PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mark Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pietro Abruzzi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mark Franklin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Franklin
vs
Abruzzi

183 cm
23
190 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

184 cm
19
198 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

•‡• LION Clothing •‡•

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mark Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pietro Abruzzi!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Bruno Lombardi and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Abruzzi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Franklin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Abruzzi ducks under a wild hook from Franklin.
Franklin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Abruzzi.
Franklin looks to land a right hand but Abruzzi moved out of range.
Franklin moves away from the strike by Abruzzi.
Franklin takes a swing at Abruzzi's ribcage but misses.
Abruzzi misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin misses with a straight right.
Abruzzi ducks right into an uppercut from Franklin.
Abruzzi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Franklin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abruzzi moves out of range of the strikes.
Franklin misses with a hook. Abruzzi ducked under it nicely.
Abruzzi misses with a looping right.
Franklin misses with a hook. Abruzzi ducked under it nicely.
Franklin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mark Franklin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Franklin scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Abruzzi doesn't seem bothered though.
Abruzzi feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Franklin's calf.
Franklin is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Franklin thuds his right hand into Abruzzi's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Franklin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Abruzzi manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abruzzi keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Abruzzi stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Abruzzi shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Franklin jabs Abruzzi right on the nose. Abruzzi blinks but takes it well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Franklin misses with a jab to the body
and Abruzzi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Franklin throws out a loose jab but Abruzzi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Franklin throws a body punch but Abruzzi moves out of range.
Franklin slips a jab from Abruzzi.
Abruzzi ducks under a wild hook from Franklin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Franklin misses
and Abruzzi counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Franklin thinking.
Franklin misses with a wild combination.
Abruzzi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Franklin lands a jab.
Abruzzi throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Abruzzi moves in looking to clinch but Franklin pushes him off.
Franklin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abruzzi staying out of range there.
Franklin looks to land a right hand but Abruzzi moved out of range.
Abruzzi misses with a kick to the body.
Franklin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Franklin misses with a combination
and Abruzzi counters with a slapping leg kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Franklin.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Franklin throws a hook to the side of Abruzzi's head but Abruzzi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Franklin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Franklin dominated that round.
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.

Franklin just misses with a punch to the body.
Abruzzi fails to land with a series of punches.
Abruzzi moves out of range of the leg kick from Franklin.
Franklin throws the left hand but Abruzzi avoids the punch easily.
Franklin misses with a series of wild punches.
Franklin lands with an overhand left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin takes a swing at Abruzzi's ribcage but misses.
Abruzzi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Abruzzi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Franklin throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abruzzi wants to clinch up but Franklin keeps it at a distance.
Franklin throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Abruzzi slips a jab from Franklin.
Franklin jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Abruzzi ducks under a wild hook from Franklin.
Franklin misses the jab.
A jab from Abruzzi misses.
Franklin misses with a hook to the body
and Abruzzi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abruzzi checks the leg kick nicely there.
Abruzzi connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Abruzzi connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Franklin is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Abruzzi stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Franklin.
Franklin scores with a nice head shot.
Abruzzi throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Mark Franklin is winning the standup battle so far.
Franklin throws a hook to the side of Abruzzi's head but Abruzzi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Franklin has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Franklin looks to score with a jab to the body but Abruzzi is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abruzzi moves away from the strike by Franklin.
Abruzzi connects with a body shot.
Franklin misses with an uppercut.
Abruzzi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Franklin swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Abruzzi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Franklin misses with a few strikes there.
Abruzzi scores with a crisp jab that stopped Franklin in his tracks.
Abruzzi checks a leg kick.
Franklin avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Franklin does it's job there.
A jab lands there for Franklin.
Franklin throws a hook to the side of Abruzzi's head but Abruzzi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Abruzzi swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Franklin counters with a left and a right that stings Abruzzi.
Abruzzi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Abruzzi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Abruzzi throws a leg kick but Franklin sees it coming and checks it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Franklin dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Franklin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Franklin misses with a two punch combination.
Franklin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Abruzzi throws out the jab.
Abruzzi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Franklin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Franklin throws a jab but it's blocked by Abruzzi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Franklin looks to score with a jab to the body but Abruzzi is just out of range.
Franklin misses the body punch
and Abruzzi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abruzzi throws a shot to the body.
Abruzzi ducks under a wild hook from Franklin.
Abruzzi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Franklin manages to avoid it.
Franklin misses with a shot to the body
enabling Abruzzi to counter with a crisp jab.
Franklin attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Abruzzi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Franklin darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Franklin throws out a loose jab but Abruzzi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pietro Abruzzi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Abruzzi misses with a combination
and Franklin counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abruzzi misses with a wild body shot.
Abruzzi slips a jab and a cross from Franklin.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Franklin!

It looks like Pietro Abruzzi has been cut.
Franklin swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Abruzzi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Franklin throws a combination that misses
and Abruzzi counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Franklin misses with an uppercut.
Abruzzi waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Franklin.
Franklin walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abruzzi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Franklin circles away quickly and effectively.
Franklin uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Abruzzi has time to react.
Abruzzi misses with a low kick.
Abruzzi fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Franklin is out of range.
Franklin lands a nice hook to Abruzzi's body. Abruzzi takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Franklin misses with a combination

and Abruzzi moves into the clinch.
Abruzzi digs a right hand into Franklin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Franklin's gas tank.
Abruzzi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin has a couple of punches blocked by Abruzzi.
Abruzzi blocking some punches.
Pietro Abruzzi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Abruzzi is trying to break the clinch but Franklin is controlling him.
Franklin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Franklin scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Abruzzi is trying to break the clinch but Franklin has him pressed against the cage.
Mark Franklin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Franklin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Franklin looks to throw the jab but Abruzzi is out of range.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Franklin, as that shot connected.
Franklin just misses with a punch to the body.
Franklin ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mark Franklin.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Franklin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Franklin!