PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Julio Cesar Neves Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Utica Franks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cesar Neves Jr
vs
Franks

173 cm
21
150 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

150 cm
20
140 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Julio Cesar Neves Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Utica Franks!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Paul Gruel and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neves Jr shoots and misses
and Franks counters with an inside leg kick.
Neves Jr with a poor takedown

and Franks moves into the clinch.
Neves Jr has Franks pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Franks manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Julio Cesar Neves Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Franks is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Franks has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Neves Jr is trying to keep an underhook but Franks manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Neves Jr gets back to full guard.

Neves Jr is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Franks postures up in Neves Jr's guard and throws a big left but Neves Jr blocks it.
Franks trying to control but Neves Jr is working from the bottom.

Neves Jr looking for subs off his back but Franks has passed one foot through into half guard.
Franks really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Neves Jr. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neves Jr wants to improve his position but Franks is controlling well.

Neves Jr is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Franks pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franks wants to lay and pray for a moment but Neves Jr keeps working.
Franks lands strikes from half guard.

Neves Jr looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Franks trying to control from half guard but Neves Jr is working away.
Neves Jr wants to improve his position but Franks is controlling well.
Neves Jr is not content to let Franks control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franks missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Franks has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Franks landing strikes from the mount and Neves Jr is in trouble!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neves Jr is looking to improve his position but Franks isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Neves Jr is squirming around, avoiding Franks's attempts to control the action.
Neves Jr tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Neves Jr bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Franks tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Neves Jr throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Franks works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Franks is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Neves Jr postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Franks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Franks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Neves Jr is one step ahead there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Neves Jr works over Franks with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neves Jr stops Franks from standing up.
Neves Jr postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Neves Jr postures up and lands a big shot to Franks's brow.
Neves Jr postures up in Franks's guard and throws a big left but Franks blocks it.
Neves Jr passes into half guard.

Neves Jr seems to be looking for submissions.
Neves Jr missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Franks trying to hold on to Neves Jr's head to control him but Neves Jr postures up.
Neves Jr scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Neves Jr sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Franks defending well though.
Franks wants to control but Neves Jr is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neves Jr takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Neves Jr thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Neves Jr prevents Franks from standing back up.
Nice strikes from Neves Jr there.
Neves Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Franks is looking for a sweep. Neves Jr is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Franks is still trying to improve position.
Neves Jr scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Neves Jr is nestled in close to Franks, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Neves Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Neves Jr throws a strike but Franks avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Franks is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
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 Julio Cesar Neves Jr will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Franks tries to sprawl but Neves Jr drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Neves Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Neves Jr throwing shots but Franks is blocking nicely.
Franks trying to control from the bottom.
Franks wants to get back to full guard.

Neves Jr is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Franks sees it coming and defends easily.
Neves Jr has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Franks trying to control but Neves Jr postures up.
Franks is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Neves Jr is staying active.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neves Jr lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Franks trying to control but Neves Jr postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franks tries to get to full guard but Neves Jr has control of the leg.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Neves Jr connects with a nice short shot to Franks's temple.
Franks wants to control but Neves Jr is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Neves Jr lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Neves Jr missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Neves Jr thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Neves Jr landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Neves Jr lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Neves Jr is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Neves Jr is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Franks can do to turn this around?
Franks wants to control but Neves Jr is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neves Jr not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Franks keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Neves Jr is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Franks still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Franks has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Neves Jr manages to work his way to half guard, despite Franks's best efforts.
Franks is trying to control the action in half guard but Neves Jr is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Neves Jr actively working from the bottom here.
Franks takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Neves Jr is working on a guillotine. He's managed to get to full guard and he's really squeezing tight! Franks is tapping! Great win for Neves Jr!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Julio Cesar Neves Jr!
Julio Cesar Neves Jr thanked the fans post fight for their support.