PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Juan David Franco (ranked 1807 p4p, 1271 weight class) and Nikolai Kaspersky (ranked 220 p4p, 163 weight class). Franco comes into the arena with Bullet For My Valentine- Tears Don't Fall blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Franco
vs
Kaspersky

188 cm
29
202
18 - 8 - 0

180 cm
27
188
12 - 6 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Juan David Franco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikolai Kaspersky!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, William Gold and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Franco does no damage.
And Kaspersky tries to counter it with a takedown but Franco pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Franco with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Kaspersky to score with a decent uppercut.
Sloppy strikes from Franco. Those never looked like landing.
Franco has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Franco misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Franco throws out a loose jab but Kaspersky uses good head movement to avoid it.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Kaspersky has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Kaspersky lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Franco throws a series of punches but Kaspersky avoids them all with ease.
Franco throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Franco!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kaspersky takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Franco falls off balance throwing a combination

and Kaspersky counters with a shoot takedown. Franco fights it but they end up in guard.
Kaspersky trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kaspersky controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaspersky keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Franco's head.
Kaspersky throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kaspersky working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kaspersky not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kaspersky's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Kaspersky sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Franco wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Kaspersky manages to pass to side control.
Franco on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Franco tries to get out of the position.
Franco on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Kaspersky content to control rather than advance.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kaspersky connects with a nice short shot to Franco's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaspersky lands strikes from half guard.
Kaspersky has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kaspersky is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Kaspersky thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Kaspersky controlling the action here.
Kaspersky throwing shots but Franco is blocking nicely.
Kaspersky with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick misses from Franco.
Kaspersky changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

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.
Kaspersky throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Kaspersky throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Franco was covering up waiting for the punch and Kaspersky finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kaspersky postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kaspersky trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kaspersky controlling from the top position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kaspersky accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kaspersky throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kaspersky throws a big right hand that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Kaspersky dominated that round.
That's time! Franco's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Franco jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Franco looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Franco misses with the body kick

and Kaspersky counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Kaspersky has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kaspersky looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kaspersky throws a big elbow that misses.
Franco being controlled here, momentarily.
Kaspersky trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Franco manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kaspersky controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaspersky's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Kaspersky trying to strike off his back.
Kaspersky is pulling down on Franco's head to control his posture.
Kaspersky throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's two 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.
Kaspersky striking off his back but it's not causing Franco any problems.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Franco takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Kaspersky digs a good hook to Franco's body.

Kaspersky feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Kaspersky missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kaspersky is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Franco knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kaspersky on the ground.
Kaspersky working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Franco's head.
Kaspersky trying to control but Franco is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaspersky sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kaspersky landing with the ground and pound.
Kaspersky seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Nikolai Kaspersky has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kaspersky makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

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.
Kaspersky stays in close to Franco's body and controls the position.
Kaspersky passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Franco is trying to escape the position but Kaspersky is controlling the position.
Kaspersky is continuing to stall.
More stalling from Kaspersky.
Kaspersky cracks Franco with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kaspersky fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Franco is trying to buck Kaspersky off.
Kaspersky controls the position.

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

Nikolai Kaspersky showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Franco throws a sloppy head kick and Kaspersky moves out of range easily.
Franco needs to keep his hands up - Kaspersky had a free shot at his head there.

Kaspersky scores with a takedown into Franco's guard.
Kaspersky is standing up over Franco. Franco looks to escape but Kaspersky dives into side control.

Kaspersky working the head and body with strikes.
Kaspersky slows the pace down.
Kaspersky trying to control the position but Franco is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kaspersky 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.
Kaspersky landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Kaspersky trying to control the action but Franco is working from the bottom.
Kaspersky looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Franco is avoiding damage well.
Kaspersky wants to control but Franco is keeping him busy.
Sloppy strikes there by Kaspersky.
Nikolai Kaspersky is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two 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.
Franco seems a little lost for a moment, as Kaspersky dominates the positioning.
Juan David Franco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
The adventures of Kaspersky the control monster continue. Boring.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco misses with the combination.
Kaspersky lands with a right hand.
A left lands for Kaspersky.
Kaspersky darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Franco throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kaspersky sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Franco on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Franco throws a right and a left that Kaspersky avoids nicely.
Franco looks to land a left hand but Kaspersky moved out of range nicely.
Franco misses with a two punch combination.
A head kick by Franco misses

and Kaspersky counters with a takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Franco is trying to escape the position but Kaspersky is controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Let's hope that Kaspersky 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolai Kaspersky comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kaspersky winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolai Kaspersky!
After winning the bout, Nikolai Kaspersky thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.