PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jake Ellenberger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ellenberger
vs
Franco

180 cm
24
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
23
177 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jake Ellenberger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eddie Franco!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ellenberger gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Franco to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Franco wants to pass the guard but Ellenberger is keeping the position.
Ellenberger wants to stand and escape but Franco is having none of it.
Ellenberger throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Franco stands up over Ellenberger, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ellenberger looking for a sweep. Not yet Ellenberger, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franco scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Franco is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Franco postures up in Ellenberger's guard and throws a big left but Ellenberger blocks it.
Franco won't allow Ellenberger to sweep him here.
Ellenberger throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Franco in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ellenberger preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ellenberger preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Franco pushes down on Ellenberger's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Ellenberger actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco prevents Ellenberger from improving his position.
Franco thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ellenberger's head.
Ellenberger on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Franco has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
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. Franco connects with a nice short shot to Ellenberger's temple.
Franco lands with a punch from half guard.
Ellenberger knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Franco on the ground.
Franco thows a huge punch but Ellenberger dodges it nicely.
Franco is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Ellenberger is trying desperately to improve position.
Franco lands a nice shot to the head.
Franco connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Franco lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Franco looking to finish Ellenberger with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ellenberger!
Ellenberger is looking to get to half guard.
Ellenberger is breathing heavily.
Franco scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ellenberger?
Franco working the ground and pound effectively.
Franco putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Franco in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Franco landing strikes from the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Franco landing strikes, looking to finish!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Franco pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Franco landing strikes from the mount and Ellenberger is in trouble!
Franco is landing with some decent strikes but Ellenberger is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Franco avoids the attempt from Ellenberger to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franco unloading with bombs!
Franco connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ellenberger on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Ellenberger tries to get out of the position.
Franco is landing with some decent strikes but Ellenberger is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Franco looking to finish Ellenberger with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ellenberger!
Ellenberger tries to hold on but Franco postures up.
Franco cracks Ellenberger with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Franco unloading with bombs!
Franco connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ellenberger wants to hold on but Franco pushes him away.
Ellenberger is trying desperately to improve position.
Ellenberger wants to control but Franco is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franco lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Franco lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Ellenberger is in all sorts of trouble here.
Franco with a couple of short strikes.
Franco dominating with strikes here.
Franco is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Ellenberger can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Franco pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Ellenberger is rocked!
Franco landing punches.
Oh Ellenberger is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Franco lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Franco punishing his opponent with strikes.
Franco raining down hammerfists from mount.
Ellenberger takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Franco dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Franco shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ellenberger but Ellenberger pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ellenberger seems to have got his legs back now.
Ellenberger has his takedown stuffed

and Franco counters with a takedown into side control.
Franco lands a nice forearm strike.
Franco works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Franco looks up at the clock and then as Ellenberger takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Franco smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Ellenberger is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Franco lands some shots froms side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Franco in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Franco working away.
Ellenberger takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellenberger can't do much from the bottom here.
Franco lands an elbow.
Franco in side control lands a decent elbow.
Ellenberger taking a bit of punishment here - Franco scoring with strikes.
Franco lands an elbow.
Ellenberger gets back to half guard.
Franco lands with a punch from half guard.
Franco wants to free his trapped foot but Ellenberger is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ellenberger trying to control but Franco postures up.
Ellenberger is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ellenberger blocking the ground and pound attempt from Franco.
Ellenberger on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Franco looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ellenberger with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
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. Franco connects with a nice short shot to Ellenberger's temple.
Franco sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ellenberger defending well though.
Franco thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ellenberger's head.
Ellenberger is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Franco's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Franco's back!
Franco is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ellenberger is controlling the position but Franco somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Franco is trying to control but can't.
Ellenberger trying to pass the guard but Franco defending well.
Ellenberger is just content to waste time from the top position. Franco takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Ellenberger throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ellenberger wants to control from the top but Franco keeps moving.
Franco wants to stand and escape but Ellenberger is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Franco showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Ellenberger tries for a takedown but Franco circles away easily

and Franco counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ellenberger's guard now.
Ellenberger is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Franco throwing strikes but missing.
Franco throwing strikes but missing.
Franco slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
You can see the frustration on Ellenberger's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ellenberger tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Franco is working Ellenberger over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellenberger is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Franco scoring with punches from side control.
Ellenberger tries to improve position but can't.
Ellenberger prevents Franco from moving into mount.
Franco lands some shots froms side control.
Franco is putting a hurting on Ellenberger here, landing some big shots from side control.
Franco has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Franco lands a few punches from side control.
Ellenberger takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Ellenberger manages to get back to half 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. Franco connects with a nice short shot to Ellenberger's temple.
Franco throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Franco lands strikes from half guard.
Eddie Franco has got the better of the ground game so far.

Ellenberger is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Franco pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Franco scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Franco is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Franco throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Ellenberger is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Franco pulls his head out easily.
Ellenberger trying to hold on to Franco's head to control him but Franco postures up.
Franco lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ellenberger on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ellenberger looking for submissions off his back.
Franco landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Franco landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Franco drops an elbow to the side of Ellenberger's head.
Franco throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ellenberger is pressing down on Franco's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ellenberger is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Franco distracts Ellenberger with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ellenberger has momentary wrist control but Franco slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ellenberger looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Franco with a nice head shot there.
Franco pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ellenberger is keeping the position for now.
Franco postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Ellenberger preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ellenberger utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Eddie Franco is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ellenberger keeping moving, preventing Franco from controlling successfully.
Franco is stalling in the full guard.
Jake Ellenberger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Franco wants to control from the top but Ellenberger keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eddie Franco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Franco winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 26:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eddie Franco!