PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fausto Carsara (ranked 1114 p4p, 149 weight class) and Ezio Franco (ranked 2821 p4p, 342 weight class). Carsara's entrance music is E'sord Luché. A fine choice. Franco is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by BASS. This should be fireworks!

Carsara
vs
Franco

184 cm
31
198 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

190 cm
31
197 lbs
7 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Powerful

Voodoo Nutrition
Freebok (85% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fausto Carsara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ezio Franco!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carsara cracks a nice hook into Franco's ribs.

Franco moves into range and clinches up with Carsara.
Carsara wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Franco keeps control of Carsara as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Carsara working hard to break the clinch.
Nice elbow from Franco.

Franco jumps guard.
Carsara wants to stand but Franco has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Franco doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Franco has a closed guard, preventing Carsara from standing up.
Franco striking from his own guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Carsara's guard.

Franco trying to control the position from guard on top but Carsara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Franco is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Franco trying to control the position from guard on top but Carsara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Franco working his ground and pound in the gym.
Franco pushing down on Carsara's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Carsara knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Franco on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carsara looks like he's trying to stand up.
Carsara is not content to let Franco control the position.
Carsara on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Carsara tries to get out of the position.
Franco prevents Carsara from standing back up.
Franco has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Franco trying to control the action but Carsara is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Franco works his way into side control.
Carsara takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Franco wants to lay and pray for a moment but Carsara keeps working.
The strikes coming from Franco are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carsara wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Franco takes a little break here. Carsara wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Franco trying to control the action but Carsara is working from the bottom.
Franco scores with a couple of short elbows.
Carsara is pushing Franco's head away, looking to escape. Franco manages to hold on to the position though.
Check out the look on Franco's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Carsara is trying to get back to his feet.
Franco throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Carsara is not content to let Franco control the position.
Franco tries to score with some ground and pound. Carsara controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Franco throws an elbow but Carsara slips to the side and avoids it well.
Carsara is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Grind Time [ *Double Elite Coaches], so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Franco is looking to take a break and control but Carsara is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carsara parries the strikes from Franco easily there. Franco is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Carsara to escape.
Franco in side control, throwing shots but Carsara defends.
Franco landing strikes.
Carsara is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Franco is working Carsara over with some ground and pound from side control.
Carsara tries to escape but Franco is in control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franco throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Carsara parries the strikes from Franco easily there. Franco is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Carsara to escape.

Franco has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Carsara keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Carsara swings for the body but Franco moves out of range.
Franco shoots in but Carsara avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Carsara's waist but Carsara gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Franco off to one side.
Fausto Carsara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ezio Franco.
Carsara looks to land a combination but Franco avoids it well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Franco looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fausto Carsara is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Carsara fails to land with a series of punches.
Fausto Carsara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Carsara throws a hook to the side of Franco's head but Franco sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Carsara scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Franco shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Carsara as he jumps to the side.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Franco tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Carsara paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Franco avoids the body shot from Carsara.
Franco appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Carsara slaps away a takedown attempt from Franco, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Franco avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezio Franco 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.

Franco looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Franco wants to clinch up but Carsara keeps it at a distance.
Franco tries to close the distance and clinch but Carsara swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Carsara is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Franco.
Franco closes the distance looking to clinch
and Carsara makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Franco moves into the clinch.
Carsara is trying to break the clinch but Franco is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco jumps guard but Carsara turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
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 lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Franco drops down looking for an ankle pick but Carsara pulls his leg out and moves away.
Fausto Carsara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ezio Franco.
Carsara cracks Franco with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco ducks right into an uppercut from Carsara.
Carsara throws a nice looking combination but Franco bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Carsara feints a jab promting Franco to slip. Carsara then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Franco slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Franco dives in for a single leg takedown but Carsara sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Carsara connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Carsara drops Franco with a straight left! Oh this is bad for Franco! Carsara dives in and starts dropping bombs - the referee has no choice but to step in and save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Fausto Carsara!
After the fight, Fausto Carsara was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.