelly rushes Bennett and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kelly wants to take the fight to the mat but Bennett manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Bennett manages to break the clinch.
Kelly shoots in looking for a takedown but Bennett manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kelly's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bennett cracks Kelly with a good jab.
Bennett thows a left - swing and a miss!
Stu Bennett seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bennett connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Kelly fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Van Kelly. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kelly closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bennett to the mat! Bennett manages to get full guard.

Bennett has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Kelly has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Kelly has hold of one of Bennett's legs. Bennett is fighting the takedown attempt but Kelly gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bennett is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bennett controlling the action here.
Kelly is trying to get back to full guard.
Kelly keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Kelly looking for submissions off his back.
Kelly regains full guard. Nicely done.

Bennett stands up from Kelly's guard - Bennett perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown but Bennett shows good takedown defense.
It seemed like Bennett was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Kelly tries to clinch up but Bennett circles away and keeps his distance.
Bennett dips to his left and cracks Kelly with an uppercut!
Kelly shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bennett as he avoids it easily.
Stu Bennett is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bennett misses the shot to the body.
Kelly drops down looking for a counter takedown but Bennett sprawls and moves away.
Bennett scores with the left hand. Kelly knows he should have avoided that one.
Bennett wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Bennett's corner calls for a 1-2. Bennett obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
A jab lands there for Bennett.
Kelly dives in and grabs Bennett's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bennett pushes down on Kelly's head and hops out.
Nice sprawl there from Bennett as Kelly shoots in.
Bennett has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bennett jabs Kelly right on the nose. Kelly blinks but takes it well.
Bennett jabs at Kelly's body.
Kelly takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Kelly is rocked!
Kelly moves forwards but Bennett connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Oh Kelly is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bennett drops a shoulder and throws an uppercut that cracks Kelly right on the button. Kelly goes down! Bennett follows him to the mat and finishes the job with more strikes! Bennett gets the win via TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Stu Bennett!
Stu Bennett decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.