PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Frank Turturro (ranked 120 p4p, 17 weight class) and Evan Lessard (ranked 3819 p4p, 458 weight class). Frank Turturro has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Turturro
vs
Lessard

180 cm
27
177 lbs
18 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Brawler
Experienced

Aspire Clothing
Dauntless

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frank Turturro!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Evan Lessard!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Trevor Gratis and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Turturro tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lessard swivels and escapes.

Turturro looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Lessard keeping moving, preventing Turturro from controlling successfully.
Lessard is trying to keep Turturro in close.
Lessard trying to strike off his back.
Turturro controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Turturro trying to control but Lessard is working from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lessard can do anything to dispel that myth.
Lessard looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Turturro trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lessard being controlled here, momentarily.
Lessard looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turturro stuffs the takedown attempt from Lessard. Lessard gets slowly back to his feet.
Turturro is trying hard to land a takedown here. Lessard sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Lessard stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Turturro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Turturro tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lessard swivels and escapes.

Lessard looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Turturro controls Lessard momentarily but Lessard frees himself.

Turturro looking for a guillotine here but Lessard defends easily.
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.

Turturro looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Lessard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Turturro is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Turturro is looking for a triangle but Lessard pushes his legs off easily.
Lessard wants to control from the top but Turturro keeps moving.
Lessard wants to get up but he can't break Turturro's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Turturro manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lessard manages to get himself to full guard.

Turturro trying to control but Lessard is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lessard trying to keep a closed guard but Turturro is proving a slippery customer.
Turturro trying to control the position from guard on top but Lessard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lessard wants to stand and escape but Turturro is having none of it.
Turturro wants to control from the top but Lessard keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Turturro thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Turturro stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lessard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lessard keeping moving, preventing Turturro from controlling successfully.
Lessard looking to hit a scissor sweep but Turturro is one step ahead there.
Turturro trying to control but Lessard is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four 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.
Lessard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lessard fails to land the takedown.

Turturro fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Lessard to the ground. Turturro is now in Lessard's guard.
Turturro is pushing down on Lessard's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lessard is fighting to maintain full guard but Turturro has managed to sneak the leg through.
Turturro is keen to just control but Lessard is a slippery customer.
Lessard trying to hold on to Turturro's head to control him but Turturro postures up.
Turturro prevents Lessard from improving his position.

Turturro is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Turturro is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Lessard is controlling Turturro's trapped leg to prevent Turturro from advancing to side control.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Turturro seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lessard does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lessard is trying to maintain the position but Turturro is very close to passing his half guard.
Turturro works his foot free and advances to mount.
Lessard tries to lock up and control but Turturro gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lessard is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Turturro has taken his back.

Turturro is looking for the choke from the back position but Lessard is controlling his hands well.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Turturro is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Lessard has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Turturro struggling to keep hold of the position.
Lessard trying to control the hands but Turturro won't let him.

Turturro is looking for the choke from the back position but Lessard is controlling his hands well.

Turturro looking for the choke from the back.
Turturro is hanging on to Lessard's back as he tries to escape.

Lessard is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Lessard wants to escape the position.
Turturro avoiding Lessard 's attempts to control his hands.
Lessard is really stuck here.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Turturro looking for the choke but no joy.
Lessard tries to escape but Turturro has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Lessard is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Turturro off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.

Lessard showing good submission defense here.

Lessard defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Turturro avoiding Lessard 's attempts to control his hands.
Turturro seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
You can see the frustration on Lessard's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Turturro gets his hands free as Lessard looks to control.
Lessard is really stuck here.

Turturro is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Lessard knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Lessard for a finish.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Turturro's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Lessard fending off the submission attempt from Turturro.
Lessard tries to escape the position.

Turturro is looking for the choke from the back position but Lessard is controlling his hands well.
Lessard tries to break free.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Lessard showing good submission defense here.
Turturro trying to control momentarily.
Turturro is not going to allow Lessard to sit and survive in this position.

Lessard fending off the submission attempt from Turturro.
Lessard is keeping busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Turturro is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Turturro working for the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Turturro dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Turturro shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lessard as he jumps to the side.
Lessard throws a fast counter high kick but Turturro manages to duck under it in time.

Turturro shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lessard's guard.
Lessard wants to stand and escape but Turturro is having none of it.
Lessard keeping moving, preventing Turturro from controlling successfully.
Lessard trying to keep a closed guard but Turturro is proving a slippery customer.
Lessard trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Lessard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Turturro is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lessard trying to keep a closed guard but Turturro is proving a slippery customer.
Turturro trying to control but Lessard is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turturro postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Lessard misses with a body kick.
Turturro shoots in looking for a takedown but Lessard manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Turturro's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Turturro shoots for a takedown but Lessard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Turturro. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lessard closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Turturro did well to prevent Lessard getting side control.
Turturro wants to improve his position but Lessard is controlling well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lessard wants to stand up but Turturro is controlling the position.
Turturro is trying to get back to full guard.
Turturro slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Turturro not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Turturro working for a triangle but Lessard defends it easily.

Turturro has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Lessard is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Turturro.
Lessard landing a few strikes.
Turturro is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Lessard is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Lessard trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Turturro regains half guard.
Ground and pound from Lessard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lessard working Turturro over with strikes.
Turturro works his way to full guard. Good work.
Lessard trying to control but Turturro is working from the bottom.
Lessard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Turturro. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Turturro looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Turturro not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lessard wants to control from the top but Turturro keeps moving.
Lessard trying to stand up but can't free himself from Turturro's guard.
Turturro keeping moving, preventing Lessard from controlling successfully.
Turturro is trying to keep Lessard in close.

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.

Turturro is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Turturro keeping moving, preventing Lessard from controlling successfully.

Turturro looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lessard's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Lessard must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Turturro keeping moving, preventing Lessard from controlling successfully.
Lessard wants to pass the guard but Turturro is keeping the position.

Lessard is sitting in close to Turturro's body. Turturro has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Lessard is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Lessard is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Turturro.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Frank Turturro!
Frank Turturro retains his welterweight title!
Frank Turturro decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.