PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joaquin Whitney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Franklin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that David Franklin was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Whitney
vs
Franklin

204 cm
19
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joaquin Whitney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, David Franklin!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Chad Campbell and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin tries to clinch but Whitney moves out of range.
Whitney goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Whitney really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Franklin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Whitney moves into full guard.
Whitney throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Whitney is on top in guard.

Franklin looks winded!
Whitney wants to stand but Franklin has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Whitney controls from within his opponent's guard.

Franklin working for a triangle but Whitney defends it easily.
Whitney postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Whitney won't allow Franklin to sweep him here.
Whitney missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Whitney controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Franklin looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Whitney in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitney can't get the takedown.
Franklin trying to stall but Whitney improves his position.
Whitney misses with an elbow strike.
Whitney misses with some punches.
Whitney scores with a nice hook to the head.
Franklin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Franklin avoids the elbow strike from Whitney, against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Franklin.
Franklin prevents a takedown attempt there.
Whitney is trying to pull guard but Franklin has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joaquin Whitney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Whitney misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Whitney fails to land.
Franklin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Whitney is stalling here.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Whitney throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Whitney misses with some punches.
Franklin changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Whitney fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Whitney tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Franklin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Franklin.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Franklin checks a leg kick.
David Franklin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Whitney misses with a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Franklin shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Whitney defends it nicely.
Whitney lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Whitney tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters circling a little - Whitney finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Franklin tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Franklin wants to clinch
and Whitney counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Franklin is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Franklin is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Nice takedown defense from Whitney. No joy for Franklin on that attempt.
Franklin blocks the body kick.
Whitney misses with a low kick.
Whitney throws a nice head kick!
Franklin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Whitney lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Franklin throws a right and a left that Whitney avoids nicely.
Whitney stalks Franklin and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Franklin's face. Franklin staggers backwards, shaken.
Franklin doesn't manage to clinch there - Whitney circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitney explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Joaquin Whitney is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Whitney has managed to clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Whitney tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Franklin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Franklin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Franklin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Whitney is defending well for now.
Franklin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Whitney fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Franklin is trying to break the clinch but Whitney is controlling him.
Whitney throws a head punch that misses.
Whitney throws a punch but it's blocked by Franklin.
Franklin trying to stall but Whitney improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin is trying to force a seperation but Whitney has the dominant position.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Whitney.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Whitney throws a head punch that misses.
Franklin fails to pull guard.
Joaquin Whitney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Franklin.
Whitney fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Franklin blocks the elbow strike.
Whitney dodges an elbow strike from Franklin.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Whitney.

Whitney pulls Franklin into guard.
Franklin stopping the sweep attempt from Whitney.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Franklin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Whitney swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Whitney looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Whitney tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Franklin is looking to work some ground and pound but Whitney has wrist control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Franklin trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitney is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Whitney is pulling down on Franklin's head to control his posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquin Whitney dominated that second 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Whitney throws a front kick that sends Franklin stumbling back into the cage.
Joaquin Whitney is winning the standup battle so far.
Franklin shoots in for a takedown but Whitney shows good takedown defense.

Franklin tries to keep at a distance but Whitney has taken the fight into the clinch.
Franklin jumps guard but Whitney turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Whitney is trying to drag Franklin to the mat but Franklin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Franklin blocking some punches.
Franklin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitney is working for takedown but Franklin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Whitney is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Franklin is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Whitney.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joaquin Whitney. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Whitney gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Franklin uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Franklin dives in for a single leg takedown but Whitney sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Whitney fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Franklin has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Franklin takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Whitney tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Franklin paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitney tries a head kick but it misses.
Franklin thinks about the counter body kick.
Franklin keeps the fight on the outside.
Whitney connects with a high kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Franklin tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Whitney defends well and Franklin ends up having to push Whitney into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Whitney tries to land a front kick but Franklin steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Whitney is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Franklin can do to turn this around?
A thudding body kick lands there by Whitney!
Joaquin Whitney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Whitney scores with a kick to the body.
Whitney lands a high kick!

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitney stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Whitney has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Franklin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Whitney wants a takedown but no success here.

Whitney gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Franklin regains guard.

Franklin manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Whitney throws a head punch that misses.
Franklin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Whitney throws a punch but it's blocked by Franklin.
Whitney swings wildly with an uppercut but Franklin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Joaquin Whitney has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Franklin jumps guard.
Whitney lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Whitney with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Whitney scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Franklin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Franklin is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Whitney presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Whitney using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Franklin has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Whitney.
Whitney has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Franklin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
David Franklin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joaquin Whitney is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Whitney lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Franklin.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joaquin Whitney showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Whitney, 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joaquin Whitney!