PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Franklin (ranked 25659 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Nelson (ranked 9342 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Franklin has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Franklin
vs
Nelson

218 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnny Nelson!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Nelson has Franklin up against the cage in a clinch.
Nelson lands a nice shot to the body.
Nelson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Nelson jumps guard and drags Franklin to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Nelson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Nelson managing to control the position.
Franklin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nelson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Franklin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Franklin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nelson working for a triangle but Franklin defends it easily.

Nelson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Nelson has his foot on Franklin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Franklin works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Franklin throws a big right hand that misses.
Franklin throws a big elbow that misses.

Franklin drops back looking for a leg! Nelson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Nelson manages to kick Franklin off! Franklin jumps back into Nelson's guard.
Franklin throws a big right hand that misses.

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.
Franklin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Nelson is proving hard to escape from.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Nelson clinches with his opponent.

Nelson manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Nelson looking for a guillotine here but Franklin defends easily.
Franklin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Nelson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Franklin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nelson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nelson is looking for a triangle but Franklin pushes his legs off easily.
Nelson has control of Franklin's left arm, preventing Franklin from doing any damage.
Nelson controls Franklin momentarily but Franklin frees himself.

Nelson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Franklin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Franklin is in close to Nelson's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Nelson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nelson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Franklin 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.

Nelson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nelson has control of Franklin's left arm, preventing Franklin from doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nelson lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Nelson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Franklin, pushing him back against the cage.
Nelson creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Franklin's defenses.
Nelson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Franklin's efforts to push away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Nelson 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.

Nelson clinches up with Franklin and pushes him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Franklin's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Franklin decides to pull guard.
Nelson postures up.

Franklin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Nelson stops Franklin from standing up.

Franklin is working an open guard so Nelson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Nelson scores with a takedown into Franklin's guard.
Nelson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Franklin is trying to control the position but Nelson postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franklin working for submissions but it's allowed Nelson to get to half guard.
Nelson moves into full mount! Franklin won't be happy about that!
Franklin is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Franklin's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Franklin tries to hold on but Nelson postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nelson controlling from mount.
Nelson looking to ground and pound but Franklin is blocking nicely.
Nelson controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nelson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Franklin is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Nelson controlling from mount.
Franklin tries to lock up and control but Nelson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Franklin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Nelson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Nelson is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Franklin moves in looking to clinch but Nelson pushes him off.
Nelson throws a counter combo.

Nelson rushes Franklin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franklin takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Michael Franklin has been cut.

Nelson manages to pull guard.
Nelson managing to control the position.
Franklin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Franklin throwing strikes but missing.

Franklin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Franklin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Franklin cracks Nelson with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nelson is looking for a triangle but Franklin pushes his legs off easily.

Nelson working for a triangle but Franklin defends it easily.
Nelson looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Franklin stands up from Nelson's guard - Franklin perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Nelson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Michael Franklin's cut.
That's time! Franklin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Nelson takes the fight into the clinch.

Nelson drags the fight down to the ground.
Franklin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nelson pulls Franklin in close to prevent any damage.
Franklin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Johnny Nelson has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nelson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Nelson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nelson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nelson is striking off his back. Franklin thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franklin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Franklin 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 seems to be looking for submissions.
Franklin throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Nelson to regain full guard.

Nelson pushes Franklin off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Nelson drives through and clinches with Franklin against the cage.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nelson closes the distance and pushes Franklin back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franklin missing with knees to the body.
Franklin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

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

Nelson darts in and clinches Franklin up against the cage.
Nelson managing to block the knees to the body from Franklin.

Nelson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nelson closes the distance and clinches.
Johnny Nelson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Nelson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Nelson decides to pull guard.
Nelson has control of Franklin's left arm, preventing Franklin from doing any damage.
Let's hope that Nelson has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Franklin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nelson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Franklin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Nelson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Nelson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Franklin thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nelson pulls Franklin in close to prevent any damage.

Nelson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Franklin throwing strikes from guard but Nelson blocks nicely.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's four 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.

Franklin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nelson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Franklin has managed to get both his arms back between Nelson's legs - danger averted.
Nelson seems keen to control Franklin's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Nelson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Franklin fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nelson comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nelson lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Franklin takes an elbow to the temple.
Michael Franklin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnny Nelson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nelson taking a breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Nelson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nelson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Nelson!