PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Fike (ranked 24470 p4p, 0 weight class) and Szczepan Franek (ranked 8822 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Fike could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Szczepan Franek's chin.

Fike
vs
Franek

166 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Fike!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Szczepan Franek!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Fike enables Franek to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Fike manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Franek won't allow Fike to sweep him here.
Franek slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Fike looking to control.
Franek controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Franek avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Franek lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fike will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Franek content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franek works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Franek controlling the pace.
Franek lands with a punch from half guard.
Franek not doing much here.

Franek stands up out of the half guard.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Franek.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fike shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Franek counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Franek.

Franek has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Fike clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Franek has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Fike's body.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fike looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

Franek is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Fike is defending well though. Franek let's go of the attempt for now.

Fike defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Franek's arms.
Fike is trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franek lands a shot to the head.
Franek keeps control of the position easily here as Fike tries to buck him off.
Franek is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Fike. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Franek is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Szczepan Franek dominated that round.
That's time! Fike's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Fike fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Jab, jab by Fike - just one landing.
Franek throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fike wants to clinch up but Franek keeps it at a distance.

Franek forces Fike back against the cage and clinches.

Franek breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Franek fails with a takedown attempt.
Fike drops down looking for a counter takedown but Franek sprawls and moves away.
Fike wants to clinch up but Franek keeps it at a distance.
Fike tries to clinch up but Franek circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fike throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Franek feints the counter takedown.
Fike lands a jab to the head.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Franek is defended easily by Fike.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franek has closed the distance and engaged Fike in a clinch.
Franek unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Franek gets underhooks to prevent Fike's takedown attempt.
Franek wants a takedown but no success here.
Mike Fike has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Szczepan Franek.
Fike changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Franek fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Fike tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franek swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fike backing away here, and Franek unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Szczepan Franek is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A swing and a miss from Fike.
Franek keeps the fight on the outside.
Fike darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Franek on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Franek walks into a stiff left hand from Fike.
Franek ducks under a wild hook from Fike.

Franek closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Fike did well to prevent Franek getting side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Franek trying to control the pace.
Franek is breathing heavily.

Fike looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Franek has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Franek keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Fike could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Franek decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Fike tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Franek paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fike misses with a right hand

and Franek counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Franek.
Szczepan Franek has got the better of the ground game so far.
Franek seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Fike looking to control.
Franek stays in close to Fike's body and controls the position.

Franek decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Fike gets caught napping as Franek dives in and scores a takedown. Fike manages to retain guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franek sitting in guard here, content to control.
Fike is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Franek is controlling him.
Franek controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Franek prevents Fike from getting back to his feet.
Franek controlling from the top position.
Franek stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fike swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Szczepan Franek showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Fike with a hook.

Franek shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Fike napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Franek just content to control the position.
Fike regains half guard.
Franek not doing much here.
Franek working the head and body with strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Fike kicks Franek off and gets back to his feet.

Franek closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franek decides to pull guard.
Fike wants to control from the top but Franek keeps moving.
Franek has his hands on Fike's head, controlling the position.
Fike throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Franek works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fike would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Franek looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fike is fighting to break Franek's control of his arms but Franek is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Franek is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Fike is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

Franek moves into the clinch successfully.

Franek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Franek closes this distance looking for a takedown but Fike circles away.
Fike swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Franek takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Fike throws a head kick but Franek moves out of range.
Fike throws a head kick that misses.
Franek shoots in for a takedown but Fike shows good takedown defense.
Fike lands with a right hand.
Fike lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fike wants to clinch up but Franek keeps it at a distance.
Fike backing away here, and Franek unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Fike tries to clinch up.
Franek tries for a takedown but Fike sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mike Fike has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Szczepan Franek.
Fike fails with an attempt to clinch.
Franek takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fike looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Franek is looking for the big counter here.
A left lands for Fike.
Franek swats away the attempt to clinch by Fike.
Fike jabs Franek right on the nose. Franek blinks but takes it well.
Fike tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franek swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fike tries to close the distance and clinch but Franek swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab by Fike.
Mike Fike is winning the standup battle so far.
Franek shoots in but Fike avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Fike paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Franek walks into a stiff left hand from Fike.

Franek clinches up with Fike and pushes him back against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fike wants to get back to striking at distance but Franek won't allow it.
Fike is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Franek gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Fike tries a knee to the head but Franek blocks it.
Franek stalling in the clinch.
Franek jumps guard but Fike stands there with Franek around his waist. Franek gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mike Fike has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Szczepan Franek is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Fike is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Franek is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Fike showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Franek has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Szczepan Franek!