PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Virtua Bird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stevie Franchise (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Bird
vs
Franchise

170 cm
23
189 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

177 cm
20
185 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Demonic Drugs
Demonic Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Virtua Bird!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Stevie Franchise!
The judges for this bout are , and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bird tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Good standup being displayed there by Franchise as he connects with a hook.
A left lands for Franchise.
Franchise dips to his left and cracks Bird with an uppercut!
Franchise lands a with a good body shot.
Franchise throws a shot from downtown. Bird moves away and avoids it.
Franchise misses with a straight right.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bird looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Franchise throws a lazy right hand but Bird sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab from Franchise.
Franchise misses with a series of wild punches.
Franchise lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Franchise misses the jab.
Bird tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franchise swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bird looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Franchise with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franchise throws a leg kick that misses.
Franchise tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bird was well out of range. Poor timing from Franchise.
Franchise lands a really nice looking cross but Bird seems unphased.
Stevie Franchise seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bird has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Bird there as he acknowledges the shot.
Franchise throws a low kick but Bird avoids it.
Bird moves out of range as Franchise strikes.
Franchise misses with a looping right.
Franchise throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bird sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A big right from Franchise misses.
Stevie Franchise is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franchise misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bird.
Franchise misses with a two punch combination.
Bird fails in his attempt to clinch.
Franchise swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Bird.

Bird moves into the clinch.
Franchise tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bird just stands there and leans against the cage.
Franchise tries to pull guard but Bird holds him up against the cage and eventually Franchise drops back down to his feet.
Franchise tries to pull guard but Bird holds him up against the cage and eventually Franchise drops back down to his feet.
Virtua Bird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stevie Franchise.
Franchise is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bird content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Franchise is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Franchise tries to pull guard but Bird holds him up against the cage and eventually Franchise drops back down to his feet.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Franchise fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Franchise fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Franchise can't break the clinch.
Franchise tries to break the clinch but Bird is controlling the position.
Franchise fails to pull guard.
Franchise tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bird just stands there and leans against the cage.
Franchise is trying to break the clinch but Bird has him pressed against the cage.

Franchise has picked Bird up - he's going for a ride! Franchise dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Bird missing with punches from the bottom.

Bird looking for submissions off his back.
Franchise prevents Bird from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stevie Franchise dominated that round.
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.

Franchise misses with an uppercut. Bird saw that one coming.
Franchise throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jab from Franchise.
Bird misses with a shot to the body
and Franchise counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A head kick by Bird misses
and Franchise counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Franchise tries to clinch but Bird moves away

and Bird counters by moving into the clinch.
Franchise has had enough of the clinch but Bird keeps him there for the moment.
Franchise is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Franchise tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franchise jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bird walks away with a smile on his face. Franchise gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Franchise throws a jab but it's blocked by Bird.
Nice shot lands for Franchise.
Bird moves out of range of the strikes.
Franchise misses with a series of wild punches.
Jab, jab by Franchise - just one landing.
Franchise tries a head kick but it misses.
Bird misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Franchise to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Franchise avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bird takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Bird tries to clinch
enabling Franchise to counter with a crisp jab.
A jab from Franchise misses.
Bird tries to clinch but Franchise moves away
and Franchise counters with a two punch combo.
Franchise closes the distance looking to clinch

and Bird counters by clinching up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franchise drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Virtua Bird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stevie Franchise.
Franchise tries to pull guard but Bird holds him up against the cage and eventually Franchise drops back down to his feet.
Franchise wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Bird takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Bird keeps control of Franchise as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Franchise jumps guard but Bird stands there with Franchise around his waist. Franchise gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Franchise tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bird just stands there and leans against the cage.
Franchise jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bird walks away with a smile on his face. Franchise gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Franchise throws a jab but it's blocked by Bird.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bird slips a straight right by Franchise.
Franchise clinches but Bird breaks the clinch

so Bird counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Bird stopping the sweep attempt from Franchise.

Bird has gone for a leg lock! Franchise slips out almost immediately though and dives into Bird's guard.

Bird throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Franchise wants to control from the top but Bird keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bird looking for a guillotine here but Franchise defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Virtua Bird will probably get the nod.
That's time! Bird's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Franchise misses with a two punch combination.
Franchise punishes Bird's body with a nice straight punch.
A slapping body kick lands there for Franchise.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franchise lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Franchise throws a looping overhand right but Bird ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bird uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Franchise.
Franchise's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Franchise duly obliges.
Franchise is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Bird moves into the clinch.
Bird is pressed up against the cage. Franchise has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bird down to the mat. Bird avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bird slips under a jab.
Franchise avoids the head kick by Bird.
A cross from Franchise lands.
Franchise throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Bird stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franchise misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bird.
Bird showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Franchise.
Franchise misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bird tries to clinch but Franchise is having none of it.
Franchise works Bird's body with a nice hook.
Bird bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Stevie Franchise is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird takes one to the side of the head.
Stevie Franchise seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Franchise looks to land a left hand but Bird moved out of range nicely.
Franchise darts in trying to clinch

and Bird moves into the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bird.
Bird prevents Franchise from breaking the clinch.
Franchise is trying to break the clinch but Bird has him pressed against the cage.
Franchise fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Franchise is trying to break the clinch but Bird has him pressed against the cage.
Franchise tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bird just stands there and leans against the cage.
Virtua Bird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stevie Franchise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bird prevents Franchise from breaking the clinch.
Bird looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Franchise tries to pull guard but Bird won't allow it.
Franchise tries to pull guard but Bird won't allow it.
Franchise wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Franchise wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Franchise fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bird slows down the pace here.

Bird jumps guard and drags Franchise to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Franchise looking to pass the guard.

Franchise avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Bird is looking for a triangle but Franchise pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Stevie Franchise just about did enough to take it.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Bird slips a jab and a cross from Franchise.

Franchise tries to keep at a distance but Bird has taken the fight into the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Bird.

Bird jumps into guard, dragging Franchise to the mat.
Franchise stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bird swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Franchise trying to control the position from guard on top but Bird is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Franchise avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Bird has his foot on Franchise's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Franchise works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bird lands a decent punch to the body there.
Franchise stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bird swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Franchise trying to control the position from guard on top but Bird is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bird had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Franchise is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Bird Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Franchise's back instead.
Franchise is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Bird off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Franchise manages to reverse the position and now he's in Bird's guard. Nice work there by Franchise.
Franchise looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Bird is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Virtua Bird overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bird keeping moving, preventing Franchise from controlling successfully.
Franchise wants to pass the guard but Bird is keeping the position.

Bird working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Franchise has passed into half guard!
Franchise not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Franchise wants to work for an arm triangle but Bird is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bird works his way to full guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franchise is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.

Bird looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bird is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Franchise must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franchise trying to control but Bird is working from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Bird is looking to sinch up a triangle. Franchise throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Bird's body to avoid the submission. Bird has instead reached around Franchise's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Bird arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:31 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Virtua Bird!
Virtua Bird retains his middleweight title!