PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nathanial Francis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jason Garcia will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Francis
vs
Garcia

184 cm
18
140 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

165 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nathanial Francis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jason Garcia!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Emerson Jorge and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garcia with a lazy takedown attempt
and Francis counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Garcia thinking.
Francis slaps away a takedown attempt from Garcia, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Garcia tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Francis defends well and Garcia ends up having to push Francis into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Nathanial Francis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jason Garcia.
An inside leg kick from Francis misses.
Nice takedown defense from Francis. No joy for Garcia on that attempt.
Garcia will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia with a poor takedown

and Francis counters by clinching up.
Garcia is looking for a takedown.

Francis has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Garcia uses from the top position.

Francis throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Garcia escapes and throws Francis's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Francis gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Francis is not content to let Garcia control the position.
Garcia with the ground and pound but Francis uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Francis controlling the position.
Francis tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Francis wants to stand up but Garcia is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Francis is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Francis wants to stand and escape but Garcia is having none of it.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Francis holds on and takes a little breather.
Francis wants to stand and escape but Garcia is having none of it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Francis keeps the fight on the outside.
Francis looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Garcia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Francis manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Garcia with a poor takedown

and Francis counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Francis is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Garcia gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Francis has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Francis is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Francis is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Garcia wants a takedown.
Garcia is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Francis to keep the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Francis effectively controlling the action here.
Come on Francis - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Garcia wants to stall.
Garcia tries to pull guard but Francis won't allow it.
Garcia drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Francis gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Garcia breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathanial Francis dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Garcia wants to clinch.
Francis looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Garcia throws a head kick but Francis moves out of range.
Francis feinted with a counter takedown.
Garcia closes the distance and clinches up with Francis, looking for a takedown. Garcia pushes Francis against the cage but Francis circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Garcia lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Francis has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Francis and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Garcia shoots and misses

and Francis counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Francis.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for Garcia to work.
Francis dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Garcia breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia fails to land the takedown.
Nathanial Francis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jason Garcia.
Francis avoids the head kick by Garcia.
Francis throws a counter high kick but Garcia was just alert enough to avoid it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Francis.
Garcia is breathing heavily.
Garcia seems a little lost for a moment, as Francis dominates the positioning.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Garcia tries to improve position but can't.
A control attempt from Garcia but he's now mounted!
Francis won't let Garcia get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Francis with the ground and pound from mount.
Francis is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Garcia can do to turn this around?
Garcia is looking to improve his position but Francis isn't that keen on the idea.
Francis looking to control and managing it successfully.
Garcia tries to control the position but Francis now has his back.
What can Garcia do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia trying to control the hands but Francis won't let him.
Francis is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

Garcia is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Francis biding his time, controlling Garcia.
Francis has the hooks in. Garcia is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Garcia is in bad spot here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathanial Francis dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Garcia throws a body kick that misses.

Garcia forces Francis back against the cage and clinches.
Francis stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Garcia is looking to control Francis's arms but Francis gets an underhook and turns him. Now Garcia has his back to the cage.
Garcia stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia is trying to break the clinch but Francis is controlling him.
Garcia just leaning against Francis, taking a breather.

Garcia has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Francis uses from the top position.

Garcia throws his legs up looking for a submission but Francis uses it to pass to side control.
Garcia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Garcia is pushing Francis's head away, looking to escape. Francis manages to hold on to the position though.
Francis slows the pace down.
Francis cracks Garcia with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Garcia is trying to work for a sweep but Francis has mounted him!

Francis with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Francis takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Francis avoids the attempt from Garcia to control.
Francis takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Nathanial Francis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Garcia defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Francis.
Garcia is trying desperately to improve position.
Garcia has given up his back here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Garcia is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Francis.

Francis working from the back looking to end the fight with a rear naked choke. Garcia is doing well to defend. Francis seems to have got his hand under the chin though and he's sunk the choke in! Garcia is forced to tap and this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Nathanial Francis!