PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bill Wright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Franklin
vs
Wright

165 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

192 cm
24
200 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 1 - 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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Bill Wright!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Daniel Franklin and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wright tries to keep at a distance but Franklin has taken the fight into the clinch.
Franklin wants to break the clinch but can't.

Franklin successfully pulls guard.

Franklin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Wright engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Franklin is on top in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wright is adopting a defensive guard.
Wright keeping moving, preventing Franklin from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Wright's guard.
Franklin controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Franklin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Wright controlling Franklin's posture.
Wright wants to sweep here but Franklin controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Franklin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Wright works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Franklin wanted to stand there but Wright had control of the position.
Franklin has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Franklin working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Wright's head.
Franklin trying to control the position from guard on top but Wright is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wright trying to control the position.
Franklin wants to stand but Wright has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Wright or perhaps it was just good defense by Franklin, which made it look bad.

Franklin gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Franklin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Franklin slaps away a takedown attempt from Wright, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Franklin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wright is trying hard to land a takedown here. Franklin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Frank Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bill Wright.
Franklin tries to clinch there but Wright circles away.

Franklin pushes Wright up against the cage in a clinch.
Wright drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Franklin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Wright tries to pull guard but Franklin won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wright jumps into guard, dragging Franklin to the mat.
Franklin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Wright's guard.
Franklin trying to control but Wright is working from the bottom.
Franklin landing with the ground and pound.
Franklin connects with a couple of short punches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Wright wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Franklin dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Horrible takedown attempt by Wright or perhaps it was just good defense by Franklin, which made it look bad.
Wright looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Wright shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Franklin as he avoids it easily.
Wright looks to score with a jab to the body but Franklin is just out of range.

Franklin moves into the clinch.
Franklin pushes Wright back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

It looks like Bill Wright has been cut.
Wright lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Franklin effectively controlling the action here.
Franklin tries to land a knee to the head but Wright blocks with his arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin stalling in the clinch but Wright improves position.
Franklin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Wright's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Franklin misses with a kick to the body.
A nice side step and Wright releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Franklin avoids it really well and circles away.
It looked like Franklin was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Wright.
Frank Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bill Wright.
Wright showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Franklin.
Franklin throws a leg kick which misses Wright's front leg but catches the back leg as Wright tries to avoid it.

Franklin drives through and clinches with Wright against the cage.
Franklin jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Wright walks away with a smile on his face. Franklin gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Wright displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Franklin.
Wright throws a counter combo.
Franklin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Wright can do to turn this around?
Wright tries to clinch there but Franklin circles away.
Franklin appears to be looking for a big counter.
Wright tries to clinch up.
Frank Franklin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wright on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Wright has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Franklin.
Franklin shoots in but no luck this time.
Wright slaps away a takedown attempt from Franklin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Wright shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Franklin but Franklin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Wright moves away from the strike by Franklin.
Franklin shoots for a takedown but Wright saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Wright shoots in and drives through. Franklin sprawls well.
Franklin is looking to counter punch.
Wright catches Franklin with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Franklin is looking to land body kicks.
Wright avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin tries to clinch but Wright is having none of it.
Franklin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Wright avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Franklin tries to clinch there but Wright circles away.
Franklin tries to clinch there but Wright circles away.
Franklin sets himself, and Wright steps forward looking for the clinch! Franklin avoids it this time.
Franklin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Franklin shoots in looking for a takedown but Wright manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Franklin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Wright is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Franklin wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wright showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Franklin.
Franklin tries to clinch up but Wright circles away and keeps his distance.
Wright appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Wright shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Franklin but Franklin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Wright tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Franklin swivels and escapes.
Franklin has his takedown stuffed
and Wright counters with a big head kick but Franklin shrugs it off.
Wright throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Wright gets a clinch.
Franklin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Wright fails to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Franklin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bill Wright's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Franklin closes the distance and pushes Wright back into the cage.
Franklin stalling.
Franklin is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Franklin taking a breather.
Wright jumps guard but Franklin turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Stalling in the clinch from Franklin.

Franklin breaks the clinch.
Franklin lands a nice shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Wright.

Franklin has closed the distance and engaged Wright in a clinch.
Come on Franklin - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin doesn't manage to clinch there - Wright circles away.
Wright fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wright tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Franklin swivels and escapes.
Frank Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bill Wright.

Franklin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Franklin lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Franklin.
Franklin has a couple of punches blocked by Wright.
Wright misses with a punch on the inside.
Wright on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Wright goes for a takedown attempt but Franklin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Franklin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Wright paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin wants to clinch.
Wright tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Franklin doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Franklin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Wright doesn't manage to clinch there - Franklin circles away.

Wright has managed to clinch.
Franklin tries to pull guard but Wright holds him up against the cage and eventually Franklin drops back down to his feet.
Wright lands a shot to the body.
Franklin tries to stall but Wright uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Franklin avoiding damage.
Wright fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wright's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wright fails with a takedown attempt.
Franklin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Wright manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown but Wright shows good takedown defense.
Wright changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Franklin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Come on Franklin - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Wright blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Wright tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Franklin just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Wright tries to pull guard but Franklin won't allow it.
Wright wants to break free but Franklin has control.
Franklin is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Wright tries to score a body lock takedown but Franklin shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Wright takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Franklin is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Wright is defending well.

Franklin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wright dives in and grabs Franklin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Franklin pushes down on Wright's head and hops out.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Franklin has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Wright avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Bill Wright has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Frank Franklin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wright is looking to control Franklin's arms but Franklin gets an underhook and turns him. Now Wright has his back to the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Franklin showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

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