PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Franky Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samin Ax (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Young
vs
Ax

165 cm
27
137 lbs
18 - 16 - 0

176 cm
32
140 lbs
8 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 18 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, Franky Young!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Samin Ax!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, William Peck and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ax shoots in but Young avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ax darts in looking for a takedown but Young gets double underhooks and turns Ax into the cage.
Young throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ax with the counter takedown but Young avoids it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Young. No joy for Ax on that attempt.
Franky Young has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samin Ax.
Young tries to clinch but Ax moves out of range.
Ax drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Young defends it well.
No joy there for Young, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Young misses with a double jab.

Young gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Young lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ax backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ax tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Young just stands there and leans against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Young.
Young misses with a hook to the ribs.
Young lands a nice shot to the body.
Young throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Axs head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young working aggressively here.
Young struggles to land a body shot inside as Ax controls his hands.
Young taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ax jumps guard but Young turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Young goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ax fails to pull guard.
Young pushes Ax back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ax blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ax prevents a body shot from Young.

Ax pulls guard effortlessly.
Our spies down at at TIGER MMA inform us that Ax has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Young trying to control but Ax is working from the bottom.
Young has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Young pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ax is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ax looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Young puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ax wants to sweep but Young has passed to side control!
Young is looking to take a break and control but Ax is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Young is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Ax is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ax can't do much from the bottom here.
Young working the ground and pound but Ax is defending the strikes.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Young looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ax manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ax trying to control from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Young forces Ax back against the cage and clinches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Young is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Young misses with a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franky Young dominated that 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.

Young throws a right hand that Ax ducks under and follows up with a left that Ax also avoids with ease.

Ax tries to keep at a distance but Young has taken the fight into the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Young.
Young controlling the action here for a moment.
Young swings wildly with an uppercut but Ax uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ax tries for a takedown. No joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ax takes a shot to the head.

Ax has picked Young up - he's going for a ride! Ax dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Ax seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Young does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young is trying to control but can't.
Young wants to improve his position but Ax is controlling well.
Young slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ax trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.
Ax postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ax postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ax wants to control from the top but Young keeps moving.
Young might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Young wants to control but Ax passes easily into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ax trying to control the action but Young is working from the bottom.
Ax thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Young's head.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Ax is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Young keeping moving, preventing Ax from controlling successfully.
Ax preventing the sweep.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ax ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Young moves away.
Ax goes for a double leg but Young avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Young continues to drive forward.

Young clinches up with Ax and pushes him back against the cage.
Young fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Young misses with a hook from the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Young.
Young lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Young misses with some punches.
A short body shot lands from Young as the two fighters clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Young.
Young fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Young dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Young.
Young fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Young tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ax's elbow.
Young lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Young is pressed up against the cage. Ax has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Young down to the mat. Young avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Franky Young has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samin Ax.
Young wants to clinch up but Ax keeps it at a distance.
Ax drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Young defends it well.
Franky Young seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Young drives through with a takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Young throws a strike but Ax rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Ax is working Young over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ax with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franky Young dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Young rushes Ax and presses him up against the cage.
Young lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Young lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Ax is looking to take this one to the mat.
Young lands a left hand.
Young tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A short body shot lands from Young as the two fighters clinch.
Young pushes Ax back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ax wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Young has him pressed against the cage.
Franky Young has scored more points in the clinch so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Young lands a hook that snaps the head of Ax backwards.
Young lands a body shot in the clinch.
Young avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young lands with a right to the head.
Young displaying some good clinch control by pressing Ax up against the cage.
Young works on Ax's body with a couple of short punches.
Ax takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A right handed body shot lands from Young.
Young is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ax can do to turn this around?
Young scores with a shoulder strike.
Ax looking for a takedown.
Young misses with a hook to the ribs.
Young stalling against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Young creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Young scores with a shot to the side of Ax's head.
Good body shot from Young.
A nice right hand lands inside from Young.
Samin Ax has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Ax is rocked!
Young throws a head punch that misses.
Ax has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Young avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Franky Young has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samin Ax.
Young pushes Ax back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ax is still on wobbly legs! Can Young finish him?
Young content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Ax seems to have recovered his senses.
Ax's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ax wants to take the fight to the mat but Young manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Young.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ax looking for a takedown.
Ax tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Young smiles and moves away.

Young lands a left and a right that send Ax crashing to the mat, dazed. Young thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Young throws a 1-2 combo that connects squarely on Ax's jaw, knocking him onto his back! Young dives in looking to finish as Ax flails his arms in a desperate attempt to block Young's strikes! Young is raining down hammerfists and the ref stops it! Ax's desperate flailing just didn't constitute intelligent defence. Some people will probably question the ref's decision but Ax was definitely hurt and the ref saved him from taking unnecessary punishment. A fighter's safety is paramount in this sport.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:29 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Franky Young!
Franky Young seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.