PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frito Bandito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franklin comes to the cage accompanied by Bring Da Ruckus. John Franklin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Franklin
vs
Bandito

195 cm
30
303 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

203 cm
27
300 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Frito Bandito!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Franklin. Bandito does a little dance to reset his feet.

Franklin feints and as Bandito raises his hands in defense, Franklin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Franklin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bandito is keeping the position for now.
Bandito managing to control the position.
Franklin trying to control the position from guard on top but Bandito is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bandito is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Franklin is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Franklin passes into half guard.
Franklin wants to take a breather but Bandito is having none of it.
Bandito is trying to stand back up but Franklin is controlling him
Bandito keeping hold of Franklin's head, controlling as best he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bandito has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Franklin is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin prevents Bandito from improving his position.
Franklin lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Franklin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bandito keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Bandito wants to control but Franklin is keeping busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Frito Bandito was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Franklin throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Bandito tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Franklin is in Bandito's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin won't allow Bandito to sweep him here.
Bandito keeping moving, preventing Franklin from controlling successfully.
Franklin's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Bandito wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Franklin forces his way into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Franklin in particular looking to stall.
Bandito is positioning himself well to prevent Franklin advancing to mount.
Franklin trying to mount his opponent but Bandito defends it.
Franklin controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Franklin cracks the inside of Bandito's front leg.
Franklin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bandito manages to avoid it.
Bandito lands with an overhand left.
Franklin shoots in looking for a takedown but Bandito manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Franklin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Franklin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bandito rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Franklin decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bandito's guard.
Bandito keeping full guard, as Franklin tries to pass.
Franklin pushes down on Bandito's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Bandito wants to improve his position but Franklin is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Franklin is trying to control. Bandito wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Franklin stops Bandito from getting back to his feet.
Franklin perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

We're going to have a standup here because John Franklin wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Franklin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bandito throws a hook but Franklin avoids it easily.
Bandito throws out a powerful jab.
Franklin lands with a thumping leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bandito misses the jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice defenses there by Franklin.
Bandito misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bandito keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bandito throws a jab when Franklin was well out of range.
Bandito swinging wildly here.
Bandito misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Franklin.
Bandito takes one to the chin there.
Bandito throws a lazy uppercut

and Franklin counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Bandito!
Franklin wants to control the pace but Bandito is squirming around nicely.

Franklin jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Bandito manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Franklin is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bandito is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bandito parries the strikes from Franklin easily there. Franklin is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Bandito to escape.
Bandito dodges the ground and pound from Franklin.
The ground and pound from Franklin seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
An elbow from Franklin crashes against the mat.
Franklin trying to control the position but Bandito is working away.

Franklin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bandito has escaped the position, nice work there.
Franklin trying to control the position but Bandito is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bandito is trying to improve his position.
The ground and pound from Franklin seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Bandito is looking for a sweep.
Bandito is trying to control Franklin's posture but Franklin avoids it.
Bandito really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Franklin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Franklin tries to move into full mount but can't pass Bandito's legs.
Bandito regains half guard.
Franklin wants to control but Bandito is keeping him busy.

Franklin is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Bandito is just riding it out for now. Franklin eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Franklin wants to pass the guard but Bandito is defending well.
Bandito blocking the ground and pound attempt from Franklin.
Bandito tries to roll over but Franklin keeps him under control.
Franklin throwing shots but Bandito is blocking nicely.
Franklin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bandito does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Franklin prevents Bandito from improving his position.
Franklin working Bandito over with strikes.
Franklin is controlling the pace.
Bandito moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Franklin chips away with some ground and pound.
Franklin working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bandito's head.
Franklin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bandito is keeping the position for now.
Franklin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Franklin dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Bandito avoids the head kick by Franklin.
Bandito throws a right hand that misses
and Bandito takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown but Bandito shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Franklin is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bandito.
Bandito walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Franklin scores with a hook to the body. Bandito takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Franklin throws a right hand that misses
letting Bandito counter with a right hand.
Franklin tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bandito sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Franklin somewhat.
Bandito uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Franklin.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bandito as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin scores with a kick to the body.
Bandito throws a right hand that misses

and Franklin counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Franklin.
Franklin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bandito can do anything to dispel that myth.
Franklin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Franklin advances position into side control!
Franklin trying to control the action but Bandito is working from the bottom.
Franklin working the ground and pound from side control.
Franklin is working Bandito over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bandito taking a bit of punishment here - Franklin scoring with strikes.

It looks like Frito Bandito has been cut.
Franklin 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.
Bandito takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bandito managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Franklin.
Bandito is trying to improve his position.
Franklin gets to mount! Bandito was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
John Franklin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Franklin trying to control but Bandito is having none of it.
A nice elbow there by Franklin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin controlling from mount.

Franklin is giving the impression that he's looking to ground and pound but he switches suddenly into a beautiful far side armbar! Bandito is forced to tap! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). John Franklin!