PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Alvarez's choice of entrance music: Raised Fist - Words and Phrases. The key to victory for John Franco has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Franco
vs
Alvarez

180 cm
18
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
180 lbs
2 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Franco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antonio Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez slaps away a takedown attempt from Franco, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Franco fails with a takedown attempt.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown but Franco shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Franco shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Alvarez moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Franco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alvarez blocks an elbow strike.

Alvarez pulls Franco into guard.
Franco prevents Alvarez from getting back to his feet.
Alvarez controlling Franco's posture.

Franco drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Alvarez manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Franco has Alvarez in his guard.
Franco manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez can't escape the position.
Franco looking to control but Alvarez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alvarez is trying desperately to improve position.
Alvarez tries to buck Franco off but he can't manage it.

That's two 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.

Franco is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Alvarez has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Alvarez!
Franco not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Alvarez stays in close to Franco's body and controls the position.
Alvarez lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Franco is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Alvarez defends well.
Franco keeping moving, preventing Alvarez from controlling successfully.
Alvarez wants to get up but he can't break Franco's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez prevents Franco from getting back to his feet.
Alvarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Franco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Franco controlling Alvarez's posture.
Franco is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Alvarez is controlling him.

Franco has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Alvarez off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Franco misses with a takedown

and Alvarez counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Franco!
Alvarez landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez cracks Franco with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Franco takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Alvarez controlling the pace for now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Alvarez has hold of Franco's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Franco manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Franco swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Franco keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Franco bucks Alvarez off and manages to get back to his feet!
Alvarez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Franco counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Alvarez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Alvarez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Franco!
Franco is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Alvarez avoids the attempt from Franco to control.
Franco is trying to escape the mount.
Alvarez unloading with bombs!
Franco is bucking up trying to escape but Alvarez cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Alvarez is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Franco can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Alvarez avoids the attempt from Franco to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Alvarez trying to control but Franco is having none of it.
Alvarez controlling from the full mount.
Alvarez blocks Franco's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Alvarez with good strikes from the mount here!

That's two 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.
Franco is in all sorts of trouble here.
Alvarez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Franco working to try and regain half guard.
Franco is working hard here to advance position.
Alvarez scoring with strikes but Franco is staying in there.
Franco is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Alvarez landing shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez landing strikes from the mount.
Franco regains half guard.
Alvarez stalling.
Alvarez trying to mount his opponent but Franco defends it.

Franco looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez is keen to just control but Franco is a slippery customer.
Franco is trying to stand up here but Alvarez is controlling him well.
Alvarez prevents Franco from improving his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Alvarez pushes Franco up against the cage in a clinch.
Franco gets underhooks to prevent Alvarez's takedown attempt.
Franco gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Alvarez.
Alvarez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Franco has him pressed against the cage.

Franco breaks from the clinch.
Alvarez fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Alvarez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Franco misses with a takedown

and Alvarez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Franco not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Alvarez wants to control from the top but Franco keeps moving.
Alvarez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Franco works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alvarez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Franco wants to stand but Alvarez is controlling the position.

Franco kicks Alvarez off and gets to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Franco misses with a takedown

and Alvarez moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco scores with a shoulder strike.

Alvarez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Franco trying to control the position here.
Franco is trying to hold Alvarez in close to prevent damage but Alvarez has managed to pass into half guard.
Alvarez is taking a breather. Franco 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.
Alvarez is trying to control. Franco wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Franco wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez trying to control the action but Franco is working from the bottom.
Franco is trying to stand up here but Alvarez is controlling him well.
Franco is trying to control but can't.

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

and Alvarez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Franco's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Franco. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Franco looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Alvarez has picked Franco up and slammed him! Franco can't keep hold of the triangle and Alvarez manages to pass to side control!
Alvarez slows the pace down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco is not content to let Alvarez control the position.
Alvarez working the head and body with strikes.
Franco looks to move to half guard but instead Alvarez has passed into mount! Damn!
Antonio Alvarez has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee warns Franco that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Franco is in all sorts of trouble here.
Alvarez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Franco is looking to escape.
Franco is trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez lands a nice shot to the head.
Franco wants to hold on but Alvarez pushes him away.
Alvarez punishing his opponent with strikes.
Franco is desperately trying to improve his position but Alvarez has a good base and remains in mount.
Alvarez raining down shots from the mount!
Alvarez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Franco tries to get back to half guard but can't.
John Franco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Antonio Alvarez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Alvarez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Alvarez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Alvarez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Alvarez!