PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Begbie Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gareth McCall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franco kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Born Slippy. McCall has chosen Bobby Darin - Mack The Knife as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Franco
vs
McCall

185 cm
35
190 lbs
26 - 15 - 1

185 cm
30
195 lbs
18 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

SP Ultimate Nutrition

Fury Nutrition Inc.
GREEN!160

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 26 - 15 - 1, fighting out of London, Begbie Franco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gareth McCall!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCall ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Franco has been working on his boxing with his coaches at ~T~ Troid - Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Franco chopping away at his opponent's legs.

McCall forces Franco back against the cage and clinches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
McCall creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Franco managing to block the knees to the body from McCall.
Franco on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
McCall lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A short body shot lands from McCall as the two fighters clinch.
McCall tries to throw a body punch but Franco avoids it by throwing McCall back against the cage.
McCall throws an elbow but it misses.
McCall looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A shot in the inside from Franco.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCall pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Franco avoiding damage as McCall throws knees to the body.
Nice body punch from McCall.
Franco wants to get back to striking at distance but McCall won't allow it.
McCall is struggling to control the position.
McCall misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCall misses with the head strike.
McCall blocks a body shot from Franco.
McCall pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Franco's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Franco is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but McCall is keeping busy.
Franco lands with a light punch inside.
McCall cracks Franco with a nice body shot.

Franco pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - McCall looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Franco.
Franco throws a jab when McCall was well out of range.
Franco fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt McCall.
Franco keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
McCall connects with a looping right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McCall instigates a clinch.
McCall tries to land knees in the clinch but Franco avoids the damage to the body.
Franco is trying to break the clinch but McCall has him pressed against the cage.
McCall misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Franco misses with a hook to the ribs.
Franco tries a body shot but McCall blocks it.
McCall tries to land knees in the clinch but Franco avoids the damage to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Franco lands a body shot.
McCall cracks Franco with a nice body shot.
Franco tries a body shot but McCall blocks it.
McCall lands an elbow just above Franco 's eye.
McCall doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A right handed body shot lands from Franco.
Franco avoids a wild elbow strike from McCall.
McCall pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Franco scores with a nice short uppercut.
Franco blocks an elbow strike from McCall.
McCall is looking to control Franco's arms but Franco gets an underhook and turns him. Now McCall has his back to the cage.
McCall presses Franco against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCall tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
McCall's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
McCall throws an elbow but it misses.
A left hand lands to the body for Franco.
McCall doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
McCall struggles to land a body shot inside as Franco controls his hands.

Franco manages to break the clinch.
Franco is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by McCall.
McCall is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Franco with a body shot.
Franco checks the leg kick.
Franco appears to be looking for a big counter.
Franco punishes McCall's body with a nice straight punch.
Franco throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
McCall scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A slow jab from Franco misses its intended target.
McCall tries to clinch up but Franco circles away and keeps his distance.
Franco swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A slow jab from McCall misses its intended target.
McCall misses with a wild body shot.
It looked like Franco was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from McCall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCall misses with a low kick.
Franco thumps McCall with a low kick.
McCall throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Franco counter with a right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A swing and a miss from McCall.
McCall connects with a body shot.
McCall is looking to clinch.
A low kick from McCall misses
and Franco cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
McCall checks a low kick from Franco.
McCall tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Franco lunges at McCall with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by McCall's hand.
An inside leg kick from McCall misses.
Franco throws a quick counter head kick but McCall was just out of range.

McCall clinches.
Franco lands on the inside with an uppercut.
McCall tries to land knees in the clinch but Franco avoids the damage to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Franco.
McCall misses with a punch on the inside.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, McCall just misses with a elbow thrown towards Franco's brow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gareth McCall will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Franco paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
McCall misses the shot to the body.
As McCall looks to move away, Franco throws a big counter combo bu McCall just gets out of the way.
McCall looks to throw the jab but Franco is out of range.
It looked like Franco wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
McCall rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Franco moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
It looked like Franco wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Franco throws a good cross that connects.
McCall tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Franco turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
McCall scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Franco doesn't seem bothered though.
McCall uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Franco.
Gareth McCall seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McCall looks to land a left hand but Franco moved out of range nicely.
McCall blocks a head kick by Franco.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCall misses with a wild body shot.
Franco throws a shot to the body.
Franco ducks under a wild hook from McCall.
Franco checks the leg kick nicely there.
McCall is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Franco is looking to land body kicks.
McCall misses with a hook.
McCall is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Franco looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
McCall tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
McCall tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
McCall motions for Franco to come forward. McCall throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Franco jabs McCall right on the nose. McCall blinks but takes it well.
Franco misses with a left hand
and McCall counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from McCall, right into the meat.
Franco lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
McCall ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
McCall wants to clinch up but Franco keeps it at a distance.
McCall avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
McCall lands a nice hook to Franco's body. Franco takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Franco drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
McCall is looking to clinch.
Franco throws a chopping leg kick but McCall manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
McCall swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Franco checks the leg kick.
Franco fires out a quick counter leg kick but McCall just manages to avoid it.
McCall fails with an attempt to clinch.
McCall wants to clinch.
McCall defending well as Franco loads up on a big left hand.
Franco lands a nice looking kick to the body. McCall takes a step back to recover.
McCall thows a left - swing and a miss!
McCall lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Franco avoids the body shot from McCall.
McCall lands a really nice looking cross but Franco seems unphased.
McCall thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Franco if he has to take too many more of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. McCall checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by McCall.
McCall connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A bone on bone clash there as Franco blocks the leg kick.
McCall throws a leg kick but Franco moved away.
Franco moves out of range of the body kick from McCall.
Franco is looking to counter punch.
McCall lands with a thumping leg kick.
Franco scores with a jab.
Franco lands with a thumping leg kick.
McCall lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
McCall tried to score with a low kick but Franco checks it.
McCall misses with a hook.
Some bone on bone action there as McCall checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Franco turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Franco throws a good cross that connects.
McCall moves out of range of the body kick from Franco.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCall cracks a nice hook into Franco's ribs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McCall fails in his attempt to clinch.
Franco went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
McCall fails with an attempt to clinch.
Franco looks to land a left hand but McCall moved out of range nicely.
Franco finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Franco blocks a leg kick.
McCall wants to clinch.
McCall misses with a low kick.
Franco throws a head kick that misses.
Franco tried to score with a low kick but McCall checks it.
Franco throws a low kick but McCall avoids it.
McCall looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A bone on bone clash there as McCall blocks the leg kick.
McCall takes a body punch but keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Begbie Franco will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

McCall pushes Franco up against the cage in a clinch.
McCall tries to throw a body punch but Franco avoids it by throwing McCall back against the cage.
Franco tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McCall's elbow.
Franco avoiding damage as McCall throws knees to the body.
Franco lands a nice shot to the body.
Franco scores with a shoulder strike.
Franco lands a body shot in the clinch.
McCall lands an elbow inside.
Franco lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Franco misses with a punch to the body.
Franco can't break the clinch.
McCall cracks Franco with a nice body shot.
Franco blocks an elbow strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCall throws an elbow that misses.
McCall blocks an uppercut.
McCall struggles to land a body shot inside as Franco controls his hands.
McCall throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
McCall blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCall misses with a hook to the ribs.
Franco throws a head punch that misses.
McCall's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Franco blocks a body shot from McCall.

Franco breaks from the clinch.
Franco throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A low kick from McCall misses
and Franco counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
McCall lands a nice shot to the body.
McCall jabbing away but nothing is landing.
McCall stuns Franco with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Franco lands a jab to McCall's midsection.
Franco uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from McCall.
McCall takes a swing at Franco's ribcage but misses.
Franco avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
It looked like Franco was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from McCall.

McCall rushes Franco and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Franco goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Franco blocks an elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco misses with a punch to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, McCall throws an elbow but misses.
McCall keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Franco's efforts to push away.
Franco doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
McCall lands a hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
McCall lands a nice uppercut.
Franco lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down McCall.
McCall wants to stall.
McCall tries to throw a body punch but Franco avoids it by throwing McCall back against the cage.
Franco throws a head punch that misses.
McCall prevents a body shot from Franco.
Franco tries to throw a body punch but McCall avoids it by throwing Franco back against the cage.
McCall pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Franco is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Franco managing to block the knees to the body from McCall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Franco breaks from the clinch.
McCall throws the left hand but Franco avoids the punch easily.
McCall throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Franco counters with a nice uppercut.
McCall feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Francos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
McCall tries to clinch but Franco moves out of range.
Franco rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and McCall counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
McCall throws a lazy right hand but Franco sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Franco looks to land a right hand but McCall moved out of range.
Franco chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before McCall can pounce on him.
Franco ducks under a wild hook from McCall.
Donk. Franco catches McCall right on the button with a cross.
Franco punishes McCall's body with a nice straight punch.
McCall tries to clinch but Franco is having none of it.
McCall lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
McCall tries to clinch up but Franco circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Franco lunges at McCall with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by McCall's hand.
McCall throws an overhand right that lands on Franco's shoulder, as Franco tries to avoid the shot.
Franco tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and McCall is able to avoid easily.
McCall missing with a left hand there. Franco was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Good leg kick by McCall there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
McCall throws a lazy uppercut
and Franco counters with a lovely shot to the body.
McCall tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Franco was well out of range. Poor timing from McCall.
McCall scores with a nice body kick.
McCall changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
McCall lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Franco misses with a body kick.
McCall tries a quick counter leg kick but Franco is wise to it.
McCall misses the shot to the body.
McCall ducks under a wild hook from Franco.
McCall wants to clinch up but Franco keeps it at a distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gareth McCall comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think McCall has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Begbie Franco!
Begbie Franco seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.