PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Benjamin Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Madness (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Franklin
vs
Madness

177 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
155 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Benjamin Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, James Madness!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Franklin closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Madness did well to prevent Franklin getting side control.
Franklin controlling the action here.
Madness is trying to get back to full guard.
Franklin is taking a breather. Madness says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Madness is looking to control Franklin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Madness avoid being mounted?
Madness is doing well to control the position and prevent Franklin from advancing to side control.
Franklin sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Benjamin Franklin has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Franklin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Horrible takedown by Franklin or perhaps it was just good defense by Madness which made him look bad.

Franklin scores a takedown into full mount!
Madness is trying desperately to improve position.
Franklin tries to control but Madness wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Madness manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Madness, under a barage of strikes from Franklin.
Madness is pressing down on Franklin's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Madness is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Franklin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Madness is keeping the position for now.
Madness looking for a sweep. Not yet Madness, not yet.
Franklin trying to control but Madness is working from the bottom.
Franklin wants to pass the guard but Madness is keeping the position.
Franklin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is working Madness over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Franklin wants to control from the top but Madness keeps moving.

Franklin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Madness wants to sweep but no luck.
Madness not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Franklin postures up.
Franklin wants to control from the top but Madness keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Benjamin Franklin just wasn't active enough.
Franklin stuffs the takedown.
Madness tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Madness shoots for a takedown but Franklin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benjamin Franklin dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Madness shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Franklin but Franklin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Madness fails with a takedown attempt.
No luck for Madness with that takedown attempt.
Benjamin Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Madness.
Madness shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Franklin as he jumps to the side.
Madness circles away from the clinch attempt.

Franklin feints and as Madness raises his hands in defense, Franklin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Madness keeping moving, preventing Franklin from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Madness is on top in guard.

Franklin has his feet on Madness's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franklin shoots in and gets a takedown into Madness's guard.
Franklin won't allow Madness to sweep him here.
Franklin trying to control but Madness is working from the bottom.
Franklin wants to stand but Madness is controlling his posture from full guard.
Madness is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Franklin tries to free his leg and advance position but Madness is retaining full guard.

We're going to have a standup here because Benjamin Franklin wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Madness wants to clinch.
Madness closes this distance looking for a takedown but Franklin circles away.
Franklin shoots in for a double leg but Madness sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Madness misses with a takedown attempt - Franklin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Madness shoots and misses
enabling Franklin to counter with a crisp jab.
Madness is breathing heavily.
Franklin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Madness blocks a head kick by Franklin.

Madness looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Madness is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Franklin defends it well.
Madness is keen to just control but Franklin is a slippery customer.
Benjamin Franklin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Madness might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Franklin kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franklin wants to control but Madness is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Madness seems to be looking for submissions.
Franklin manages to get to full guard.
Franklin wants to sweep here but Madness controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Madness is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Franklin keeping moving, preventing Madness from controlling successfully.
Madness is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Franklin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Madness can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Benjamin Franklin will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Madness.
Madness misses with a straight left.
Franklin throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Franklin moves into range and clinches up with Madness.
Franklin stops a takedown attempt from Madness.

Madness lands a takedown into guard.
Franklin keeping moving, preventing Madness from controlling successfully.

Franklin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Madness trying to control the position from guard on top but Franklin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Madness looking to pass the guard.
Madness won't allow Franklin to sweep him here.
Madness lands a couple of digs.
Madness won't allow Franklin to sweep him here.
Franklin keeping moving, preventing Madness from controlling successfully.
Franklin keeping full guard, as Madness tries to pass.
Madness stopping the sweep attempt from Franklin.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Madness trying to control the position from guard on top but Franklin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
James Madness has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Madness postures up in Franklin's guard and throws a big left but Franklin blocks it.
Madness is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. James Madness wasn't active enough on the ground.
Franklin tries to score a power double leg takedown but Madness sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Franklin somewhat.

Madness throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Franklin was covering up waiting for the punch and Madness finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Madness wants to control from the top but Franklin keeps moving.
Madness works over Franklin with some ground and pound from guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Madness trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Madness wants to stand but Franklin has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Franklin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Madness is one step ahead there.
Madness trying to control the position from guard on top but Franklin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Franklin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Madness wants to clinch up but Franklin keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Franklin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
James Madness seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Madness fails in his attempt to clinch.
Franklin leaves Madness with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Benjamin Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Madness.

Franklin gets a double leg takedown into Madness's guard.
Madness wants to sweep but no luck.
Franklin wants to control from the top but Madness keeps moving.
Madness lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Franklin!
Benjamin Franklin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Madness throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Madness comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Franklin has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benjamin Franklin!