PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rick Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Bonham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Franklin
vs
Bonham

185 cm
21
201 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

185 cm
23
210 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

Fight 4 America

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of London, Rick Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, John Bonham!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Daniel Bishop and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin shoots in for a takedown but Bonham shows good takedown defense.
Franklin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bonham pinned against the cage. Bonham gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice sprawl there from Bonham as Franklin shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Franklin throws a good cross that connects.
Franklin doesn't manage to clinch there - Bonham circles away.
Franklin shoots for a double leg takedown but Bonham sprawls well. He's pushed Franklin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A combination from Bonham does no damage.
Franklin tries to clinch up but Bonham circles away and keeps his distance.
A swing and a miss from Franklin.
No luck for Franklin with that takedown attempt.
Franklin throws a head kick that misses.

Bonham takes the fight into the clinch.
Franklin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bonham pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Bonham jumps into guard, dragging Franklin to the mat.
Bonham trying to control the position here.

Bonham working for a triangle but Franklin defends it easily.

Franklin postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Bonham is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Franklin, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bonham has gone for a leg lock! Franklin slips out almost immediately though and dives into Bonham's guard.
Franklin trying to control the position from guard on top but Bonham is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bonham is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Bonham is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Franklin has managed to free his arm - good work.

Franklin is defending against the submission attempts here by Bonham.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin gets back to full guard.
Franklin 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.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Bonham gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Franklin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bonham tries to avoid it but Franklin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bonham to the ground. Bonham escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Franklin is breathing heavily.
Nice sprawl there from Bonham as Franklin shoots in.
Franklin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bonham is fending him off so far but Franklin persists. Nope, Bonham circles away and we're back to standing.

Bonham has managed to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bonham drops down looking for an ankle pick but Franklin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Bonham fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bonham fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bonham tries to close the distance and clinch up but Franklin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bonham moves in looking to clinch but Franklin pushes him off.

Bonham looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Bonham is looking for a kimura but Franklin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bonham to get the leverage.
Franklin wants to control but Bonham is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bonham seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Franklin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bonham seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Franklin moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Franklin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bonham is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Franklin is trying to keep Bonham in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bonham shoots in for a double leg but Franklin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Franklin fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Franklin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Franklin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bonham pinned against the cage. Bonham gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Bonham closes the distance and clinches.
Franklin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bonham pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Bonham turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Bonham is looking to take a break and control but Franklin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Bonham thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Bonham tries for a kimura but Franklin is defending well.

Bonham goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Franklin has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Bonham but great work by Franklin.
Bonham on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Franklin landing strikes.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Franklin in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Bonham wants to get back to his feet.
Bonham takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Franklin tries for a kimura but Bonham is defending well.
Franklin tries to advance position but instead Bonham slips a leg back in to half guard.
Franklin is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Bonham looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Bonham is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Franklin pulls his head out easily.
Bonham flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Franklin is looking to take a break and control but Bonham is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bonham wants to improve his position but Franklin is controlling well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bonham closes the distance but Franklin moves to the side
and Franklin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Bonham moves in looking to clinch but Franklin pushes him off.
Bonham keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Bonham moves into the clinch successfully.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bonham tries for a takedown but Franklin manages to get underhooks.
Franklin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bonham unloads a knee to the mid-section. Franklin lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Bonham wants to stall.

Bonham ties up his opponent against the ropes and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Bonham no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Bonham tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Bonham keeping moving, preventing Franklin from controlling successfully.
Bonham manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Bonham trying to control but Franklin is having none of it.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Franklin regains half guard.

Franklin actively working from the bottom here.
Bonham seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Franklin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bonham tries to clinch there but Franklin circles away.
Franklin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bonham circles away.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown but Bonham shows good takedown defense.
Bonham fails to land the takedown.

Bonham clinches.
Bonham can't get the takedown.
Bonham looking to throw knees to the head but Franklin is blocking nicely.
Bonham misses with a knee strike.
Bonham drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Franklin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rick Franklin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Bonham.
Franklin wants a takedown but no success here.
Franklin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Franklin tries for a takedown but Bonham manages to get underhooks.
Franklin wants to stall.
Franklin lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Bonham can't get the takedown.
Bonham fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bonham is pressed up against the ropes. Franklin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bonham down to the mat. Bonham avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Rick Franklin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Franklin fails to land the takedown.

Bonham clinches up against the ropes.
Bonham landing knees to the body.
Bonham drops down looking for an ankle pick but Franklin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Bonham tries to clinch there but Franklin circles away.
Franklin has a takedown stuffed.
Franklin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bonham falls off balance throwing a combination
and Franklin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Bonham tries to clinch up.
Franklin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bonham tries to avoid it but Franklin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bonham to the ground. Bonham escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown but Bonham shows good takedown defense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bonham pushes Franklin up against the ropes in a clinch.
Bonham misses with a knee strike.
Franklin wants a takedown but no success here.
Franklin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bonham is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Franklin tries to score a body lock takedown but Bonham shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Bonham breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Bonham moves into range and clinches up with Franklin.
Franklin stalling in the clinch but Bonham improves position.

Bonham breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Franklin with a lazy takedown attempt

and Bonham decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Franklin's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bonham tries to free his leg and advance position but Franklin is retaining full guard.
Bonham trying to control but Franklin is working from the bottom.
Bonham trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Bonham is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Franklin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bonham is looking to work some ground and pound but Franklin has wrist control.
Franklin tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Franklin takes a knee right on the jaw!
Franklin tries a knee to the head but Bonham blocks it.
Bonham prevents the takedown attempt.
Franklin stops a takedown attempt from Bonham.
Franklin looking for a takedown.
Bonham has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Franklin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

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.
Bonham tries for a takedown but Franklin manages to get underhooks.
Bonham is pressed up against the ropes. Franklin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bonham down to the mat. Bonham avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Franklin shoots in but Bonham avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Bonham moves into range and clinches up with Franklin.
Franklin looking for a takedown.
Bonham wants a takedown.
Franklin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bonham drops down looking for an ankle pick but Franklin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Franklin stuffs the takedown.
A bone on bone clash there as Bonham blocks the leg kick.

Bonham clinches up against the ropes.
Bonham scores with a knee to the head.
Bonham throws a knee to the head but misses.
Franklin has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bonham avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Bonham decides to pull guard.

Bonham looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Franklin trying to control the position from guard on top but Bonham is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bonham throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Franklin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Franklin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bonham keeping moving, preventing Franklin from controlling successfully.
Bonham manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Franklin manages to get himself to full guard.
Bonham thows a big elbow that misses.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bonham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Franklin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bonham throwing strikes but missing.
Bonham preventing the sweep.
Bonham trying to control the position from guard on top but Franklin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Bonham has closed the distance and engaged Franklin in a clinch.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is pressed up against the ropes. Bonham has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Franklin down to the mat. Franklin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Franklin just misses with a punch to the body.
Franklin keeps the fight on the outside.

Bonham scores with a takedown into Franklin's guard.

Franklin looking for a guillotine here but Bonham defends easily.
Bonham wants to control from the top but Franklin keeps moving.
Franklin doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Franklin can't keep his opponent in guard - Bonham advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is trying to get back to full guard.
Franklin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bonham.

Bonham in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Franklin tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Bonham!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 8:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). John Bonham!