PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dougie Fresh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Franklin
vs
Fresh

186 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 New York, Mike Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dougie Fresh!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, John Kavanagh and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin tries for a takedown but Fresh sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Franklin goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Franklin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Franklin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Fresh has his takedown stuffed
and Franklin counters with a body kick.

Fresh closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Franklin to the mat! Franklin manages to get full guard.
Fresh wants to control from the top but Franklin keeps moving.
Franklin 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.
Franklin is trying to keep Fresh in close.
Fresh stopping the sweep attempt from Franklin.
Franklin is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fresh stopping the sweep attempt from Franklin.

Franklin is working an open guard so Fresh takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Franklin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Fresh counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Fresh.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Franklin wants to sweep but no luck.
Franklin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Fresh stays in close to Franklin's body and controls the position.
Fresh must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fresh looks gassed!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Franklin is on top in guard.
Franklin trying to control the position from guard on top but Fresh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Franklin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Fresh's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fresh wants to improve his position but Franklin is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franklin is looking to take a break and control but Fresh is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Franklin lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Fresh wants to improve his position but Franklin is controlling well.
Franklin passes the guard and advances to mount!
Fresh is squirming around, avoiding Franklin's attempts to control the action.
Fresh is looking to improve his position but Franklin isn't that keen on the idea.
Franklin wants to control the pace but Fresh is squirming around nicely.
Franklin controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fresh is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Franklin breaks from Fresh's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Fresh is wriggling around trying to escape.
Franklin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Fresh is looking to escape.
Franklin working Fresh over with strikes here.
Fresh is trying to stand.
Franklin looking to control but Fresh is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Fresh can't escape the position.
Franklin unloading with bombs!
Fresh is looking to improve his position but Franklin isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four 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.
BOOM! Franklin connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Franklin lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Fresh is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Fresh is squirming around, avoiding Franklin's attempts to control the action.
Franklin landing strikes from the mount and Fresh is in trouble!
Fresh tries to reverse the position but Franklin maintains control.
Fresh is in a horrible position here. Franklin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Franklin.
Franklin trying to control but Fresh is having none of it.
Franklin with shots to the head and body - Fresh looks very uncomfortable down there.
Franklin takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dougie Fresh will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Franklin with a poor takedown
and Fresh counters with a thumping low kick.
Franklin throws out a loose jab but Fresh uses good head movement to avoid it.
Franklin fails with the takedown

and Fresh decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Franklin's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fresh trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.
Franklin manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Franklin trying to control but Fresh is having none of it.
Franklin is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Fresh can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
BOOM! Franklin connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Fresh keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Fresh is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Franklin looking to control but Fresh is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin lands a heavy elbow.
Fresh throwing hammer fists to the chest of Franklin. What's that going to do exactly?
Fresh is looking to get to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Franklin avoids the attempt from Fresh to control.
Dougie Fresh has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fresh is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Fresh regains half guard.
Franklin stalling.
Fresh desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Fresh has hold of Franklin's hands but Franklin slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is looking to take a break and control but Fresh is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Franklin uses his free foot to push down on Fresh's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Fresh.
Fresh working to try and regain half guard.
Fresh in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Franklin scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Franklin dominating with strikes here.
Franklin with a couple of short strikes.
Franklin unloading with bombs!
Franklin lands a heavy elbow.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fresh can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fresh is bucking up trying to escape but Franklin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Franklin has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Fresh's face.
Franklin working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Franklin connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Franklin pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Fresh is rocked!
Franklin with a couple of short strikes.
Fresh is still in real trouble! Can Franklin finish him?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Franklin looking to control and managing it successfully.
Franklin looking to finish Fresh with some ground and pound. This is bad for Fresh!
Franklin unloading with bombs!
Fresh seems to have recovered his senses.
Franklin controlling from mount.
Fresh is looking to improve his position but Franklin isn't that keen on the idea.
Franklin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Fresh?
Fresh wants to control but Franklin is having none of it.
Feeble punches landing from Fresh - he's mounted - they can't hurt.
Fresh wants to control but Franklin is having none of it.
Franklin lands a big shot there that rocks Fresh but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Fresh is in a horrible position here. Franklin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fresh really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Fresh regains half guard.
Fresh trying to hold on to Franklin's head to control him but Franklin postures up.
Fresh is looking for a sweep. Franklin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fresh is not content to let Franklin control the position.
Fresh trying to control here.
Fresh is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Franklin trying to control from half guard but Fresh is working away.

Franklin stands up and beckons Fresh to join him on the feet.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Fresh as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Franklin dominated that second 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Fresh misses with the combination.
Fresh tries to clinch but Franklin is having none of it.
Fresh takes a swing at Franklin's ribcage but misses.
Franklin shoots and misses
and Fresh counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Franklin waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Fresh.
Franklin shoots and misses

and Fresh counters by moving into the clinch.
Knees to the body from Fresh.
Fresh landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fresh gets underhooks to prevent Franklin's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Fresh has clasped his hands together around Franklin's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Franklin manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Fresh wants to get back to his feet.
Fresh blocking the ground and pound attempt from Franklin.
Fresh tries to get to full guard but Franklin has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fresh is looking to control Franklin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fresh avoid being mounted?
Franklin slows the pace down in half guard.
Fresh wants to get back to his feet.
Fresh throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Fresh throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Franklin's waist but Franklin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fresh off to one side.

Franklin decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Franklin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fresh keeps working.
Fresh trying to hold on to Franklin's head to control him but Franklin postures up.

Fresh has one foot on Franklin's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Mike Franklin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fresh closes the distance and clinches.
Franklin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Fresh is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Fresh breaks the clinch.
Franklin doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Fresh counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Fresh landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Franklin drops down looking for an ankle pick but Fresh pulls his leg out and moves away.
Fresh misses with a takedown

and Franklin counters with a takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Franklin takes a little break here. Fresh wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Fresh tries to bench press Franklin off him but Franklin keeps the position.
Fresh takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Franklin 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.
Fresh is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fresh manages to get back to half guard.
Franklin working the head and body with strikes.
Franklin winds up and cracks Fresh with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Franklin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fresh with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Fresh wants to get back to his feet.
Franklin scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ground and pound from Franklin.
Fresh is in trouble now - Franklin has advanced to mount!
Fresh takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Fresh tries to hold on but Franklin pushes him away.
Franklin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Fresh?
Franklin looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Franklin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Fresh looks a forlorn figure.
Fresh is wriggling around trying to escape.
Franklin landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fresh is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Fresh can't escape the position.
Fresh is squirming around, avoiding Franklin's attempts to control the action.
Fresh is in all sorts of trouble here.
Franklin breaks from Fresh's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Franklin looking to finish Fresh with some ground and pound. This is bad for Fresh!
Franklin lands with some strikes.
Fresh is trying to stand up.
Fresh working to try and regain half guard.
Franklin lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Franklin dominating with strikes here.
Fresh regains half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Franklin tries to stand and escape but Fresh is controlling the position.
Fresh moves into full guard.
Franklin works over Fresh with some ground and pound from guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Franklin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Franklin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28

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