PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jamie Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franklin comes to the cage accompanied by Under the Knife - Rise Against. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Franklin
vs
Smith

180 cm
18
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
152 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Demonic Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jamie Franklin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Tommy Smith!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Donald Grub and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin stuffs the takedown.
Smith closes this distance looking for a takedown but Franklin circles away.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Franklin.
Franklin has Smith pulled in close to control his posture.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Franklin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Franklin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Franklin pulls Smith in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Franklin swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Franklin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Smith controls from within his opponent's guard.
Franklin is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Smith wants to control from the top but Franklin keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Smith stays in close to Franklin's body and controls the position.
Franklin controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Franklin 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.
Smith 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.

Franklin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Smith sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Franklin's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Franklin is defending against the submission attempts here by Smith.
Smith looks gassed!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Franklin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Smith is working away from the top position though.
Franklin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Smith is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Smith not doing much here.

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.
Franklin gets full guard.
Franklin keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Franklin pulls Smith in close to prevent any damage.
Franklin lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Smith!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith is desperately trying to improve his position but Franklin has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tommy Smith will probably get the nod.
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.

Franklin lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Smith tries for a takedown but Franklin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Franklin shoots for a double leg takedown but Smith sprawls well. He's pushed Franklin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A chopping leg kick lands by Franklin.
Franklin has a takedown stuffed.
Smith shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Franklin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Smith wants to stand up but Franklin is controlling him.

Franklin 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 wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Franklin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Smith is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is trying to keep Franklin in close.
Franklin not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Franklin trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Smith fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Franklin sprawls well initially but Smith persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Franklin is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Franklin avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Franklin has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Smith stalling away here and it's allowed Franklin to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Smith won't allow Franklin to get back to his feet.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Franklin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin controlling the position.
Smith trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.
Franklin managing to control the position.
Franklin wants to stand but Smith is controlling the position.
Franklin is pulling down on Smith's head. It's preventing any offense from Smith, at least for the moment.
Smith passes Franklin's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Franklin is trying to get back to full guard.
Franklin keeping control of the position.
Smith wants to take a breather but Franklin is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franklin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Smith is working away from the top position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamie Franklin dominated that second 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 throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Franklin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A slapping leg kick lands for Franklin.
Smith fails with the takedown

so Franklin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Franklin postures up.

Smith is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Franklin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Franklin is working Smith over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Smith takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Franklin controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jamie Franklin just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Franklin feints and then cracks Smith's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Smith down.
Franklin scoring well with a low kick there.
Smith avoids the head kick by Franklin.

Smith scores with a takedown into Franklin's guard.
Smith trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.
Franklin is pulling down on Smith's head. It's preventing any offense from Smith, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Franklin working for a triangle but Smith defends it easily.
Jamie Franklin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Franklin controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Franklin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Franklin controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin advances to half guard.
Franklin content to control rather than advance.
Franklin wants to pass the guard but Smith is defending well.
Smith regains full guard. Nicely done.
Smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Franklin throwing strikes but missing.
Franklin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Smith has his hands on Franklin's head, controlling the position.
Franklin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Franklin preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamie Franklin clearly takes that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Franklin throws a combination. Smith tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Smith fails with the takedown

and Franklin counters with a shoot takedown. Smith fights it but they end up in guard.

Smith is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Franklin passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Franklin tries for a kimura but Smith is defending well.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Smith is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Franklin off and has taken his back!
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith gets his hands free as Franklin looks to control.
Franklin has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Franklin trying to control the position but Smith manages to sink in the hooks.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Jamie Franklin just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Franklin throws the kick towards the body but Smith avoids it.
Franklin throws a leg kick which misses Smith's front leg but catches the back leg as Smith tries to avoid it.
Smith doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Franklin counters with a flying knee. Nice.
A chopping leg kick lands by Franklin.
A left and a right from Franklin both land. Nice combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Franklin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Smith is looking to regain half guard here but Franklin keeps moving and retains side control.
Smith pushes Franklin away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Franklin gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Smith can't do much from the bottom here.
Franklin tries to move to mount but Smith blocks the move with his legs.
Franklin working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Smith some visible discomfort.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Franklin throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Jamie Franklin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith with a poor takedown

and Franklin counters with a nice double leg into side control. Smith won't be happy with that.
Jamie Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tommy Smith.
Smith is trying to get back to half guard.
Smith trying his best to control but Franklin has mounted him.
Franklin prevents Smith from getting the reversal.
Franklin is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Franklin controlling from mount.
Franklin raining down shots from the mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin controlling from the full mount.
Smith is working to get back to half guard.
Franklin controlling his opponent.
Smith tries to reverse the position but Franklin maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamie Franklin had his way with Tommy Smith in that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Franklin tests Smith's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt

and Franklin counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Franklin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Franklin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Franklin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Franklin 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.
Franklin trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith controlling Franklin's posture.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin content to stall in guard here.
Franklin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Franklin is looking to work some ground and pound but Smith has wrist control.
Smith is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Smith wants to sweep here but Franklin controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Franklin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Franklin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Smith is proving hard to escape from.
Franklin trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt

and Franklin counters with a takedown into side control.
Smith is trying to control Franklin's posture but Franklin avoids it.
Franklin is staying tight to Smith's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to control Franklin's posture but Franklin avoids it.
Franklin slows the pace down.
Smith tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Franklin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Franklin working away.
Franklin is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Smith's shoulder. That is not cool.
Smith is trying to get back to half guard.
Franklin slows the pace down.

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 working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Franklin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.
Tommy Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jamie Franklin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Franklin controlling the position from side mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jamie Franklin showed his dominance in that final round.
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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 49:46
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 49:46
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jamie Franklin!
Jamie Franklin retains his lightweight title!