PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bradley Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gus Gunner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gus Gunner has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Franco
vs
Gunner

173 cm
23
153 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Bradley Franco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Gus Gunner!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Donald Grub and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gunner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Franco paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gunner shoots for a takedown but Franco saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Franco shoots in and gets a takedown into Gunner's guard.
Franco postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Franco works over Gunner with some ground and pound from guard.
Gunner trying to keep a closed guard but Franco is proving a slippery customer.
Franco looking to sit in guard and control but Gunner gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Franco looking to control.
Franco seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Franco seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bradley Franco.
Franco shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gunner as he avoids it easily.
Gunner lands a body shot.
Franco defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gunner.
Gunner avoids the body shot from Franco.
Gunner dives in and grabs Franco's left leg, looking for a takedown. Franco pushes down on Gunner's head and hops out.
Bradley Franco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gus Gunner.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Franco clinches.
Franco is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Franco on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Good body shot from Franco.
Gunner tries to stall but Franco uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Gunner manages to break the clinch.
Gunner fails with a takedown attempt.
Gunner tries to clinch but Franco moves out of range.

Franco gets a takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Franco wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Gunner uses the opportunity to regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Gunner can't do much from the bottom here.
Gunner trying to control but Franco flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Franco is hanging on to Gunner's back as he tries to escape.
Franco keeps control of the position easily here as Gunner tries to buck him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco doesn't have the hooks in and Gunner manages to turn into his guard.
Gunner must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Franco looking to control.
Franco looking for a sweep. Not yet Franco, not yet.
Gunner wants to pass the guard but Franco is keeping the position.
Franco controlling the position.
Franco tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Bradley Franco just wasn't active enough.

Franco drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Franco is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gunner really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Franco. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gunner looking for a sweep. Not yet Gunner, not yet.
Gunner is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Franco is controlling him.
Gunner looks winded!
Franco 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.
Franco trying to control the position from guard on top but Gunner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Bradley Franco wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Franco shoots for a double leg takedown but Gunner sprawls well. He's pushed Franco's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Franco closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Gunner's guard.
Franco wants to stand but Gunner has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Franco avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Franco trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Franco trying to control the position from guard on top but Gunner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Franco controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Franco stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gunner swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gunner trying to keep a closed guard but Franco is proving a slippery customer.

We're going to have a standup here because Bradley Franco wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gunner.
Gunner closes this distance looking for a takedown but Franco circles away.
Franco is looking to clinch.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Franco throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gunner shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Franco defends it nicely.
Franco shoots in looking for a takedown but Gunner manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Franco's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Franco shoots in looking for a takedown. Gunner tries to sprawl out of it but Franco keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Gunner manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Franco closes the distance and pushes Gunner back into the ropes.
Franco fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gunner tries to score a body lock takedown but Franco shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Franco tries to pull guard but Gunner forces him back to his feet, against the ropes.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Franco is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.

Gunner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gunner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Franco misses with a takedown attempt - Gunner sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Franco tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gunner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gunner circles away from the clinch attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Franco is defended easily by Gunner.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Franco throws a series of punches but Gunner moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bradley Franco dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Gunner wants to clinch.
Gunner tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Franco manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Franco throws a jab but it's blocked by Gunner.
Franco shoots in for a takedown but Gunner shows good takedown defense.

Gunner rushes Franco and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Gunner tries to pull guard but Franco holds him up against the ropes and eventually Gunner drops back down to his feet.

Gunner breaks from the clinch.
Gunner tries to clinch up.

Gunner rushes Franco and presses him up against the ropes.
Franco has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Gunner controlling the action here for a moment.
Gunner is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Franco is defending well.
Franco is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables Gunner to keep the fight standing.
Gunner tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Franco just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Bradley Franco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gus Gunner.
Gunner is trying to drag Franco to the mat but Franco just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
A frustrated look appears on Franco's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gunner is trying to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco being controlled against the ropes.
Franco has Gunner pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Gunner manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gunner keeps control of Franco as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Franco is trying to break the clinch but Gunner is controlling him.

Gunner breaks from the clinch.
Gunner fails to land the takedown.
Franco tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gunner sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Franco somewhat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gunner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco stuffs the takedown.
Franco fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Gunner pushes Franco up against the ropes in a clinch.
Franco stalling against the ropes.
Gunner tries to throw a body punch but Franco avoids it by throwing Gunner back against the ropes.

Gunner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Gunner, right into the meat.
Gunner leaves Franco with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunner shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Franco as he avoids it easily.
A low kick from Franco is predictable there
and Gunner counters with a nice low kick that buckles Franco's knee momentarily.
Franco misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Franco fails with a takedown attempt.
Gunner fails with the takedown.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gunner.
Franco fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Gunner thuds his shin into the meat of Franco's side.

Franco shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gunner's guard.
Gunner is trying to control the position but Franco postures up.
Franco stops Gunner from standing up.
Franco is stalling in the full guard.
Franco is looking to stand up but Gunner won't let him.
Gunner trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Franco would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

We're going to have a standup here because Bradley Franco wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Gunner tries a head kick but it misses.
Franco throws a series of punches but Gunner avoids them all with ease.
Gus Gunner seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The fight stays on the outside here - Franco looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gunner misses with a few strikes there.
Gunner darts in looking for a takedown but Franco gets double underhooks and turns Gunner into the ropes.
Franco wants to break free but Gunner has control.
Franco wants to get back to striking at distance but Gunner won't allow it.
Franco is trying to force a seperation but Gunner has the dominant position.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Gunner is pressed up against the ropes. Franco has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gunner down to the mat. Gunner avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Franco circles away from the clinch attempt

and Franco counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Franco wants to control from the top but Gunner keeps moving.
Gunner trying to control the position.
Franco trying to control the position from guard on top but Gunner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gunner looking to control.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bradley Franco.

Franco closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gunner to the mat! Gunner manages to get full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Franco tries to free his leg and advance position but Gunner is retaining full guard.
Franco trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gunner's guard.
Franco wants to control from the top but Gunner keeps moving.
Franco wanted to stand there but Gunner had control of the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Franco prevents Gunner from getting back to his feet.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Franco looking to pass the guard.
Bradley Franco overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Bradley Franco just wasn't active enough.
Gunner tries to clinch but Franco is having none of it.
Franco circles away from the clinch attempt

and Franco counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Franco seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gunner trying to control from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bradley Franco showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Franco has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge William Gold scores the fight for Bradley Franco!
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight for Bradley Franco!
Judge James Glass scores the fight for Bradley Franco!

Bradley Franco wins by unanimous decision!