PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brian Toilfer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brian Toilfer will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Franklin
vs
Toilfer

165 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Frank Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Brian Toilfer!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Peter Branson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin shoots and misses
and Toilfer counters with a left to the body.
A combination from Franklin does no damage.
Toilfer tries to clinch up but Franklin circles away and keeps his distance.

Franklin closes the distance and pushes Toilfer back into the cage.
Toilfer fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Toilfer tries for a takedown. No joy.
Toilfer looking to slow down the pace here.
Franklin has Toilfer pressed against the cage.

Franklin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Toilfer swats away the attempt to clinch by Franklin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toilfer misses with a takedown attempt

and Franklin counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Franklin.
Frank Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Toilfer.
Franklin stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Franklin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A head kick misses from Franklin.
Toilfer throws a head kick that misses.

Franklin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Toilfer.
Franklin prevents Toilfer from breaking the clinch.

Franklin pulls guard.
Franklin wants to stand up but Toilfer is controlling him.
Toilfer would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Toilfer must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Toilfer trying to control the position from guard on top but Franklin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Franklin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Franklin working a defensive guard here.
Franklin has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Franklin wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A head kick misses from Toilfer.
Franklin blocks the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toilfer avoids the head kick by Franklin.

Toilfer clinches.
Toilfer tries to circle away but Franklin has him pinned against the cage.
Toilfer looking for a takedown.

Toilfer jumps into guard, dragging Franklin to the mat.

Franklin decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Toilfer, up you get!
Toilfer on the wrong end of a nice hook.
No luck for Franklin with that takedown attempt.
Franklin misses with a series of wild punches.
Toilfer shoots in but no luck this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin tries for a takedown but Toilfer sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Franklin moves to clinch but Toilfer breaks away
and Toilfer counters with a series of strikes. Franklin will be more careful next time no doubt.
A good leg kick by Toilfer.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Franklin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Franklin gets a double leg takedown into Toilfer's guard.
Franklin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Franklin with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Toilfer trying to control here.
Franklin is keen to just control but Toilfer is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Franklin dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Toilfer closes this distance looking for a takedown but Franklin circles away.
Good exchange - Franklin coming out on top.
Franklin darts in looking for a takedown but Toilfer gets double underhooks and turns Franklin into the cage.

Toilfer decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Toilfer is looking to take a break and control but Franklin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Franklin looking for submissions off his back.
Toilfer is trying to control. Franklin wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin wants to improve his position but Toilfer is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin is trying to control but can't.
Franklin is refusing to be controlled, as Toilfer sits in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Franklin looks to throw the jab but Toilfer is out of range.
Franklin throws a series of punches but Toilfer avoids them all with ease.
Franklin pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Toilfer clinches.
Franklin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Toilfer can do to turn this around?
Toilfer wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Franklin has him pressed against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toilfer scores with a shot to the side of Franklin's head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Franklin.
Franklin slowing the pace effectively.
Franklin trying to land knees to the body.
Franklin crunches a lovely knee into Toilfer's ribcage.
Toilfer fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Franklin slowing the pace effectively.

Franklin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Toilfer lands a slapping body shot.
Toilfer shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Franklin as he avoids it easily.
Frank Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Toilfer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Toilfer defends well and Franklin ends up having to push Toilfer into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Toilfer looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Franklin looks to land a combination but Toilfer avoids it well.
Franklin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Toilfer.

Franklin rushes Toilfer and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A knee to the head by Franklin.
Toilfer is trying to break the clinch but Franklin has him pressed against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Franklin.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Toilfer.

Franklin breaks from the clinch.
Frank Franklin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Toilfer lands with a thumping leg kick.
Toilfer doesn't manage to clinch there - Franklin circles away.
Toilfer lands a nice looking kick to the body. Franklin takes a step back to recover.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toilfer is trying hard to land a takedown here. Franklin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Toilfer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Franklin attempts a counter takedown but Toilfer avoids it well and moves away.
Toilfer fails with a takedown attempt.

Franklin closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Franklin has picked Toilfer up - he's going for a ride! Franklin dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Toilfer wants to control the action here but instead Franklin manages to pass to full mount!
Toilfer is squirming around, avoiding Franklin's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Franklin dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Toilfer moves in looking to clinch but Franklin pushes him off.
Toilfer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Franklin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Franklin wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Toilfer shoots in but Franklin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Franklin drops down looking for a counter takedown but Toilfer sprawls and moves away.
Franklin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Toilfer pinned against the cage. Toilfer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice sprawl there from Franklin as Toilfer shoots in.
Franklin seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Toilfer throws a sloppy head kick

and Franklin counters with a nice double leg into side control. Toilfer won't be happy with that.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Franklin decides to stand up, so the ref orders Toilfer to his feet.
Toilfer fails with the takedown

and Franklin counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Frank Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Toilfer.
Toilfer tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Toilfer takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franklin has gone for a leg lock! Toilfer slips out almost immediately though and dives into Franklin's guard.

Franklin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Franklin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Franklin wants to stand and escape but Toilfer is having none of it.

Franklin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Toilfer gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Franklin is trying to control the position but Toilfer postures up.

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.
Toilfer looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Franklin looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Toilfer has picked Franklin up and slammed him! Franklin can't keep hold of the triangle and Toilfer manages to pass to side control!
Franklin tries to escape but Toilfer is in control.

Toilfer tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Franklin wants to control but Toilfer postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin tries to control but Toilfer manages to take his back.
Toilfer keeps control of the position as Franklin tries to break free.
Toilfer trying to control momentarily.
Franklin trying to control the hands but Toilfer breaks the grip.
Toilfer has the hooks in. Franklin is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Toilfer is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Toilfer is persistently looking for the submission but Franklin is defending it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin wants to escape the position.
Toilfer is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Franklin. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Toilfer trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Franklin trying to control the hands but Toilfer breaks the grip.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Frank Franklin.
Well Franklin has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 David Hoff scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Franklin!