PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Balink Tarlah (ranked 1608 p4p, 1691 weight class) and Edgar Frankies (ranked 223 p4p, 233 weight class). Frankies has chosen Steady as she goes as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tarlah
vs
Frankies

179 cm
37
180
21 - 13 - 0

175 cm
22
177
8 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Seventh Circle Clothing

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 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Balink Tarlah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Edgar Frankies!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Steve Smith and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Frankies takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Tarlah swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tarlah lands a jab to the head.
Frankies is looking to clinch but Tarlah is avoiding it.

Frankies is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Tarlah's half guard.
Frankies performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tarlah is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tarlah is working hard here to advance position.
Tarlah wants to get back to full guard but Frankies has mounted him!
Frankies sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Let's hope that Frankies has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Tarlah slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Frankies is controlling the pace.
Tarlah is in trouble now - Frankies has advanced to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tarlah tries to hold on but Frankies pushes him away.
Frankies controlling from mount.
Frankies looking to finish with strikes here!
Tarlah is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Frankies moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Tarlah has worked his arm free - good work by Tarlah!
Frankies taking a breather here.
Tarlah tries to improve position but can't.
We've been informed that Frankies has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Tarlah looking for a sweep but Frankies has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Tarlah is squirming around, avoiding Frankies's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Tarlah tries to lock up and control but Frankies gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Frankies tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Frankies working the ground and pound effectively.
Tarlah is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Frankies controlling from the full mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Edgar Frankies 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.

Tarlah misses with an uppercut

and Frankies moves into the clinch.
Frankies gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tarlah.

Frankies pulls guard effortlessly.

Frankies is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tarlah is aware though and is defending well.
Tarlah throws an elbow that misses. Frankies uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Tarlah's guard. Nice move by Frankies!

Frankies slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Frankies is looking to work some ground and pound but Tarlah has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tarlah managing to control the position.
Tarlah wants to improve his position but instead Frankies has moved into half guard.
Frankies performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two 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.
Frankies trying to pass the guard but Tarlah defending well.
Edgar Frankies has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tarlah wants to get back to full guard but Frankies has mounted him!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Frankies tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Frankies prevents Tarlah from getting the reversal.
Frankies trying to control but Tarlah is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Frankies lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Frankies content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tarlah tries to hold on but Frankies postures up.
Frankies looking to control but Tarlah is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Tarlah is bucking up trying to escape but Frankies cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Frankies sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Frankies is continuing to stall.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Edgar Frankies showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Tarlah lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Balink Tarlah seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tarlah throws a right hand that misses
and Frankies counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Frankies looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tarlah tries to close the distance and clinch but Frankies swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Frankies drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tarlah can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Frankies controls the pace.
Tarlah wants to sweep but no luck.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Frankies is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Frankies has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tarlah pulls Frankies in close to prevent any damage.
Tarlah 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.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Frankies wants to control from the top but Tarlah keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nice uppercut lands for Tarlah. That snapped Frankies's head back.
Tarlah misses with a lunging right hand

and Frankies counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tarlah!
Frankies misses with the ground and pound.
Frankies working the head with strikes.
Tarlah wants to control but Frankies postures up.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Tarlah prevents Frankies from improving position.
Tarlah definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Frankies remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Tarlah tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
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.
Tarlah struggling a bit here.
Frankies trying to control the position but Tarlah is working away.
Tarlah is looking to reverse the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Nice defenses there by Frankies.
Tarlah misses with an uppercut. Frankies saw that one coming.
Frankies on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Tarlah throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Frankies changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Balink Tarlah is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Frankies has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Frankies there as he acknowledges the shot.

Frankies forces Tarlah back against the cage and clinches.
Frankies stops a takedown attempt from Tarlah.
Frankies is pressed up against the cage. Tarlah has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Frankies down to the mat. Frankies avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A big right from Tarlah misses.
Edgar Frankies is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Tarlah, as that shot connected.
Frankies drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Frankies has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Frankies there as he acknowledges the shot.

Frankies is rocked!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Frankies is still on wobbly legs! Can Tarlah finish him?
Tarlah lands with a right to the head.
Tarlah tries to score a body lock takedown but Frankies shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Balink Tarlah has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Balink Tarlah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tarlah looking for a takedown.
Frankies prevents a takedown attempt there.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Balink Tarlah.
I think Frankies has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 26:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edgar Frankies!
Our winner, Edgar Frankies, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.