PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between LaDarius Frank (ranked 5895 p4p, 4829 weight class) and Zaire Buceba (ranked 0 p4p, 584 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.

Frank
vs
Buceba

182 cm
18
179
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
175
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 Las Vegas, LaDarius Frank!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zaire Buceba!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Buceba misses with a body kick.
Frank smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Frank moves into range and connects with a jab.
Frank with a nice cross.
Frank fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Buceba looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Frank tests Buceba's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Frank lands a body shot.

Buceba is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Frank's half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Buceba tries to pass to full mount but Frank defends it.
Frank is trying to stand back up but Buceba is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.

Buceba stands up from half guard.

Buceba closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Buceba lands in his opponent's guard.
Buceba postures up in Frank's guard and throws a big left but Frank blocks it.
Buceba looking to pass the guard.
Frank wants to stand but Buceba is controlling the position.
Buceba trying to control but Frank is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buceba is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Buceba looking to sit in guard and control but Frank gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Buceba is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Frank wanted to stand there but Buceba had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buceba lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Frank has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Buceba is proving hard to escape from.
Buceba wants to control the position but Frank says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Buceba is trying to stand.
Frank wants to stand up but Buceba is controlling the position.
Buceba trying to get back to full guard but Frank takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Buceba is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buceba is still trying to improve position.
Buceba keeps trying to improve his position.
Buceba wants to control but Frank is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Frank tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

LaDarius Frank 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.

Buceba takes one to the chin there.
Buceba takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Frank jabs Buceba right on the nose. Buceba blinks but takes it well.
Frank ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
LaDarius Frank seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Frank paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Frank works Buceba's body with a nice hook.

Buceba closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Frank did well to prevent Buceba getting side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Buceba wants to pass the guard but Frank is defending well.

Buceba postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Frank to stand up.
Frank's corner calls for a 1-2. Frank obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Frank sizes up Buceba with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Buceba has closed the distance and engaged Frank in a clinch.
Frank is trying to break the clinch but Buceba has him pressed against the cage.

Buceba breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Buceba gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Buceba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice straight punches there by Frank. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Frank.
Buceba walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Buceba is rocked!
Buceba misses with a wild combination.
A little feinted left hand from Frank on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Buceba is still on wobbly legs! Can Frank finish him?
Buceba takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Buceba seems to have recovered his senses.
Buceba holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Frank prevents a body shot from Buceba.

Buceba manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Frank gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Buceba shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Frank napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Frank prevents Buceba from moving into mount.
Frank is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Buceba throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buceba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Frank keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Buceba looking to control but instead Frank has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Buceba wants to lay and pray for a moment but Frank keeps working.
Frank blocking the ground and pound attempt from Buceba.
Buceba wants to free his trapped foot but Frank is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Buceba is stalling here. Frank is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Buceba seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Frank has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Buceba is looking to reverse the position.
Buceba wants to control but Frank postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

LaDarius Frank dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Buceba on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Frank lands a glancing blow to the side of Buceba's head.
A jab from Frank does it's job there.
LaDarius Frank is winning the standup battle so far.
Frank dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Buceba on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Buceba swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A bone on bone clash there as Frank blocks the leg kick.
Frank connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Decent striking displayed by Frank there.

Buceba shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Frank napping and manages to drive through into side control!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Buceba working the head with strikes.
Buceba trying to control the action but Frank is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Buceba has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Buceba tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Frank defends well and Buceba ends up having to push Frank into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Buceba has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Frank finds it's way round the side to connect with Buceba's head.
Frank is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Buceba can do to turn this around?

Buceba forces Frank back against the cage and clinches.
Buceba has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Buceba taking a breather.
Buceba misses with an elbow over the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Buceba tightens his grip and picks Frank up, before dumping him to the ground. Frank manages to land in guard.
Buceba prevents Frank from getting back to his feet.
Zaire Buceba has got the better of the ground game so far.
Buceba throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Buceba wants to control from the top but Frank keeps moving.
Buceba looking to sit in guard and control but Frank gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Buceba trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Buceba is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
LaDarius Frank is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Buceba looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Frank passes into half guard.
Buceba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Buceba trying to control here.

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.
Buceba wants to get back to full guard.
Buceba is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Frank jumps into side control!
Frank wants to stand but Buceba is controlling his arm.
You can see the frustration on Buceba's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

And that's the end of the fight!
LaDarius Frank showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Frank, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... LaDarius Frank!