PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rusty Clapper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franco has chosen Till I Collapse as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Clapper
vs
Franco

175 cm
25
160 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

175 cm
21
163 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rusty Clapper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nate Franco!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Yves DeLean and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Franco gets caught flat footed, as Clapper shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Clapper showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Clapper chips away with some ground and pound.
Franco bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Clapper's guard.
Clapper looking for a sweep. Not yet Clapper, not yet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Clapper is on top in guard.
Clapper slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Clapper working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Franco's head.
Clapper sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clapper pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Franco is keeping the position for now.
Franco is looking to stand back up but Clapper counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Franco.
Clapper prevents Franco from standing back up.
Clapper is looking to take a break and control but Franco is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Franco is looking to improve his position.
Clapper tries to pass the half guard into mount. Franco knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Clapper stands up from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Clapper looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Franco is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Clapper trying to control but Franco is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rusty Clapper wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Franco tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Clapper paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Clapper circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nate Franco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Franco with a lazy takedown attempt
and Clapper counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Franco darts in trying to clinch

so Clapper counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Clapper trying to control but Franco is working from the bottom.
Franco utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Franco pushes Clapper off and scrambles back to his feet.
Franco looks gassed!
Clapper tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Franco swivels and escapes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco tries to clinch up

and Clapper counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Clapper is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Clapper content just to control the position here.
Clapper lands a big shot there that rocks Franco but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Clapper dominating with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rusty Clapper dominated that round.
That's time! Clapper's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Clapper tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Franco tries to clinch up

and Clapper counters with a nice double leg into side control. Franco won't be happy with that.
Clapper tries to move into full mount but can't pass Franco's legs.
Clapper trying to control the position but Franco is working away.
Clapper passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Franco!
Franco is wriggling around trying to escape.
Clapper lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Clapper tries to control but Franco wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco tries to lock up and control but Clapper gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Clapper trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Franco is looking to get to half guard.
Franco is breathing heavily.
Clapper looking to control but Franco is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Franco tries to lock up and control but Clapper gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Clapper tries to control but Franco wriggling away.

Clapper goes for an armbar but Franco turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Franco.
Franco pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Clapper is keeping the position for now.

We're going to have a standup here because Rusty Clapper wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Clapper thumps Franco with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clapper fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Franco stuffs the takedown attempt from Clapper. Clapper gets slowly back to his feet.
Franco misses with a two punch combination.
Clapper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Franco manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Franco tries to clinch

and Clapper decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Franco's guard.
Rusty Clapper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Clapper looking to pass the guard.
Clapper working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Franco being controlled here, momentarily.
Clapper trying to control but Franco is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clapper stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Franco swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Clapper scoring with punches to the head and body.
Clapper trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Clapper trying to control but Franco is working from the bottom.
Clapper is pushing down on Franco's leg trying to pass to half guard. Franco is fighting to maintain full guard but Clapper has managed to sneak the leg through.
Clapper controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rusty Clapper dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Clapper throws a head kick but Franco moves out of range.
Clapper fails in his attempt to clinch.
Franco tries to close the distance and clinch but Clapper swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Franco.

Clapper has taken the fight to the clinch.
Clapper jumps guard but Franco stands there with Clapper around his waist. Clapper gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Franco is trying to drag Clapper to the mat but Clapper just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Clapper changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Franco fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Franco tries to clinch but Clapper moves away

and Clapper decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Franco's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Franco keeping moving, preventing Clapper from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clapper trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Franco is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Clapper is aware though and is defending well.
Clapper postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Clapper looking to pass the guard.
Clapper stands up over Franco, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Franco is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Franco is looking to stand back up but Clapper counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Franco.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Clapper in particular looking to stall.
Clapper throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Clapper wants to lay and pray for a moment but Franco keeps working.

Clapper is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Clapper slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Clapper is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Franco doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Clapper.
Franco is trying to stand back up but Clapper is controlling him
Franco is refusing to be controlled, as Clapper sits in half guard.
Clapper prevents Franco from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Clapper is pressing down on Franco's thigh, looking to free his foot. Franco is holding on for now.
Clapper thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Clapper controlling the pace.
Nate Franco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Franco is not content to let Clapper control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rusty Clapper just wasn't active enough.
Franco tries to clinch

and Clapper counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Clapper.
Clapper pushes down on Franco's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Clapper gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

And that's the end of the fight!
Rusty Clapper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Clapper, 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rusty Clapper!