PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jason Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Clifford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franklin comes to the cage accompanied by Emmure - When keeping it real goes wrong. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Franklin
vs
Clifford

180 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
22
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
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 Sydney, Jason Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mark Clifford!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Clifford 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.

Franklin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Clifford can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Franklin working a defensive guard here.
Clifford lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Franklin looking for a guillotine here but Clifford defends easily.
Franklin keeping full guard, as Clifford tries to pass.
Clifford is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Clifford stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Clifford clinches.

Clifford manages to break the clinch.

Clifford looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Franklin!
Franklin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Clifford gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Clifford fails with an attempt to clinch.
Franklin swats away the attempt to clinch by Clifford.
Franklin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Clifford moves into range and connects with a jab.
Franklin misses with a takedown

and Clifford moves into the clinch.
Franklin is breathing heavily.

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

Clifford looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Clifford trying to control the position from guard on top but Franklin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clifford postures up in Franklin's guard and throws a big left but Franklin blocks it.
Clifford trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.
Clifford throws a strike but Franklin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Franklin stands up and waves to Clifford to follow him.
Franklin with a poor takedown

and Clifford counters with a shoot takedown. Franklin fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Clifford is stalling in the full guard.
Franklin trying to strike off his back.
Clifford preventing the sweep.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Franklin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Clifford can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Franklin is working hard here to advance position.

Franklin isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Clifford stacks Franklin on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Clifford!
Clifford looking to control but instead Franklin has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Clifford lands with a punch from half guard.
Clifford controlling the action 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.
Franklin trying to control but Clifford postures up.
Clifford looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Clifford uses his free foot to push down on Franklin's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Franklin.
Clifford controlling from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Franklin manages to regain half guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Clifford dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Franklin shoots and misses

so Clifford counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Clifford stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Franklin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Clifford has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Franklin is proving hard to escape from.
Clifford trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Clifford drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Clifford jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Franklin had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Clifford is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Franklin Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Clifford's back instead.
Clifford is trying to get back to his feet but Franklin has full control of the position and if anything, Clifford has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Franklin working for the choke.
Mark Clifford has got the better of the ground game so far.

Franklin tightening his grip on Clifford, looking for the choke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin avoiding Clifford 's attempts to control his hands.
Clifford manages to reverse the position and now he's in Franklin's guard. Nice work there by Clifford.
Clifford advances position into side control!
Clifford controlling the position from side mount.
Franklin manages to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Clifford's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Clifford's back!
Clifford turns into Franklin and is now in his guard.
Clifford trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.
Clifford showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Clifford pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Franklin is keeping the position for now.
Clifford working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Franklin is trying to control the position but Clifford postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Franklin isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Clifford stacks Franklin on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Clifford!
Franklin is not content to let Clifford control the position.
Franklin is looking for a sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franklin can't do much from the bottom here.
Franklin tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Clifford stands up.
Clifford wants to clinch up but Franklin keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Franklin rushes Clifford and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Clifford lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Franklin manages to break the clinch.
Franklin with a lazy takedown attempt

and Clifford counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Clifford drops down looking for an ankle pick but Franklin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Franklin misses with a takedown

and Clifford counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Franklin!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jason Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Clifford controlling the pace for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clifford lands a big elbow.
Franklin is looking to get to half guard.
Clifford looking to control and managing it successfully.
Franklin tries to reverse the position but Clifford maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Clifford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Franklin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Clifford counters by moving into the clinch.
Franklin slows down the pace here.

Clifford breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Clifford darts in trying to clinch

and Franklin counters with a takedown into side control.

Franklin has an Americana. Clifford didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Franklin is delighted and gyrates infront of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Franklin hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Jason Franklin!