PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rickard Franzen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommie Larsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Franzen
vs
Larsson

178 cm
20
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Max Octane Fight Wear
Machine Fight Gear

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rickard Franzen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tommie Larsson!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franzen shoots in and drives through. Larsson sprawls well.

Larsson gets a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Larsson decides to pull guard.
Franzen wants to stand but Larsson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Franzen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Larsson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Franzen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Larsson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Larsson wants to sweep but no luck.
Franzen throws a strike but Larsson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Larsson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franzen looking for a sweep. Not yet Franzen, not yet.
Franzen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Larsson decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Franzen, up you get!
Tommie Larsson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Larsson moves into the clinch.
Franzen throws a punch but it's blocked by Larsson.
Franzen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Franzen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Larsson jumps guard.
Larsson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Larsson wants to stand but Franzen is controlling the position.
Franzen throws a strike but Larsson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Franzen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Larsson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Franzen is trying to keep Larsson in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larsson is fighting to break Franzen's control of his arms but Franzen is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Larsson decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Franzen throws a low kick but Larsson moves out of range easily.
Franzen misses with a straight right.
Larsson tries to land a body kick
and Franzen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Franzen moves out of range of the body kick.

Larsson moves into range and clinches up with Franzen.
Larsson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Franzen looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Larsson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Larsson lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Larsson throws a sloppy head kick and Franzen moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franzen moves in looking to clinch but Larsson pushes him off.
Rickard Franzen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Franzen lands with a slapping head kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Franzen misses the target.
Larsson moves away from the strike by Franzen.
Larsson goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like Rickard Franzen has been cut.
Franzen connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Larsson throws a body kick that misses.
Franzen throws a big counter combination but Larsson scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Franzen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Larsson has time to react.

Larsson pushes Franzen up against the cage in a clinch.

Franzen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Larsson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Franzen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Franzen throws an off balance right hand
and Larsson counters with a left to the body.
Larsson fails in his attempt to clinch.
An attempted straight right counter from Franzen misses the target.

Larsson lands a big head kick that sends Franzen tumbling to the mat! Larsson takes a step backwards and waves Franzen back to his feet - he wants the finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Franzen tries to throw a body punch but Larsson avoids it by throwing Franzen back against the cage.

Larsson jumps guard and drags Franzen to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Larsson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Franzen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Franzen throws a big elbow that misses.
Franzen trying to control the position from guard on top but Larsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Franzen postures up in Larsson's guard and throws a big left but Larsson blocks it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Larsson is on top in guard.

Larsson decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Franzen, up you get!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommie Larsson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rickard Franzen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Franzen swats away the attempt to clinch by Larsson.

Larsson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Larsson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Franzen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Franzen avoiding damage.
Larsson jumps guard but Franzen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Larsson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larsson tries to clinch but Franzen moves out of range.
Larsson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Franzen moves into range and clinches up with Larsson.
Larsson has Franzen pushed against the cage.
Franzen is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larsson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rickard Franzen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tommie Larsson.
Franzen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Larsson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Franzen pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Franzen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Larsson works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Larsson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Larsson stopping the sweep attempt from Franzen.
Franzen has control of Larsson's left arm, preventing Larsson from doing any damage.
Franzen looking for a sweep. Not yet Franzen, not yet.
Franzen wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Franzen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Franzen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Franzen missing with a left hand there. Larsson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Larsson on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Franzen lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Larsson has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Larsson and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Larsson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Larsson.
Larsson misses with the combination.
Franzen throws a big counter combination but Larsson scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larsson lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Franzen gets tackled into the cage by Larsson. Larsson maintains the clinch.
Franzen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Larsson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tommie Larsson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Larsson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Larsson is looking to clinch but Franzen is avoiding it.
Larsson ducks under a wild hook from Franzen.
Nice jab there from Franzen.
Franzen dodges the punch combination from Larsson.
Franzen throws an overhand right that lands on Larsson's shoulder, as Larsson tries to avoid the shot.
Larsson lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franzen throws the left hand but Larsson avoids the punch easily.
Larsson changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Franzen wants to clinch up but Larsson keeps it at a distance.
A nice inside leg kick there by Larsson. That's going to slow Franzen down.
Franzen throws a jab but it's blocked by Larsson.
Nice cross by Franzen.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Larsson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Franzen.
Larsson on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Franzen. Franzen obviously looking to wear him down.
Franzen swings for the body but Larsson moves out of range.
Franzen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Franzen moves in looking to clinch but Larsson pushes him off.
Tommie Larsson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Larsson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Franzen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Franzen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Larsson clinches with his opponent.

Larsson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommie Larsson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rickard Franzen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Larsson throws a head kick that Franzen semi-blocks.
Larsson works over Franzen's head and body with a nice combination.
Larsson shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Larsson connects with a nice cross there... Franzen is looking wobbly and Larsson recognises it - he's rushed in and lands two more brutal shots that send Franzen to the canvas, out cold! A brutal finish to the fight - Larsson jumps onto the cage to celebrate with the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Tommie Larsson!