PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Frank (ranked 4274 p4p, 4261 weight class) and Silas Mason (ranked 418 p4p, 413 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Frank
vs
Mason

178 cm
25
175
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
176
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

BANZAI COMBAT NUTRITION

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bobby Frank!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Silas Mason!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yukihiro Shimada and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mason throws a series of punches but Frank avoids them all with ease.
Frank tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mason swivels and escapes.
Mason lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Frank tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mason defends well and Frank ends up having to push Mason into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Mason prevents a body shot from Frank.
Frank tries to pull guard but Mason forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Frank. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Mason pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mason keeps the fight on the outside.
Despite the aggression on Mason's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Frank tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Frank fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mason is looking for the big counter here.
Frank tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mason sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Frank somewhat.
Despite the aggression on Mason's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mason forces Frank back against the cage and clinches.
Mason tries a body shot but Frank blocks it.
Frank can't find room to land a body shot as Mason controls the action.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Frank just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mason's brow.
Frank taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Frank lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mason backwards.
Frank tries to land knees in the clinch but Mason avoids the damage to the body.
Frank misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Frank breaks from the clinch.

Frank moves into range and clinches up with Mason.
Frank is leaning against Mason and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Frank scores with a shot to the side of Mason's head.
Nice body punch from Mason - that landed with a thud.
Frank tries to work over Mason's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Frank tries to break the clinch but Mason is controlling the position.
Frank tries to land a knee to the head but Mason blocks with his arms.
Frank tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Frank is breathing heavily.
Nice body punch from Frank.
Mason managing to block the knees to the body from Frank.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason tries to work over Frank's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mason with a knee to the head.

It looks like Bobby Frank has been cut.
Frank lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Frank tries to pull guard but Mason holds him up against the cage and eventually Frank drops back down to his feet.
Frank working aggressively here.
Frank with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mason is looking to break free of the clinch but Frank has double underhooks.
Mason on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Frank just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mason's brow.
Nice elbow from Frank.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason tries a body shot but Frank blocks it.
A head punch on the inside from Frank fails to land.
Frank misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mason.
Frank tries to land knees in the clinch but Mason avoids the damage to the body.
Frank creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Frank trying to control the position but instead, Mason has worked for underhooks and has pushed Frank into the cage.
Frank misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mason breaks from the clinch.
Frank doesn't manage to clinch there - Mason circles away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Frank dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bobby Frank's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mason keeps the fight on the outside.
As Frank backs off Mason throws a huge counter combo but Frank manages to avoid it all.
Frank lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Mason circles away quickly and effectively.
Mason unleashes a big counter combination but Frank bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Frank with a lazy takedown attempt
and Mason counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Frank fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mason avoids it really well and circles away.
Frank is looking to clinch.
Mason throws a counter combo.
Mason throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Frank.
As Mason looks to move away, Frank throws a big counter combo but Mason just gets out of the way.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Frank tries to clinch there but Mason circles away.
Mason throws a nice looking combination but Frank bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mason defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Frank.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Frank. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mason has taken the fight to the clinch.
Frank tries to land knees in the clinch but Mason avoids the damage to the body.
Frank throws a knee to the head but misses.

Mason breaks the clinch.
Bobby Frank is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mason darts in and clinches Frank up against the cage.
Mason lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Frank.
Mason being controlled against the cage.
Frank is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Frank lands a right hand.
Frank missing with knees to the body.
Frank with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Frank wants to get back to striking at distance but Mason won't allow it.
Frank tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Frank can't find room to land a body shot as Mason controls the action.
Bobby Frank has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Frank misses with a punch to the body.
Frank is trying to push Mason away but Mason has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Mason's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Frank is looking to clinch.
A nice side step and Mason releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Frank tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mason paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Mason rushes Frank and presses him up against the cage.
Mason keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Frank's efforts to push away.
Frank misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mason looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Frank misses with a knee to the head.
Frank wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mason has him pressed against the cage.

Frank's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Mason rushes Frank and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Frank misses with a short punch on the inside.
Frank using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Mason digs a right hand underneath Frank's ribcage. Frank let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Frank tries to throw a body punch but Mason avoids it by throwing Frank back against the cage.
Mason blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Mason can't find room to land a body shot as Frank controls the action.
Mason doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Frank tries to pull guard but Mason forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Frank tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mason avoids it.
Frank tries a body shot but Mason blocks it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Silas Mason showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bobby Frank's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Frank tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Mason counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Mason defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Frank.
Despite the aggression on Mason's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Mason closes the distance and pushes Frank back into the cage.
Frank lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Frank throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Mason misses with a hook to the ribs.
Frank tries to break the clinch but Mason is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Frank ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Frank no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mason trying to control the position from guard on top but Frank is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Frank uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Frank shoots in and drives through. Mason sprawls well.
Mason throws a nice looking combination but Frank bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Mason breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Frank with a poor takedown
and Mason counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Frank. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Frank tries to clinch up.
Despite the aggression on Mason's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
A right-left combo lands from Mason.
Frank pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Frank tries to keep at a distance but Mason has taken the fight into the clinch.

Frank pulls guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Frank is trying to control the position but Mason postures up.

Mason decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Frank, up you get!
Frank darts in trying to clinch
and Mason counters with a one-two to the body.
Mason throws a one two combo.
Frank wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mason clinches up against the cage.
Frank tries a body shot but Mason blocks it.
Frank misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Frank prevents Mason from breaking the clinch.
Frank can't find room to land a body shot as Mason controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Frank tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mason has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Frank has Mason pressed against the cage, preventing Mason from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Frank connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mason's face.
Frank is trying to pull guard but Mason has him pressed against the cage.
Frank prevents a body shot from Mason.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mason.
Mason misses with a hook to the ribs.
Frank throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mason blocks it with crossed arms.
Frank tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Mason's elbow.
Frank tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mason avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Silas Mason comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mason 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Silas Mason!