PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Snuka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Franks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Snuka
vs
Franks

171 cm
24
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
133 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Island Xtreme Fight-Gear

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jimmy Snuka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tom Franks!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Bart Greer and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franks stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

It looks like Jimmy Snuka has been cut.
Franks just misses with a punch to the body.
Franks looks to score with a jab to the body but Snuka is just out of range.
Snuka fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Snuka moves into the clinch.
Our sources have told us that Snuka has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Snuka tries a knee to the head but Franks blocks it.
Franks changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Snuka fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Franks looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Franks thows a left - swing and a miss!

Snuka closes the distance and clinches.
Snuka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Snuka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Snuka throws an elbow but misses.
Franks has Snuka pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Snuka manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Snuka wants the takedown. Franks is fighting it off but Snuka persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Franks's guard against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snuka trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Snuka scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Snuka lands a couple of digs.
Snuka tries to free his leg and advance position but Franks is retaining full guard.
Snuka throwing strikes but missing.
Snuka distracts Franks with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Snuka throws an elbow that misses. Franks uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Snuka's guard. Nice move by Franks!

Snuka keeping moving, preventing Franks from controlling successfully.

Franks drops back looking for a leg! Snuka is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Snuka manages to kick Franks off! Franks jumps back into Snuka's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Snuka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Franks is one step ahead there.
Snuka controlling the position.
Snuka knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Franks on the ground.
Snuka keeping full guard, as Franks tries to pass.
Snuka is pulling down on Franks's head. It's preventing any offense from Franks, at least for the moment.
Franks wants to control from the top but Snuka keeps moving.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Snuka is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Snuka looks to land a strike but Franks avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snuka loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Snuka tries to free his leg and advance position but Franks is retaining full guard.
Snuka has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Snuka throws a big elbow that misses.
Snuka postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Snuka with a flurry of punches that miss.
Snuka throws a strike but Franks rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Franks wants to control from the top but Snuka keeps moving.

Franks thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Snuka controlling Franks's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Snuka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Franks wants to stand but Snuka has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Snuka looking to control.

Franks thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Franks wants to stand but Snuka is controlling his posture from full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Franks trying to control but Snuka is working from the bottom.
Snuka looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Snuka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jimmy Snuka's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Snuka clinches with his opponent.
Snuka lands an elbow that stopped Franks in his tracks for a moment.

Snuka gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Snuka trying to control the action but Franks is working from the bottom.
Franks has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Snuka is working away from the top position though.
Snuka sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Franks defending well though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Snuka sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Franks defending well though.
Franks avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Snuka.
Snuka is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Franks can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snuka working Franks over with strikes.
Snuka scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Franks avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Snuka.
Snuka is looking to take a break and control but Franks is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Snuka missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Snuka thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Franks's head.
Snuka looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Snuka is thwarting Franks's attempts to control the position.
Snuka scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franks slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jimmy Snuka overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Franks working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Snuka.

Franks has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Snuka can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Franks utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Snuka in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Franks utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Snuka throws a strike but Franks rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snuka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Snuka keeping full guard, as Franks tries to pass.
Snuka controlling Franks's posture.
Franks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Snuka is keeping the position for now.
Franks keeps trying to improve his position.
Franks wants to control from the top but Snuka keeps moving.

Franks drops back looking for a leg! Snuka is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Snuka manages to kick Franks off! Franks jumps back into Snuka's guard.
Franks wants to control from the top but Snuka keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Snuka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Franks wants to stand but Snuka is controlling his posture from full guard.

Snuka is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Franks is aware though and is defending well.

Franks drops back looking for a leg! Snuka is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Snuka manages to kick Franks off! Franks jumps back into Snuka's guard.
Snuka 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.
Franks wants to pass the guard but Snuka is keeping the position.
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.
Franks passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Snuka is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Snuka dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jimmy Snuka's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Snuka tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Franks manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Snuka throws a sloppy head kick and Franks moves out of range easily.
Snuka throws a looping overhand right but Franks ducks down to avoid it.
A telegraphed right hand from Franks misses the target.
Snuka throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Franks's waist but Franks gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Snuka off to one side.

Snuka rushes Franks and presses him up against the ropes.
Snuka tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Franks smiles and moves away.
Franks darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Franks lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Snuka backs up against the ropes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franks swats away the attempt to clinch by Snuka.
A shot to the liver by Franks. Beautiful body shot.
Franks lands a nice shot that snaps Snuka's head back.
Jimmy Snuka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Franks throws a hook to the side of Snuka's head but Snuka sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franks leaves Snuka with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jimmy Snuka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Snuka tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Franks manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Franks lands with a nice combination. Snuka backs away looking to recover.

Snuka is rocked!
Snuka walks into a picture perfect straight right hand from Franks! He's gone down face first to the canvas, unconscious before he even hit the floor! Ohhhh. My. Goodness! That boys and girls was a beautiful knockout! Give that man a biscuit!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Tom Franks!
After the fight, Tom Franks was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
Jimmy Snuka spoke after the fight, saying 'Argghhh!!'.