PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Buddy Franklin (ranked 6187 p4p, 512 weight class) and Don Romain (ranked 23533 p4p, 568 weight class). The key to victory for Buddy Franklin has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Franklin
vs
Romain

180 cm
19
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
20
175 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Buddy Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Don Romain!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown attempt by Romain or perhaps it was just good defense by Franklin, which made it look bad.

Franklin dives in and scores a takedown into Romain's guard.
Franklin lands a couple of digs.

Romain is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Franklin defends well.

Romain had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Franklin defends it easily.
Franklin stops Romain from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Franklin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Franklin trying to control the position from guard on top but Romain is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romain throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Romain looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Franklin wants to pass the guard but Romain is keeping the position.
Franklin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Franklin gets to his feet. Romain looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Don Romain seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Romain bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Franklin wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is trying to control Romain's posture but Romain avoids it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Romain wants to control but Franklin is keeping him busy.
Franklin can't do much from the bottom here.
Franklin is looking for a sweep.
Franklin has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Franklin manages to get back to half guard.
Franklin trying to hold on to Romain's head to control him but Romain postures up.
Romain is trying to control. Franklin wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Franklin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin looks like he's trying to stand up.
Romain thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Franklin's head.
Franklin is refusing to be controlled, as Romain sits in half guard.

Romain is working for a submission of some sort.
Franklin keeping control of the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Franklin is trying to maintain the position but Romain is very close to passing his half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Franklin rushes Romain and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Franklin is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Franklin breaks the clinch.
Romain misses with a series of wild punches.
Franklin wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Romain shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Franklin as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buddy Franklin dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Romain tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Franklin defends well and Romain ends up having to push Franklin into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Franklin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Franklin showed some decent athleticism there.
Franklin winds up and cracks Romain with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Franklin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Franklin is trying to control the action in half guard but Romain is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Franklin connects with a nice short shot to Romain's temple.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Romain looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Romain works his way to full guard. Good work.
Buddy Franklin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Romain looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franklin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Romain has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Franklin has managed to get both his arms back between Romain's legs - danger averted.
Romain is breathing heavily.

Franklin gets to his feet. Romain looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Franklin stuffs the takedown.
Sloppy strikes from Romain. Those never looked like landing.

Franklin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Franklin lands a nice short elbow.
Franklin is taking a breather. Romain says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Franklin wants to control but Romain is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Romain looking for submissions off his back.

Romain looking for submissions off his back.
Franklin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Romain can do to turn this around?
Franklin slows the pace down in half guard.
Franklin is trying to control the action in half guard but Romain is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Romain actively working from the bottom here.

Romain looking for submissions off his back.

Romain looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Franklin sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Franklin decides to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Romain looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Franklin lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Don Romain has been cut.

Franklin shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Romain napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Romain is trying to escape the position but Franklin is controlling the position.

Franklin looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Franklin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Romain has escaped the position, nice work there.
Franklin controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Romain is trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Buddy Franklin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Don Romain's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Franklin feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Franklin wants to control from the top but Romain keeps moving.

Romain is looking for a triangle but Franklin pushes his legs off easily.
Romain keeping full guard, as Franklin tries to pass.

Romain had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Franklin defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin sitting in guard here, content to control.

Romain is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Franklin defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romain is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Romain takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Franklin is pushing down on Romain's leg trying to pass to half guard. Romain is fighting to maintain full guard but Franklin has managed to sneak the leg through.

Franklin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Romain sees it coming and defends easily.
Franklin seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Romain looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Franklin with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Franklin is keen to just control but Romain is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Franklin controlling the action here.

Romain looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Romain wants to get back to full guard.
Franklin looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Romain is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Franklin pulls his head out easily.

Franklin decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Franklin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Romain sprawls well initially but Franklin persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Franklin lands a nice short elbow.
Franklin is trying to control the action in half guard but Romain is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Franklin is controlling the pace.
Franklin lands with a punch from half guard.
Franklin is nestled in close to Romain, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Well, if Franklin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Franklin stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Romain falls off balance throwing a combination

and Franklin holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romain is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Franklin is struggling to control the position.
Franklin missing with knees to the body.
Romain fails to pull guard.
Franklin lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Franklin gets control of Romain's arms and successfully pulls guard. Franklin will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Franklin is trying to control the position but Romain postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Franklin keeping moving, preventing Romain from controlling successfully.
Franklin wants to stand and escape but Romain is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Buddy Franklin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Franklin has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Buddy Franklin!