PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Snap Pop (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pop kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is MegaDeth-Symphony of Destruction. Franklin comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Mudvayne - Not Falling kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Pop
vs
Franklin

185 cm
22
210 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
22
211 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

BioPharm Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Snap Pop!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, George Franklin!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin dodges the punch combination from Pop.
Pop throws a right and a left that Franklin avoids nicely.
Pop stuffs the takedown attempt from Franklin. Franklin gets slowly back to his feet.
Pop swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pop tries to clinch but Franklin moves out of range.
Pop throws a shot from downtown. Franklin moves away and avoids it.
Horrible takedown by Franklin or perhaps it was just good defense by Pop which made him look bad.
Pop throws a head kick that misses.
Franklin blocks a head kick by Pop.
Franklin looks for a takedown but Pop sprawls well.
Snap Pop has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Franklin.

Franklin closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Pop to the mat! Pop manages to get full guard.
Franklin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Franklin is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Franklin is looking to stand up but Pop won't let him.
Pop wants to sweep here but Franklin controlling him for the moment.
Pop has his hands on Franklin's head, controlling the position.
Pop keeping moving, preventing Franklin from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franklin drops back, looking for a kneebar! Pop looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Pop looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Pop!
Pop is looking to take a break and control but Franklin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Franklin manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Franklin stops Pop from getting back to his feet.
Pop tries to roll over but Franklin keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Franklin seems to be working for a kimura but Pop defends the submission attempt.
Pop is breathing heavily.

Franklin is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Pop is just riding it out for now. Franklin eventually gives up the hold.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pop looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pop throws a head kick that misses.
Franklin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pop tries to avoid it but Franklin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pop to the ground. Pop escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pop tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franklin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Franklin takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Franklin fails with the takedown.
Pop digs a good body shot into Franklin's ribs.
Pop wants to clinch up but Franklin keeps it at a distance.
Snap Pop seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pop misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pop misses with an attempted mid kick.
Franklin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pop.

Franklin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin wants to control but Pop is keeping him busy.

Franklin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pop has escaped the position, nice work there.

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

Franklin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pop has escaped the position, nice work there.
You can see the frustration on Pop's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Franklin tries to advance to mount but Pop denies him.

Franklin is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pop is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin advances to full mount.

Franklin with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Franklin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Pop tries to hold on but Franklin postures up.

Franklin is working for a guillotine from mount but Pop frees his head quite easily.

Franklin swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Pop is now in Franklin's guard. A big mistake from Franklin there, giving up the dominant position!

Franklin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Franklin dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pop tries to close the distance and clinch but Franklin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Franklin tries to clinch but Pop moves out of range.
Franklin fails with the takedown.
Pop lands a two punch combo.
Franklin looks for a takedown but Pop sprawls well.
Pop keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Snap Pop has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Franklin.

Franklin shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pop's guard.
Franklin postures up in Pop's guard and throws a big left but Pop blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pop utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Franklin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Franklin trying to control but Pop is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Franklin tries to free his leg and advance position but Pop is retaining full guard.
Pop looking to control but Franklin passes into half guard.

Franklin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pop trying to hold on to Franklin's head to control him but Franklin postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Nice sprawl there from Pop as Franklin shoots in.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pop but Pop pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Snap Pop is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pop is looking to clinch.
Pop cracks a nice hook into Franklin's ribs.
Pop throws a series of punches but Franklin moves out of range.
Pop misses with a double jab.
Pop misses with a wild combination.

Franklin shoots in and bounces Pop off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Pop keeping moving, preventing Franklin from controlling successfully.

Franklin has gone for a leg lock! Pop slips out almost immediately though and dives into Franklin's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Franklin working for a triangle but Pop defends it easily.
Pop is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Pop's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Franklin is looking to sweep but instead, Pop has passed into half guard.
Franklin is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Pop jumps into side control!
Pop lands a nice forearm strike.
Franklin should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Franklin tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Pop off and has taken his back!

Franklin tightening his grip on Pop, looking for the choke.

Franklin tightening his grip on Pop, looking for the choke.
Pop is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Pop wants to get back to his feet.
Franklin scores with punches from the back.
Pop wants to control his opponent's hands but Franklin gets his hands free.

Franklin working for a choke but Pop is defending well.
Pop tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pop trying to control the hands but Franklin breaks the grip.
Pop turns into Franklin and is now in his guard.
Pop is stalling in the full guard.
Franklin keeping moving, preventing Pop from controlling successfully.
Pop trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Pop stands up from Franklin's guard - Pop perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but George Franklin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Pop misses with a jab, cross combination.

Franklin closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Franklin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Pop keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Pop is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Franklin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Franklin's back!

Franklin defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Pop's arms.
Pop is trying to stick to Franklin's back but Franklin is turning into Pop. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Pop's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Franklin.
Franklin wants to control from the top but Pop keeps moving.

Franklin has gone for a leg lock! Pop slips out almost immediately though and dives into Franklin's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin keeping full guard, as Pop tries to pass.
Pop stopping the sweep attempt from Franklin.
Pop wants to get up but he can't break Franklin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Franklin had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Pop is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Franklin Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Pop's back instead.
George Franklin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Franklin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Franklin throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Pop breaks Franklin's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Franklin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Franklin wants to improve his position but instead Pop has moved into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Pop tries to stand but can't do so whilst Franklin controls his leg.
Franklin regains full guard. Nicely done.
Snap Pop has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Franklin keeping busy on the bottom but Pop has passed one foot through into half guard.
Franklin gets full guard.
Franklin lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pop!
Pop tries to lock up and control but Franklin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Franklin looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Pop is squirming around, avoiding Franklin's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pop wants to hold on but Franklin pushes him away.

Franklin jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Pop is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Pop and Franklin has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
An elbow from Franklin crashes against the mat.
Franklin is putting a hurting on Pop here, landing some big shots from side control.

Franklin thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Franklin tries for a kimura but Pop is defending well.

Franklin is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pop is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pop stops Franklin from passing to mount.

Franklin tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Franklin is looking to take a break and control but Pop is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Franklin wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Pop, who protects the arm well.

Franklin stands up and we're back to a striking position.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Franklin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Franklin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

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