PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Warren Franco (ranked 25648 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Raupp (ranked 9336 p4p, 0 weight class). Warren Franco has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Franco
vs
Raupp

214 cm
18
278 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

165 cm
22
220 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Likes musicals

Pit Bull Development

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Warren Franco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Victor Raupp!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Raupp looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Franco has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Raupp has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Raupp breaks the clinch.

Raupp throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Franco tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Raupp is in Franco's guard.
Raupp looks winded!
Raupp wants to stand but Franco is controlling his posture from full guard.
Franco wants to get back to his feet but Raupp is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Raupp stopping the sweep attempt from Franco.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Franco is on top in guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Franco distracts Raupp with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Franco postures up and lands a big shot to Raupp's brow.
Franco is in close to Raupp's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Franco is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Franco with a nice head shot there.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Franco's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Franco scoring with punches to the head and body.
Franco chips away with some ground and pound.
Franco working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Raupp's head.
Franco with a nice head shot there.
Raupp has momentary wrist control but Franco slips an elbow through the middle.
Franco is in close to Raupp's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Franco 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.
Franco cracks Raupp with a solid left hand.
Franco is in close to Raupp's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Franco lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Franco postures up and lands a big shot to Raupp's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Franco gets to his feet - Raupp follows without any prompting.
Franco looks for a takedown but Raupp sprawls well.
Raupp defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Franco.
Raupp tries to close the distance and clinch but Franco swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Franco changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Raupp tries to avoid it but Franco manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Raupp to the ground. Raupp escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Warren Franco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fighters circling - Raupp throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Franco moves into range and clinches up with Raupp.
Franco controlling the action here for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Raupp pulls guard effortlessly.

Franco drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Franco jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Franco lands a couple of digs.

Raupp working for a triangle but Franco defends it easily.
Raupp looking to control.
Franco lands a couple of elbows.
Franco works over Raupp with some ground and pound from guard.
Franco working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Franco lands a couple of elbows.
Franco connects with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco chips away with some ground and pound.

Franco gets to his feet - Raupp follows without any prompting.
Franco shoots in looking for a takedown but Raupp manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Franco's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Franco feints and as Raupp raises his hands in defense, Franco changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Franco postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Raupp is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Franco drops back looking for a leg! Raupp is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Raupp manages to kick Franco off! Franco jumps back into Raupp's guard.

Franco gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Raupp throws a sloppy body shot
and Franco counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Warren Franco dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Franco clinches up with Raupp and pushes him back against the cage.

Raupp manages to break the clinch.
Raupp misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Franco looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Franco lands with a slapping head kick.
Raupp fails with an attempt to clinch.

Franco closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Raupp to the mat! Raupp manages to get full guard.

Raupp looking for a guillotine here but Franco defends easily.
Warren Franco overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco landing with the ground and pound.

Franco drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Franco jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Raupp is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franco drops back looking for a leg! Raupp is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Raupp manages to kick Franco off! Franco jumps back into Raupp's guard.
Franco lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Franco is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Raupp has momentary wrist control but Franco slips an elbow through the middle.
Franco with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Franco controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Franco thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Franco is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Franco will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Raupp not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Franco with a nice head shot there.
Franco lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Franco's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Franco is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Raupp can do to turn this around?
Franco landing some decent shots from guard.
Franco is working Raupp over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Raupp really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Franco. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Franco's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

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

Franco shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Franco lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Franco is working for a kimura but Raupp is defending it quite comfortably.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franco scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Franco is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Raupp doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Franco.

Raupp is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Franco pulls his head out easily.
Franco is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Franco lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Franco working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Franco scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Franco controlling the action here.
Franco is nestled in close to Raupp, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Franco working Raupp over with strikes.
Franco looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Franco is looking for a kimura here.
Raupp trying to hold on to Franco's head to control him but Franco postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Warren Franco dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Franco shoots in looking for a takedown. Raupp tries to sprawl out of it but Franco keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Raupp manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Franco dives in for a single leg takedown but Raupp sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Franco scores with a takedown into Raupp's guard.

Franco stands up from Raupp's guard - Franco perhaps looking for a knockout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick by Franco misses

and Raupp counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Raupp.
Franco struggles to land a body shot inside as Raupp controls his hands.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Raupp has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Franco takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Franco leaning against his opponent.
Franco is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
We've been informed that Raupp has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Franco stalling the fight.
Franco displaying some good clinch control by pressing Raupp up against the cage.
Franco slowing the pace effectively.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Franco for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Warren Franco.

Franco clinches up with Raupp and pushes him back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Franco.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Franco obliges.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Raupp is trying to force a seperation but Franco has the dominant position.
Franco drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Raupp gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Warren Franco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Franco avoiding damage.
Franco stalls.
Franco effectively controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Raupp breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Raupp closes the distance and pushes Franco back into the cage.
Franco dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Raupp pulls guard successfully.

Franco drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Franco seems to have locked his on tight now - Raupp screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Franco, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Warren Franco!