PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mickey Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erick Lewis (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.

Franco
vs
Lewis

168 cm
19
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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, Mickey Franco!
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, Erick Lewis!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Franklyn Lucas and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lewis looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Franco managing to control the position.
Lewis must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
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.
Franco wants to get back to his feet but Lewis is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Franco wants to get back to his feet but Lewis passes into half guard.

Franco kicks off Lewis and gets to his feet.

Lewis closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Franco blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lewis.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Franco trying to hold on to Lewis's head to control him but Lewis postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco is not content to let Lewis control the position.
Lewis thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lewis thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Franco kicks off Lewis and gets to his feet.

Lewis is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Franco's half guard.
Lewis is looking to take a break and control but Franco is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Franco pushes Lewis off looking to stand but Lewis dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lewis not landing any meaningful shots this time.
It looks like Lewis is going to stand back up.
Lewis tries to pass to full mount but Franco defends it.

Lewis decides to stand up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lewis tries to clinch

and Franco holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Franco is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Lewis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Franco circles away from the clinch attempt.
Franco misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lewis.
Franco fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lewis looking to score a takedown here. Franco is defending well but Lewis drives through and ends up in Franco's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Franco holds on and takes a little breather.
Lewis wants to control from the top but Franco keeps moving.
Lewis won't allow Franco to get back to his feet.
Franco is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lewis won't allow Franco to get back to his feet.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lewis misses with a few strikes there.

Lewis bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Lewis looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco dodges the ground and pound from Lewis.
Lewis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Franco keeps working.
Franco is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Franco might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lewis tries to move to mount but Franco blocks the move with his legs.
Franco is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lewis throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erick Lewis dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lewis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Lewis gets a takedown into half guard.
Franco is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lewis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Franco defending well though.
Lewis prevents Franco from standing back up.
Lewis is keen to just control but Franco is a slippery customer.
Franco wants to control but Lewis is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Lewis not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Erick Lewis hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Lewis throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lewis throws a front kick that sends Franco stumbling back into the cage.
Franco is looking to clinch but Lewis is avoiding it.
Lewis slaps away a takedown attempt from Franco, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lewis keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Lewis changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Franco looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franco is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Lewis off and has taken his back!
Lewis grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lewis looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Lewis rolls, trying to escape but Franco keeps control of the position.
Franco could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Lewis keeps trying to improve his position.
Lewis manages to reverse the position and now he's in Franco's guard. Nice work there by Lewis.
Lewis is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lewis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco is adopting a defensive guard.
Lewis with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lewis won't allow Franco to get back to his feet.
Lewis trying to control the position from guard on top but Franco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Erick Lewis has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lewis postures up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mickey Franco.

Lewis throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Franco tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Lewis is in Franco's guard.
Franco keeping moving, preventing Lewis from controlling successfully.
Franco pulls Lewis in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lewis won't allow Franco to get back to his feet.
Franco keeping full guard, as Lewis tries to pass.
Franco wants to sweep here but Lewis controlling him for the moment.
Franco is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lewis is controlling him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Erick Lewis was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Franco stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lewis.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erick Lewis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Lewis misses with a body shot.
Lewis tries to clinch but Franco is having none of it.

Franco gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Lewis to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Lewis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Franco swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Franco is trying to keep Lewis in close.
Franco is looking to stand back up but Lewis counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Franco.
Lewis missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco trying to control from the bottom.
Franco is trying to stand back up but Lewis is controlling him
Lewis content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Franco trying to control but Lewis postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Franco gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Franco wants to get back to his feet but Lewis is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lewis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Franco is keeping the position for now.
Franco wants to sweep but no luck.
Lewis trying to stand up but can't free himself from Franco's guard.
Franco can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Lewis controls the pace.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Erick Lewis has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Lewis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Franco has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Lewis.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lewis catches Franco with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Franco walks into a straight right hand from Lewis.

Franco moves into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Lewis lands a right hand.
Franco tries to circle away but Lewis has him pinned against the cage.

Lewis pulls guard effortlessly.
Lewis controls Franco momentarily but Franco frees himself.
Lewis is looking to sweep but instead, Franco has passed into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lewis is trying to maintain the position but Franco is very close to passing his half guard.
Lewis trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Lewis tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mickey Franco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Erick Lewis is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lewis slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erick Lewis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lewis 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erick Lewis!