PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rick Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lukas Svoboda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Franklin
vs
Svoboda

185 cm
20
201 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

186 cm
18
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Fight 4 America

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rick Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Lukas Svoboda!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Svoboda but Svoboda pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nice defenses there by Svoboda.
A jab from Svoboda does it's job there.

It looks like Rick Franklin has been cut.
Franklin lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Lukas Svoboda has been cut.
Svoboda connects with a jab.
Svoboda throws a looping overhand right but Franklin ducks down to avoid it.
Franklin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Svoboda scores with a jab. Franklin acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Svoboda thuds his right hand into Franklin's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Franklin is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Svoboda stuffs the takedown attempt from Franklin. Franklin gets slowly back to his feet.
Franklin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Svoboda circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Franklin.
Svoboda throws the left hand but Franklin avoids the punch easily.
Franklin takes one to the side of the head.
Franklin moves out of range as Svoboda strikes.
Svoboda misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin is fighting to break Svoboda's control of his arms but Svoboda is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Svoboda working for a triangle but Franklin defends it easily.
Svoboda looking for a sweep. Not yet Svoboda, not yet.

Franklin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Franklin wants to control from the top but Svoboda keeps moving.
Franklin throwing strikes but missing.

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.
Svoboda is trying to control the position but Franklin postures up.
Svoboda is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Svoboda blocks the strikes from Franklin.
Franklin is looking for a sweep. Svoboda is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Franklin trying to hold on to Svoboda's head to control him but Svoboda postures up.
Svoboda seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Franklin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Franklin manages to get to full guard.

Svoboda drops back, looking for a kneebar! Franklin looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Franklin looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Franklin!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svoboda tries to bench press Franklin off him but Franklin keeps the position.
Svoboda is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Franklin throws an elbow but Svoboda slips to the side and avoids it well.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Svoboda is looking to reverse the position.
Franklin trying to control the action but Svoboda is working from the bottom.
Svoboda defending against the ground and pound.
Franklin trying to control the action but Svoboda is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Svoboda tries to bum rush Franklin with a series of wild strikes but Franklin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Franklin tries to clinch but Svoboda moves out of range.
Svoboda swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Franklin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Franklin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Svoboda swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Svoboda moves away from the strike by Franklin.
Franklin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Franklin is breathing heavily.
Svoboda throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Franklin wants to clinch up but Svoboda keeps it at a distance.
A head kick from Franklin lands but Svoboda takes it in his stride.
Franklin fails to land the takedown.
Svoboda might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Svoboda lands a left and a right that sends Franklin crashing to the canvas! Svoboda dives into mount looking to finish!
Oh Franklin is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Franklin holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Svoboda tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Franklin seems to have got his legs back now.
Svoboda wants to control the pace but Franklin is squirming around nicely.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Svoboda breaks from Franklin's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Svoboda in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Svoboda can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Franklin is looking to escape.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Franklin is looking to get to half guard.

Svoboda jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Franklin is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Franklin and Svoboda has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Svoboda is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Franklin is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Svoboda throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Svoboda wants to take a breather but Franklin manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Svoboda.
Svoboda stopping the sweep attempt from Franklin.
Svoboda trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.

That's eight 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.
Svoboda throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Svoboda trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.

Despite being in the dominant position, Lukas Svoboda just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Franklin feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Svoboda is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Franklin controlling from the top position.
Svoboda throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Svoboda looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Svoboda is on top in guard.
Svoboda looking to sit in guard and control but Franklin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Svoboda working a defensive guard here.
Svoboda keeping moving, preventing Franklin from controlling successfully.
Franklin postures up in Svoboda's guard and throws a big left but Svoboda blocks it.

Svoboda working for submissions but it's allowed Franklin to get to half guard.
Svoboda is trying to maintain the position but Franklin is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lukas Svoboda dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Franklin tries to clinch there but Svoboda circles away.
Svoboda stuffs the takedown.
Svoboda looks to land a left hand but Franklin moved out of range nicely.

Franklin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Svoboda looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Franklin frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Franklin prevents Svoboda from getting the reversal.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Svoboda wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Franklin.
Svoboda is looking to get to half guard.
Svoboda wants to control but Franklin is having none of it.
Svoboda is working to get back to half guard.
Svoboda takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Svoboda working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Svoboda bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Franklin trying to control the position.
Franklin is pulling down on Svoboda's head to control his posture.
Svoboda trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Franklin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Franklin perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svoboda flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Svoboda is not content to let Franklin control the position.
Svoboda keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Svoboda is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Franklin pulls his head out easily.

That's four 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.
Franklin wants to control but Svoboda is keeping him busy.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Franklin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Franklin misses with a looping left.
Franklin gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Svoboda.

Franklin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Franklin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Franklin trying to pass the guard but Svoboda defending well.
Franklin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Svoboda defending well though.
Franklin is tying to control. Svoboda wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rick Franklin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Franklin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Svoboda's head.
Franklin controlling the action here.
Franklin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Svoboda does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Franklin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Svoboda is fighting off a takedown attempt but Franklin is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Svoboda to the mat. Svoboda regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Franklin stopping the sweep attempt from Svoboda.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Svoboda is on top in guard.

Svoboda is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Franklin is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Franklin has escaped and now he's on top!
Franklin is stalling in the full guard.
Franklin trying to control but Svoboda is working from the bottom.

Franklin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Franklin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Franklin trying to control but Svoboda is working from the bottom.
Franklin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Svoboda wants to sweep here but Franklin controlling him for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Franklin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Franklin fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A big right from Svoboda misses.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Franklin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rick Franklin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Svoboda cracks a nice hook into Franklin's ribs.
Franklin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Svoboda throws out the jab.
Franklin fails with the takedown.
Svoboda on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Franklin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Svoboda swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Franklin misses with a takedown attempt - Svoboda sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Svoboda throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Franklin. Svoboda shrugs it off though.
Svoboda pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Franklin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Franklin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Franklin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Svoboda paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Svoboda looks to land a left hand but Franklin moved out of range nicely.
Svoboda lands a nice shot that snaps Franklin's head back.
Franklin fails with a takedown attempt.
Svoboda getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Franklin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Svoboda, pushing him back against the ropes.

Franklin pulls guard successfully.

Franklin is looking for a triangle but Svoboda pushes his legs off easily.
Franklin throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Franklin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Franklin keeping moving, preventing Svoboda from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Franklin showed his dominance in that final round.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Glass scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight for Lukas Svoboda!

The fight ends as a draw!