PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Liam McLeod (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keivon Francis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

McLeod
vs
Francis

190 cm
18
181 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
18
169 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Liam McLeod!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Keivon Francis!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Colin Fotheringham and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Francis misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Francis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Francis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice body kick there by Francis.
McLeod misses with a takedown
and Francis counters with a series of strikes. McLeod will be more careful next time no doubt.
Francis moves in looking to clinch but McLeod pushes him off.
McLeod closes the distance and clinches up with Francis, looking for a takedown. McLeod pushes Francis against the cage but Francis circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
McLeod shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Francis sprawls well. Francis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. McLeod gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Liam McLeod. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Francis gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Francis trying to stall but McLeod improves his position.
Francis seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
McLeod fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but McLeod blocks it with crossed arms.
McLeod is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Francis to keep the fight standing.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Francis obliges.
McLeod is breathing heavily.
Knees to the body from Francis.

Francis breaks the clinch.
McLeod stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and McLeod wants it to stay on the feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Francis lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Francis tries to close the distance and clinch but McLeod swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
McLeod shoots in for a takedown but Francis shows good takedown defense.

Francis manages to get an easy takedown there - catching McLeod on his heels. He'll look to pass McLeod's guard now, I'm sure.
Francis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Francis tries to stand but McLeod is controlling from the bottom.
Francis cracks McLeod with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McLeod looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Francis trying to control the position from guard on top but McLeod is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Francis passes easily into side control. Nice work.
McLeod tries to buck Francis off but Francis is having none of it.

Francis is trying to get an arm triangle but McLeod is defending well.
McLeod manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
McLeod is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Francis jumps into side control!
McLeod is looking for a sweep.

Francis tries for a kimura but McLeod is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McLeod sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Francis prevents McLeod from improving his position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
McLeod is refusing to be controlled, as Francis sits in half guard.
McLeod slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Francis preventing the sweep.
Francis passes easily into side control. Nice work.
McLeod is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Francis's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McLeod looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
McLeod tries to get to full guard but Francis has control of the leg.

McLeod looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Francis trying to control from half guard but McLeod is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keivon Francis dominated that round.
That's time! McLeod's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Francis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Francis takes the fight into the clinch.
McLeod takes an elbow to the temple.
Francis is trying to stall.
McLeod is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Francis to keep the fight standing.
McLeod is trying to pull guard but Francis turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Francis holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Francis with a knee to the head.
McLeod is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Francis to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Liam McLeod. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A hook to the body from Francis.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McLeod keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Francis's efforts to push away.
McLeod tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Francis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

McLeod closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Francis's guard.
Keivon Francis has got the better of the ground game so far.

Francis is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
McLeod tries to free his leg and advance position but Francis is retaining full guard.
Francis wants to get back to his feet but McLeod is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

McLeod thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Francis is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Francis controls McLeod momentarily but McLeod frees himself.

McLeod thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Francis escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. McLeod gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

McLeod avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
McLeod passes into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

McLeod is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Francis has managed to free his arm - good work.

McLeod is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Francis defends it well.
McLeod wants to free his trapped foot but Francis is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Francis wants to get back to his feet.

McLeod is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
McLeod stops Francis from getting back to his feet.
Francis is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
McLeod is looking to advance position but Francis won't allow it.

McLeod is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Francis regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McLeod advances to half guard.

McLeod is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
McLeod is pressing down on Francis's thigh, looking to free his foot. Francis is holding on for now.
McLeod stops Francis from getting back to his feet.

McLeod seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Francis is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Liam McLeod!