PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Graham Mantle (ranked 756 p4p, 2427 weight class) and Frankie Mir (ranked 72 p4p, 213 weight class). Graham Mantle is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Mantle
vs
Mir

169 cm
38
145
31 - 17 - 1

170 cm
30
145
18 - 15 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

NARCOS

Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Graham Mantle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frankie Mir!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mir shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Mir not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mantle wants to get back to his feet.
Mir thows a huge punch but Mantle dodges it nicely.
Mir looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Mir seems to be working for a kimura but Mantle defends the submission attempt.
Mantle wants to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mir is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mir throwing shots but Mantle is blocking nicely.
Mir throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mir missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Mir is looking to stall here but Mantle recovers full guard.
Mantle avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two 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.
Mir wants to control from the top but Mantle keeps moving.
Mir loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mantle wants to stand and escape but Mir is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mir.
Mir shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mantle counters with a single leg into guard. Mir didn't expect that.
Mir is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Mantle blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mir.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantle is looking to escape.
Mir missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Mir stalling away here and it's allowed Mantle to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Mir postures up in Mantle's guard and throws a big left but Mantle blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mir accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mantle keeping full guard, as Mir tries to pass.
Mantle keeping moving, preventing Mir from controlling successfully.
Mir is looking to work some ground and pound but Mantle has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mir in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mir with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mir working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Mir is in close to Mantle's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mir throws a strike but Mantle rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Mir tries to strike from the bottom.
Mantle won't allow Mir to sweep him here.
Mantle wants to stand and escape but instead Mir has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mir not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mir throws a big elbow that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Mir dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mir closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mantle dodges the ground and pound from Mir.
Mir wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mantle keeps working.

Mir goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Mantle rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Mir's guard! Nice work there by Mantle!
Mir wants to hit a sweep here but Mantle passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Mir there!
Mir is desperately trying to improve his position but Mantle has a good base and remains in mount.
Mir has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantle avoids the attempt from Mir to control.
Mir can't escape the position.
Mir tries to hold on but Mantle postures up.
Mir is looking to improve his position but Mantle isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mantle tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mir is trying to escape the mount.
Mir keeps trying to improve his position.
Mantle is looking to stand but Mir has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
We've been hearing that Mantle has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Mir is trying to escape the mount.
Mir flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Mir throwing hammer fists to the chest of Mantle. What's that going to do exactly?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir is trying to escape the mount.
Mir wants to hold on but Mantle pushes him away.
Mir is desperately trying to improve his position but Mantle has a good base and remains in mount.
Mantle wants to stand but Mir is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mir can't escape the position.
Mantle is looking to stand but Mir has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
Mantle prevents Mir from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mantle is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Mir is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Graham Mantle dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Mir dives in and grabs Mantle's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mantle pushes down on Mir's head and hops out.
Mir swinging wildly here.
Mantle changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Mir throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mir looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mantle is fending him off so far but Mir persists. Nope, Mantle circles away and we're back to standing.
Mantle attempts a counter takedown but Mir avoids it well and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mir darts in looking for a takedown but Mantle gets double underhooks and turns Mir into the cage.
Graham Mantle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Mir.
Mantle keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mantle attempts a counter takedown but Mir avoids it well and moves away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Mantle enables Mir to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Mantle manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Frankie Mir has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir throws a big right hand that misses.
Mantle wants to stand but Mir is controlling the position.
Mir trying to control but Mantle is working from the bottom.
Mantle can't keep his opponent in guard - Mir advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Mir stalling away here and it's allowed Mantle to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Mir trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mir keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mantle's head.

That's two 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.
Mir prevents Mantle from getting back to his feet.
Mir working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Mir throws a strike but Mantle rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Mir looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Mir looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Mantle passes into half guard.
It looks like Mantle is going to stand back up.
Mir works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir has a closed guard, preventing Mantle from standing up.
Mir thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Mir looking for a sweep. Not yet Mir, not yet.
Mantle has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mir is proving hard to escape from.
Mantle preventing the sweep.

Mir has an active guard here but Mantle has managed to pass into half guard.
Mir is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mir is looking to control Mantle's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mir avoid being mounted?
Mantle is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

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

Mir fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mantle sprawls well initially but Mir persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Mir working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Mantle's thigh. Mantle counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Mir postures up in Mantle's guard and throws a big left but Mantle blocks it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mantle wants to get back to his feet but Mir is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Frankie Mir.
I think Mir has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!