PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bob Franker (ranked 5607 p4p, 5735 weight class) and Nauru Mahato (ranked 585 p4p, 591 weight class). Nauru Mahato has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Franker
vs
Mahato

185 cm
26
180
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
180
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bob Franker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nauru Mahato!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Chris Dean and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circle momentarily. Mahato darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Mahato swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Franker counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Franker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nauru Mahato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Franker tries to clinch but Mahato moves out of range.
Franker is looking to clinch.
Mahato connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Franker momentarily.
Mahato lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Franker forces Mahato back against the cage and clinches.
Mahato is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Franker avoids a wild elbow strike from Mahato.

Mahato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mahato lands with a nice combination. Franker backs away looking to recover.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mahato shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mahato throws a combination that misses
and Franker counters with a right hand to the body.
Mahato misses with a combination
and Franker counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mahato thinking.

Franker fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mahato, pushing him back against the cage.
Franker avoids a wild elbow strike from Mahato.
Mahato content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Mahato manages to break the clinch.
Mahato looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Mahato throws a combination. Franker tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mahato.
Mahato looks winded!

Franker clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franker works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Franker pushes Mahato back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mahato has a couple of punches blocked by Franker.
Mahato is trying to push Franker away but Franker has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
I was talking to Franker's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Mahato pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
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!
Mahato misses with the head strike.
Mahato tries to break free but Franker pushes him back against the cage.
Mahato is trying to push Franker away but Franker has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Franker prevents Mahato from breaking the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Mahato's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahato has had enough of the clinch but Franker keeps him there for the moment.
Franker tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mahato can't break the clinch.
Franker lands with a short shot to the head.
Mahato can't break the clinch.
Mahato has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mahato misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mahato is trying to break free.

Mahato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Franker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Franker was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

Mahato fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Franker, pushing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahato is trying to break free.
Nice elbow from Franker.
Franker lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Franker lands a shoulder strike.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A short left from Franker.
Franker lands a nice uppercut.
Mahato tries to circle away but Franker has him pinned against the cage.
Mahato tries to break the clinch but Franker is controlling the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bob Franker will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Franker tries to clinch up but Mahato circles away and keeps his distance.
Mahato shoots in but no luck this time.
Mahato shoots in for a double leg but Franker sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mahato fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bob Franker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nauru Mahato.

Franker has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mahato jumps guard but Franker stands there with Mahato around his waist. Mahato gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mahato trying to stall but Franker improves his position.
Mahato is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franker lands with a short shot to the head.
Mahato is trying to break the clinch but Franker is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franker is working Mahato over against the cage.

Mahato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Mahato has managed to clinch.
Franker keeps control of Mahato as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mahato is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Mahato is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mahato can't break the clinch.

Mahato manages to break the clinch.
Mahato fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mahato fails to land with a series of punches.
Franker seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Franker clinches up with Mahato and pushes him back against the cage.
Franker lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Mahato tries to work over Franker's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short right from Franker on the inside.
Mahato is looking to control Franker's arms but Franker gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mahato has his back to the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Franker.
Franker lands a right hand.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mahato is trying to break free.
Franker throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mahatos head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Franker lands a damaging elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahato can't break the clinch.
Mahato tries to break the clinch but Franker is controlling the position.
Mahato wants to break free but Franker has control.
Mahato blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Mahato is trying to force a seperation but Franker has the dominant position.
Mahato wants to break free but Franker has control.
Good body shot from Franker.
Franker is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mahato can do to turn this around?
A nice right hand lands inside from Franker.
Mahato creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mahato is trying to force a seperation but Franker has 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.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Franker swings wildly with an uppercut but Mahato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mahato looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Franker working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Mahato is trying to break free.
Mahato is looking to control Franker's arms but Franker gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mahato has his back to the cage.
Mahato wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mahato.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Franker.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Franker dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Franker tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mahato swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mahato tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Franker manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mahato throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Franker was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Mahato throws a hook but Franker blocks it.
Bob Franker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mahato misses with a double jab.
A quick step to the side and Franker tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

Franker moves into the clinch.

Mahato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mahato looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Franker appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Mahato misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mahato gets tackled into the cage by Franker. Franker maintains the clinch.
Mahato wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Franker lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Mahato jumps guard but Franker turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Mahato takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franker pushes Mahato back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Franker fails to land.
Mahato is trying to push Franker away but Franker has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Bob Franker has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Franker.
Mahato wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mahato has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mahato is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mahato has had enough of the clinch but Franker keeps him there for the moment.
Mahato blocks an uppercut.
Franker swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franker misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mahato can't break the clinch.
Franker lands with a left to the head.
Mahato misses with a knee to the head.
Mahato is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Franker misses with some punches.
Mahato tries to break free but Franker pushes him back against the cage.
Mahato wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mahato has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mahato blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franker scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Mahato looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Franker swings wildly with an uppercut but Mahato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Franker lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Franker lands a hook that snaps the head of Mahato backwards.
Mahato leaning against his opponent.
Franker has Mahato pressed against the cage, preventing Mahato from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Mahato is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Franker is keeping busy.
Mahato is trying to push Franker away but Franker has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franker lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A shot in the inside from Franker.
Franker misses with some punches.
Mahato is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mahato wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mahato tries to pull guard but Franker won't allow it.

Mahato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mahato goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Franker was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Mahato fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nauru Mahato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bob Franker is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mahato swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Franker showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Franker, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Franker!