PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Salwa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Begbie Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Franco has chosen Born Slippy as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Salwa
vs
Franco

184 cm
33
198 lbs
30 - 10 - 0

185 cm
36
190 lbs
30 - 17 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Reaper Combatwear
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 30 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gabriel Salwa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 17 - 1, fighting out of London, Begbie Franco!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Chris Edwards and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salwa throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Franco throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Salwa.
Franco takes a swing at Salwa's ribcage but misses.
Salwa walks into a left hand.
Salwa swings for the body but Franco moves out of range.
Salwa looks to score with a jab to the body but Franco is just out of range.
Franco throws a nice inside leg kick.
An inside leg kick from Salwa misses.
Franco looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Franco throws a quick inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco blocks a head kick by Salwa.
Salwa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Salwa throws a lazy head kick
enabling Franco to counter with a crisp jab.
A bone on bone clash there as Franco blocks the leg kick.
Franco scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salwa throws a right and a left that both miss.
Salwa moves out of range of the body kick.
Salwa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A looping hook to the body misses from Salwa. Franco does a little dance to reset his feet.
Salwa uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Franco.
Franco throws a low kick, looking for Salwa's leg but Salwa calmly moves out of range.
Franco scores with a hook.
Salwa on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Salwa looks to land a right hand but Franco moved out of range.
Franco throws a head kick that Salwa semi-blocks.
Salwa throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Franco scores with the left hand. Salwa knows he should have avoided that one.
Salwa misses with a straight right.
Franco misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salwa blocks a jab.
Salwa thuds his shin into the meat of Franco's side.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Franco uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Salwa.
Salwa goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Salwa throws a solid leg kick but Franco takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Salwa.
Salwa is looking to chop away at Franco's legs.
Begbie Franco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Franco misses with a hook. Salwa ducked under it nicely.
Franco throws a left and a right that both miss
and Salwa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Salwa is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Franco tests Salwa's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Franco connects with a nice looking jab.
Franco has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Franco pivots, looking for a leg kick but Salwa is out of range and Franco settles back down.
Franco circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salwa has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Franco.
Sloppy strikes from Salwa. Those never looked like landing.
Franco falls off balance throwing a combination
and Salwa counters with a good low kick that Franco was not able to check.
Salwa connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Salwa misses with a hook to the body
and Franco counters with a nice leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Salwa.
Salwa throws a solid leg kick but Franco takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Salwa.
Franco looks to score with a jab to the body but Salwa is just out of range.
It looked like Salwa was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Franco.
Salwa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Franco moves away.

Franco moves into the clinch.
Franco is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Salwa prevents a body shot from Franco.
Salwa fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco is trying to break the clinch but Salwa has him pressed against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Salwa as the two fighters clinch.
Franco's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Salwa lands with a short head shot on the inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Salwa stalling the fight.
Salwa scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Franco working aggressively here.
Salwa misses with a hook to the ribs.

Salwa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salwa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Salwa tries to clinch but Franco moves out of range.
Salwa throws a head kick that misses.
Salwa backing away here, and Franco unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Franco plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Franco lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Franco is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Salwa had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Salwa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Salwa is looking to score with low kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Gabriel Salwa will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Salwa tries a head kick but it misses.
Salwa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Salwa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Franco is looking to slow Salwa down with leg kicks.
Salwa looks to land a body kick but Franco moved away.
Franco with a jab.
Salwa falls off balance throwing a combination
and Franco counters with a nice low kick that buckles Salwa's knee momentarily.
Franco looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco looks to score with a jab to the body but Salwa is just out of range.
Nice shot lands for Franco.
Salwa misses with a wild body shot.
Salwa wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Franco tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Salwa was well out of range. Poor timing from Franco.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco ducks under a wild hook from Salwa.
Salwa misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Franco counters with a head kick. That will keep Salwa thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Good exchange - Franco coming out on top.
Franco moves out of range as Salwa strikes.
Salwa throws a front kick aimed at Franco's knee but Franco avoids it well.
Franco lands an overhand right.
Salwa misses with a lunging right hand
and Franco counters with a leg kick.
Salwa throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Salwa throws a solid leg kick but Franco takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Salwa.
Franco scores with a head kick. Salwa tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Franco avoids the head kick by Salwa.
Salwa lands a head kick!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A lazy left from Salwa finds it's target.

Franco is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Salwa.
Salwa appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Salwa throws a half hearted mid kick.
Salwa staying out of range there.
Salwa misses with a kick to the body.
Franco with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Salwa to score with a decent uppercut.
Franco is still on wobbly legs! Can Salwa finish him?
Franco lands a leg kick that knocks Salwa off balance momentarily.
Franco ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Franco seems to have recovered his senses.
Franco lands a leg kick that knocks Salwa off balance momentarily.
Franco looks to land a left hand but Salwa moved out of range nicely.
Franco throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
As Franco backs away, Salwa returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Franco bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco cracks a nice hook into Salwa's ribs.

Salwa moves into the clinch successfully.
Franco lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Salwa backwards.
Salwa struggles to land a body shot inside as Franco controls his hands.
Franco working aggressively here.
Franco is working Salwa over against the cage.
A short right from Salwa.
Salwa misses with a short punch on the inside.
Salwa tries to work over Franco's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Salwa swings wildly with an uppercut but Franco uses good head movement to avoid it.
Salwa is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Franco goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Salwa stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Salwa is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Franco swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco blocks an uppercut.
A left hand lands to the body for Franco.
Franco tries to work over Salwa's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Salwa tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Salwa blocks a body shot from Franco.
A short right from Salwa on the inside.
Franco lands a shoulder strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Franco doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Salwa misses with a punch on the inside.
Salwa trying to control the position but instead, Franco has worked for underhooks and has pushed Salwa into the cage.

Salwa breaks from the clinch.
Salwa misses with a low kick.
Franco bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Salwa's head.
A jab from Franco finds it's way through Salwa's defenses.
Salwa throws a leg kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Begbie Franco will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Salwa throws a body kick that misses
and Franco counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Salwa lunges at Franco with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Franco's hand.
Franco lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Salwa looks to land a left hand but Franco moved out of range nicely.
Franco throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Franco pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Salwa throws a body shot but no joy.
A slow jab from Franco misses its intended target.
Salwa throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Salwa was well out of range. Poor timing from Franco.
Franco tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Salwa's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Franco connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Salwa scrambles back to his feet.

Salwa is rocked!
Salwa throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Franco scores with a counter punch that sends Salwa to the canvas! Franco smells blood - he's punishing Salwa with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Salwa has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Begbie Franco!
A relieved looking Begbie Franco thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.