PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tiago Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rogan Braga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Braga has chosen Happy as his entrance music. Tiago Franco has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Franco
vs
Braga

180 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

177 cm
20
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Counter fighter
KO power

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tiago Franco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rogan Braga!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Braga fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Franco, pushing him back against the cage.

Braga has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Franco regains guard immediately.
Franco is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Franco can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Braga controls the pace.
We've been hearing good reports from Franco's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Franco looking to control but Braga passes into half guard.
Braga sitting and controlling from the half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco trying to hold on to Braga's head to control him but Braga postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braga trying to control the pace.
Braga moves nicely into side control.

Braga tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Braga has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Braga is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Braga looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Franco prevents Braga from moving into mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco struggling a bit here.
Braga controls the position.
Franco is looking to regain half guard here but Braga keeps moving and retains side control.
Braga advances to mount.
Franco can't escape the position.
Braga controlling the position easily from mount.
It looks like Braga might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Braga looking to control and managing it successfully.
Braga prevents Franco from getting the reversal.
Braga controlling from mount.
Let's hope that Braga has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Franco tries to reverse the position but Braga maintains control.
Braga tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Franco is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braga controlling from the full mount.

Braga is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Franco is surviving well by controlling Braga's body position as best he can.
Braga moves to his opponent's back but Franco bucks him off and ends up in guard. A bit of a disaster there for Braga.
Franco throws a big right hand that misses.
Franco distracts Braga with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Braga managing to control the position.
Franco in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogan Braga dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Braga rushes Franco and presses him up against the cage.

Braga manages to pull guard.
Braga manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Franco manages to get himself to full guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Braga passes Franco's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Franco has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Braga is working away from the top position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Braga controlling the action here.
Franco wants to control but Braga is keeping busy and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Braga perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco is in trouble now - Braga has advanced to mount!
Franco wants to control but Braga is having none of it.
Braga controlling from the full mount.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Braga.
Braga avoids the attempt from Franco to control.
Franco is arching his back trying to strike from the bottom but Braga turns him over and now has his back.
Franco is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Braga.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braga is not going to allow Franco to sit and survive in this position.
Braga controls the action.
Braga's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Braga is not going to allow Franco to sit and survive in this position.
Braga controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yet more stalling tactics from Braga.
Franco looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Franco is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Franco can't escape the position.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Franco trying to control but not successfully.
Franco tries to roll but Braga sticks to his back.
Franco is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Braga.

Franco preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Braga.
Rogan Braga has got the better of the ground game so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Braga avoiding Franco 's attempts to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogan Braga showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Franco tries to sprawl but Braga drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Braga is thwarting Franco's attempts to control the position.
Braga is looking to advance position but Franco won't allow it.
Braga is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Franco wants to control the action here but instead Braga manages to pass to full mount!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Braga controlling from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braga seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Franco is holding on tight.
Braga sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Braga looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Franco is in all sorts of trouble here.
Braga controlling from mount.
More stalling from Braga.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco tries to hold on but Braga postures up.
Braga content just to control the position here.
Braga fails to move to back control.
Braga sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco tries to hold on but Braga postures up.
Braga controlling from the full mount.
Franco tries to hold on but Braga postures up.
Braga controlling the pace for now.
Franco wants to control but Braga is having none of it.
Braga takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Tiago Franco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Franco wants to hold on but Braga pushes him away.
Franco is trying to escape the mount.
Franco wants to hold on but Braga pushes him away.
Franco stops Braga from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Braga controlling his opponent.
Franco sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Braga is looking for a kimura but Franco is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Braga to get the leverage.
Rogan Braga is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Braga tries to pass the half guard into mount. Franco knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rogan Braga comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Braga has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 25:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 25:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rogan Braga!
A victorious Rogan Braga thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.