PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Stewart Franks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mike whitby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). whitby has chosen turn my swag on as his entrance music. mike whitby is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Franks
vs
whitby

171 cm
20
151 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
153 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Stewart Franks!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, mike whitby!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, John Roberts and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
whitby avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A punch combination from whitby misses.

whitby drives through with a takedown into guard.
whitby pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Franks is keeping the position for now.
Franks tries to strike from the bottom.
Franks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Franks has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
whitby landing some decent shots from guard.
Franks working a defensive guard here.
whitby is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Franks trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
whitby trying to control the position from guard on top but Franks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Franks - that will leave a mark!
whitby misses with a wild combination.
whitby looks to land a combination but Franks avoids it well.
Nice takedown defense from whitby. No joy for Franks on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franks circles away from the clinch attempt.
Franks wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Franks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and whitby counters with a nice double leg into guard.
whitby won't allow Franks to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
whitby keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Franks's head.
whitby wants to control from the top but Franks keeps moving.
Franks doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
whitby 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.

Franks looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Franks controls whitby momentarily but whitby frees himself.
whitby pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Franks is keeping the position for now.
whitby 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franks wants to stand and escape but whitby is having none of it.
whitby pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Franks is keeping the position for now.
Franks keeping moving, preventing whitby from controlling successfully.
whitby postures up in Franks's guard and throws a big left but Franks blocks it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Franks misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Franks is breathing heavily.
whitby on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

whitby shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than whitby was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Franks tries to reverse the position but whitby maintains control.
A nice elbow there by whitby.
whitby content just to control the position here.
Franks is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
whitby takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Franks is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
whitby with good strikes from the mount here!
whitby in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
whitby looking to finish Franks with some ground and pound. This is bad for Franks!
whitby prevents Franks from getting the reversal.
Franks in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Franks working to try and regain half guard.
whitby with shots to the head and body - Franks looks very uncomfortable down there.
whitby looking to control and managing it successfully.
Franks is looking to get to half guard.
whitby sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Franks really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franks is trying to stand up.
Franks is trying to escape the mount.
whitby landing punches.
Franks is trying to escape the mount.
Franks tries to lock up and control but whitby gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
whitby lands a big elbow.
Franks is in a horrible position here. whitby smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
whitby postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Franks looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mike whitby dominated that 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.

whitby fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
whitby throws a sloppy head kick
and Franks counters with a series of strikes. whitby will be more careful next time no doubt.
whitby wants to clinch but Franks slips to the side

and Franks holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Franks scores with a shoulder strike.
Franks misses with a knee strike.
whitby is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Franks lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

whitby escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
whitby misses with a double jab
and Franks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
whitby wants to clinch but Franks slips to the side

and Franks counters by moving into the clinch.
whitby stalling in the clinch but Franks improves position.
Franks wants a takedown.
Franks tries to land knees in the clinch but whitby avoids the damage to the body.
Franks struggles to land a body shot inside as whitby controls his hands.
Franks tries to land knees in the clinch but whitby avoids the damage to the body.
Franks digs a right hand into whitby's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on whitby's gas tank.
Franks misses with an elbow over the top.
Franks tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
whitby scores with a knee to the head.
whitby wants to get back to striking at distance but Franks won't allow it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
whitby is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
whitby tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
whitby fails to pull guard.
Franks is trying to stall.

whitby breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Franks looks to score with a jab to the body but whitby is just out of range.
A head kick misses from whitby.
Franks scores with a leg kick.
whitby throws a head kick but Franks moves out of range.
Franks scoring well with a low kick there.

whitby feints and as Franks raises his hands in defense, whitby changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
whitby pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Franks is keeping the position for now.
Franks manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
BOOM! Franks connects with a massive shot to the dome!
whitby is trying to escape the mount.
whitby is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
whitby looks out of his depth in this position - he's holding on tight.
whitby is wriggling around trying to escape.
whitby slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
whitby is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
whitby moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now whitby is on top in guard.
Franks has momentary wrist control but whitby slips an elbow through the middle.
whitby must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
whitby preventing the sweep.

whitby stands up from guard. Let's bang!
whitby shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stewart Franks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of mike whitby.
Franks tries to land a body kick

and whitby counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Franks is pressing down on whitby's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Franks bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in whitby's guard.
Franks trying to control the position from guard on top but whitby is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franks looking to pass the guard.
Franks is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now whitby is on top in guard.
Franks will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Franks wants to sweep but no luck.
Franks thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Franks wants to sweep but no luck.
Franks is pulling down on whitby's head. It's preventing any offense from whitby, at least for the moment.
Franks keeping full guard, as whitby tries to pass.
Franks 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.
Franks is trying to keep whitby in close.

That's four 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
whitby with a lazy takedown attempt
and Franks counters with a thumping low kick.
Franks takes a swing at whitby's ribcage but misses.
whitby tries to clinch but Franks moves out of range.
whitby falls off balance throwing a combination
and Franks counters with an outside leg kick.

whitby scores a takedown into full mount!
whitby unloads with some shots from mount but Franks bucks and avoids them well.
Franks is looking to improve his position but whitby isn't that keen on the idea.
whitby postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Franks looks a forlorn figure.
whitby landing shots from mount.
Franks flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Franks is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
whitby landing strikes from the mount.
whitby working the ground and pound effectively.
mike whitby has got the better of the ground game so far.
Franks is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mike whitby showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

whitby moves into the clinch successfully.

Franks breaks the clinch.
Franks misses with a combination

and whitby counters by clinching up.
whitby is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Franks digs a right hand underneath whitby's ribcage. whitby let out a lung full of air as it connected.
whitby lands a left hand that snaps the head of Franks backwards.
Franks comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
whitby looking to stall.
whitby tries to throw a body punch but Franks avoids it by throwing whitby back against the cage.
whitby missing with knees to the body.
Franks scores a nice knee to the body.
Franks lands a body shot in the clinch.
Franks tries to land knees in the clinch but whitby avoids the damage to the body.
whitby tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Knees to the body from Franks.
Franks scores with a hook to the body.
whitby prevents a takedown attempt there.

Franks breaks from the clinch.
Franks keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
whitby keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Franks drives through and clinches with whitby against the cage.

whitby breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
whitby takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
whitby throws a head kick but Franks moves out of range.
Franks throws a head kick that misses.
Franks buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
whitby checks the leg kick nicely there.

whitby scores with a takedown into Franks's guard.
Franks 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.
whitby with a nice head shot there.
Franks tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Franks keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.
whitby won't allow Franks to sweep him here.
whitby trying to control but Franks is working from the bottom.
Franks tries to strike from the bottom.
Franks not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

whitby rushes Franks and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Franks takes an elbow to the forehead.
whitby goes for a takedown in the clinch but Franks prevents it.
whitby blocks an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
whitby prevents a body shot from Franks.
whitby throws an elbow but it's blocked.
whitby avoids the elbow strike from Franks, against the cage.
whitby on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
whitby throws an elbow that misses.
whitby throws an elbow but it's blocked.
whitby blocks an uppercut.
Franks has a couple of punches blocked by whitby.
whitby lands a knee to the body.
whitby with a knee to the head.
whitby fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
whitby with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Franks pulls whitby into guard.
Franks looking to hit a scissor sweep but whitby is one step ahead there.
whitby throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Franks works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
whitby throws a big right hand that misses.
whitby trying to control the position from guard on top but Franks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Franks manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. whitby manages to get himself to full guard.
Franks is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franks stopping the sweep attempt from whitby.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Franks accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Franks tries to free his leg and advance position but whitby is retaining full guard.
Franks keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of whitby's head.
whitby throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.
Franks with a nice head shot there.
whitby lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Franks!
whitby trying to control but he's not successful this time.
whitby punishing his opponent with strikes.
whitby lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
whitby pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Franks wants to control but whitby is having none of it.
Franks really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
whitby is landing with some decent strikes but Franks is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
whitby scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Franks?
whitby tries to control but Franks wriggling away.
Franks tries to hold on but whitby postures up.
Stewart Franks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
whitby takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Franks tries to lock up and control but whitby gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Franks regains half guard.
Franks works his way to full guard. Good work.
whitby chips away with some ground and pound.
whitby passes into half guard.
Franks is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
whitby trying to control the action but Franks is working from the bottom.
whitby wants to pass the guard but Franks is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to mike whitby.
I've got whitby 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... mike whitby!
mike whitby is the new featherweight champion!