PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Van Franklin (ranked 4174 p4p, 24989 weight class) and Steve Ryker (ranked 481 p4p, 588 weight class). Ryker has chosen Killing in the Name of- Rage Against The Machine as his entrance music. Steve Ryker has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Van Franklin's chin.

Franklin
vs
Ryker

167 cm
25
205
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
19
215
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

Uncle Rufus Clothing .Co

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Van Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Ryker!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Franklin.

Franklin closes the distance and clinches.
Franklin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ryker gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Franklin has Ryker pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ryker manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Van Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Franklin tries to land a knee to the head but Ryker blocks with his arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin tries to pull guard but Ryker forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Franklin managing to block the knees to the body from Ryker.
Franklin stalling.
Franklin is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ryker to keep the fight standing.
Franklin prevents Ryker from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee calls for Franklin to work.
Ryker stops a takedown attempt from Franklin.
Ryker is trying to push Franklin away but Franklin has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Franklin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Franklin shoots for a double leg takedown but Ryker sprawls well. He's pushed Franklin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
As Franklin backs off Ryker throws a huge counter combo but Franklin manages to avoid it all.
Ryker showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Franklin.
Ryker throws a counter combo.
Franklin shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ryker defends it nicely.
Ryker wants to clinch up but Franklin keeps it at a distance.
Franklin misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ryker tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Franklin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Franklin clinches up against the cage.
Franklin utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Franklin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ryker gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Franklin looking for a takedown.
Franklin jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ryker walks away with a smile on his face. Franklin gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Franklin keeps the fight on the outside.
Franklin looks for a takedown but Ryker sprawls well.
Ryker is looking to clinch.
Van Franklin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Franklin is defended easily by Ryker.
Steve Ryker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ryker tries to clinch up but Franklin circles away and keeps his distance.
Franklin appears to be looking for a big counter.
Franklin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ryker sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Franklin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ryker pinned against the cage. Ryker gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ryker.

Franklin takes the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Franklin manages to pull guard.
Ryker wants to control from the top but Franklin keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franklin is trying to keep Ryker in close.
Franklin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Franklin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ryker is aware though and is defending well.

Franklin looking for a guillotine here but Ryker defends easily.
Ryker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Ryker trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.

Franklin had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ryker defends it easily.
We've been informed that Ryker has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Franklin is trying to control the position but Ryker postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Franklin fails with a takedown attempt.
As Franklin backs off Ryker throws a huge counter combo but Franklin manages to avoid it all.
Ryker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ryker misses with a head kick.
Ryker avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Franklin is looking to clinch.
Ryker checks the leg kick nicely there.
Franklin throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Franklin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ryker circles away.
Ryker feints the counter takedown.
Franklin misses with a head kick.
Ryker misses with a few strikes there.

Ryker clinches with his opponent.
Franklin tries to land knees in the clinch but Ryker avoids the damage to the body.
Ryker wants to break the clinch but can't.
Franklin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ryker gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Franklin'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.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Franklin lands a right hand.
Ryker blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ryker wants to break free but Franklin has control.
Franklin jumps guard but Ryker turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Ryker looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Franklin tries to pull guard but Ryker won't allow it.

Franklin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Franklin gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Franklin will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ryker up against the cage.
Ryker dodges an elbow strike from Franklin.
Ryker looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Franklin has Ryker pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ryker manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Franklin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Franklin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Ryker. No joy for Franklin on that attempt.

Franklin gets a clinch.
Franklin is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Ryker is trying to break the clinch but Franklin has him pressed against the cage.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Franklin will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ryker up against the cage.
Franklin is trying to drag Ryker to the mat but Ryker just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Franklin manages to break the clinch.
Franklin shoots for a double leg takedown but Ryker sprawls well. He's pushed Franklin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Franklin shoots in and drives through. Ryker sprawls well.
Franklin is breathing heavily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ryker fails in his attempt to clinch.
Franklin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ryker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
As Franklin backs off Ryker throws a huge counter combo but Franklin manages to avoid it all.
Ryker wants to clinch up but Franklin keeps it at a distance.
Franklin is looking to counter the offense by Ryker and move into the clinch.
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 Van Franklin will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Franklin tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ryker defends well and Franklin ends up having to push Ryker into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Franklin changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ryker fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ryker leaves Franklin with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Van Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ryker tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franklin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Franklin doesn't manage to clinch there - Ryker circles away.
Franklin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ryker counters with a straight right hand.
Franklin darts in looking for a takedown but Ryker gets double underhooks and turns Franklin into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franklin is looking for a takedown.
Franklin goes for a takedown attempt but Ryker pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ryker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ryker listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Franklin shoots for a takedown but Ryker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ryker throws a head kick but Franklin moves out of range.
Franklin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ryker connects with a right that clearly hurt Franklin. He's backed up against the cage with nowhere to go as Ryker proceeds to tee off with vicious combinations till Franklin collapses and taps out under the pressure!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Steve Ryker!
After the fight, Steve Ryker 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.