PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Franklin Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Bedford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Franklin Worner has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Worner
vs
Bedford

180 cm
25
130 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

175 cm
23
135 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Franklin Worner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnny Bedford!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Tiny Johnson and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bedford stuffs the takedown attempt from Worner. Worner gets slowly back to his feet.

Bedford clinches up against the cage.

Bedford breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Worner lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Bedford misses with a body shot.
Worner is looking to clinch.
Bedford pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Worner shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bedford but Bedford pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Bedford closes the distance and pushes Worner back into the cage.

Bedford gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Worner regains guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Worner pulls Bedford in close to his closed guard and prevents Bedford from doing any damage or advancing position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Worner has his foot on Bedford's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bedford works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bedford trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Worner on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Worner tries to get out of the position.
Bedford wants to control from the top but Worner keeps moving.
Bedford trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Bedford decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Worner, up you get!
Bedford throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Worner counters with a straight right hand.
Worner scores with a kick to the midsection.
Bedford throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Worner fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franklin Worner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bedford shoots in looking for a takedown. Worner tries to sprawl out of it but Bedford keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Worner manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Worner or perhaps it was just good defense by Bedford which made him look bad.
Worner tries to clinch there but Bedford circles away.
Worner looks for a takedown but Bedford sprawls well.
Worner fails with the takedown

and Bedford counters with a shoot takedown. Worner fights it but they end up in guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bedford slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Worner keeping moving, preventing Bedford from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Bedford advances to half guard.

Bedford stands up from half guard.
Worner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Worner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Worner shoots in looking for a takedown but Bedford manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Worner's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bedford slaps away a takedown attempt from Worner, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Bedford fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Worner to the ground. Bedford is now in Worner's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bedford sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Worner's guard.
Worner tries to get to full guard but Bedford has control of the leg.
Bedford not doing much here.
Bedford throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Worner is trying to maintain the position but Bedford is very close to passing his half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Worner is trying to stand back up but Bedford is controlling him
Worner wants to get back to full guard but Bedford has passed into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Bedford dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Worner doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Bedford counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bedford content to stall in guard here.

Bedford stands up from Worner's guard - Bedford perhaps looking for a knockout.
Worner throws a nice inside leg kick.
Worner throws a head kick but Bedford moves out of range.
Worner scores with a body shot.

Bedford bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bedford tries for a kimura but Worner is defending well.

Bedford decides to stand back up.
Bedford shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Worner defends it nicely.
Bedford closes this distance looking for a takedown but Worner circles away.
Bedford is breathing heavily.
Worner scores with a jab. Bedford acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Bedford swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Worner makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Worner tries to clinch but Bedford is having none of it.
Worner fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Worner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bedford defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Worner.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franklin Worner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Worner dives in and grabs Bedford's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bedford pushes down on Worner's head and hops out.
Bedford misses with a hook to the body
and Worner counters with a nice low kick that buckles Bedford's knee momentarily.

Worner shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Bedford napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Worner trying to control the action but Bedford is working from the bottom.
Bedford is looking to regain half guard here but Worner keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner scores with punches from side control.
Bedford is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Bedford actively working from the bottom here.
Worner tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Bedford.
Bedford is refusing to be controlled, as Worner sits in half guard.
Worner scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Worner seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Bedford wants to control but Worner is keeping busy.
Bedford taking some punishment here, with Worner in his half guard.
Worner trying to control from Bedford's half guard. Bedford has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bedford striking off his back but it's not causing Worner any problems.
Worner controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Johnny Bedford will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Bedford pushes Worner up against the cage in a clinch.
Worner is trying to push Bedford away but Bedford has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Bedford manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Worner trying to control but Bedford is working from the bottom.
Bedford looking to hit a scissor sweep but Worner is one step ahead there.
Bedford trying to keep a closed guard but Worner is proving a slippery customer.
Worner trying to control but Bedford is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Bedford managing to control the position.

Franklin Worner has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Bedford tries to clinch but Worner is having none of it.
Franklin Worner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Worner shoots in but no luck this time.
Worner is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bedford sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bedford misses the body punch
and Worner makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Worner fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franklin Worner. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Worner fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bedford sprawls well initially but Worner persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bedford wants to control but Worner is keeping busy.
Worner wants to stand up but Bedford is controlling the position.
Bedford trying to hold on to Worner's head to control him but Worner postures up.
Bedford gets back to full guard.

Bedford throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner trying to control the position from guard on top but Bedford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Worner is fighting to break Bedford's control of his arms but Bedford is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Bedford trying to control the position.
Worner trying to control but Bedford is working from the bottom.

Bedford has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Worner can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bedford 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.
Worner really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bedford trying to keep a closed guard but Worner is proving a slippery customer.

Bedford has his foot on Worner's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Worner works his way back into a safe position though.
Worner tries to stand but Bedford is controlling from the bottom.
Bedford working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Bedford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bedford 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Bedford!