PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Colin McLauhglin (ranked 1552 p4p, 179 weight class) and Yohan Francis (ranked 2787 p4p, 262 weight class). McLauhglin comes into the arena with What the hell are you waiting for blaring out of the sound system. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

McLauhglin
vs
Francis

195 cm
34
272 lbs
23 - 15 - 0

196 cm
27
249 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Colin McLauhglin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yohan Francis!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Francis lands a straight punch to the body, keeping McLauhglin at a distance.
A swing and a miss from Francis.
McLauhglin jabbing away but nothing is landing.
It seemed like Francis was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Francis ducks down and throws a hook to the body but McLauhglin moves away.
McLauhglin appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
McLauhglin takes a swing at Francis's ribcage but misses.
Francis takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Francis misses with a straight right.
McLauhglin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Francis sprawls well. Francis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. McLauhglin gets slowly back to his feet.
Francis throws the left hand but McLauhglin avoids the punch easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McLauhglin lands a jab to the head.
Francis misses the shot to the body.
McLauhglin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Francis sees it coming and avoids it easily.
McLauhglin loads up on a big right hand but Francis slips the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis takes a swing at McLauhglin's ribcage but misses.
Francis connects with a body shot that sends McLauhglin's belly button to the back.
Francis steps to the side to avoid the strikes from McLauhglin.
Francis is clearly trying to counter these attacks from McLauhglin with a body shot.
Francis throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
McLauhglin misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Francis connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
McLauhglin tries to close the distance and clinch but Francis swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Francis looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Francis throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Yohan Francis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Francis misses with a lunging right hand
and McLauhglin counters with a stiff right hand.
Francis tests McLauhglin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Francis takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Francis swings for the body but McLauhglin moves out of range.
Francis moves out of range of the leg kick from McLauhglin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Francis misses with a few strikes there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Francis fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. McLauhglin looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Francis throws a right hand that misses

and McLauhglin counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Francis wants to improve his position but McLauhglin is controlling well.
Francis moves into full guard.
McLauhglin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Francis looking for a sweep. Not yet Francis, not yet.
McLauhglin postures up.
Francis looking to hit a scissor sweep but McLauhglin is one step ahead there.
Francis is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yohan Francis dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

McLauhglin is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Francis.
Francis misses with an uppercut.
Francis closes the distance but McLauhglin moves to the side
and McLauhglin counters with a low kick, right behind Francis 's knee.
Francis fails in his attempt to clinch.
McLauhglin throws a right hand that Francis ducks under and follows up with a left that Francis also avoids with ease.
Francis scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Francis swings for the body but McLauhglin moves out of range.
McLauhglin attempts a counter takedown but Francis avoids it well and moves away.
Francis waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract McLauhglin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McLauhglin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Francis.
McLauhglin throws a sloppy head kick
and Francis counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Francis takes a swing at McLauhglin's ribcage but misses.
Francis wants to clinch up but McLauhglin keeps it at a distance.
Francis is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down McLauhglin rather than just go for the knockout.

Francis gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Francis blocks a body shot from McLauhglin.
McLauhglin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
McLauhglin misses with a punch on the inside.
McLauhglin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Francis working some nice short punches in the clinch.
McLauhglin struggles to land a body shot inside as Francis controls his hands.
Francis can't find room to land a body shot as McLauhglin controls the action.
McLauhglin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Francis's elbow.
McLauhglin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Francis misses with a body punch.
Francis blocks a punch to the side of the head.
McLauhglin has a couple of punches blocked by Francis.
Francis digs a right hand into McLauhglin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on McLauhglin's gas tank.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McLauhglin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Francis lands a shot to the body.
Francis blocks a body shot from McLauhglin.
Francis tries a body shot but McLauhglin blocks it.
Francis lands a body punch.
McLauhglin prevents a body shot from Francis.
A shot in the inside from Francis.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McLauhglin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Francis.
Francis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Good body shot from Francis.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Francis lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of McLauhglin backwards.
A right hand to the body from Francis.
Francis blocks a body shot from McLauhglin.
McLauhglin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Francis struggles to land a body shot inside as McLauhglin controls his hands.
McLauhglin tries a body shot but Francis blocks it.
A body shot lands from Francis.
Francis lands a right hand.
Francis makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Francis lands a left hand.
Francis lands an uppercut.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Francis lands a nice shot to the body.
Francis lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of McLauhglin backwards.
Good body shot from Francis.
Francis lands a hook that snaps the head of McLauhglin backwards.
Francis goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Francis lands an uppercut.
McLauhglin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yohan Francis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Francis lands a nice shot to the body.
Colin McLauhglin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yohan Francis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Francis bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of McLauhglin's head.
A jab from Francis does it's job there.
A shot to the liver by Francis. Beautiful body shot.
Francis stuns McLauhglin with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Francis paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Francis connects with a crisp jab.
Francis connects with a single shot there.
Yohan Francis seems to be getting the better of the standup.
McLauhglin misses with a lunging right hand
and Francis counters with a stiff right hand.
Francis connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed McLauhglin momentarily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Francis blocks a jab.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Francis closes the distance and clinches.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Francis. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
McLauhglin working aggressively here.
Francis has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. McLauhglin seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Francis can turn it around.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis working aggressively here.
McLauhglin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
McLauhglin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Francis blocks a body shot from McLauhglin.
McLauhglin tries to pull guard but Francis holds him up against the ropes and eventually McLauhglin drops back down to his feet.
Francis has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
McLauhglin swings wildly with an uppercut but Francis uses good head movement to avoid it.
Francis can't find room to land a body shot as McLauhglin controls the action.
McLauhglin misses with an elbow over the top.
McLauhglin lands a hook that snaps the head of Francis backwards.
A short uppercut from Francis.
McLauhglin looking to throw knees to the head but Francis is blocking nicely.
With the fighters up against the ropes, McLauhglin throws an elbow but misses.
Francis tries to throw a body punch but McLauhglin avoids it by throwing Francis back against the ropes.
McLauhglin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Francis has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
McLauhglin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Francis.
Francis lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Francis lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Francis lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short uppercut from Francis.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Francis presses McLauhglin against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Francis struggles to land a body shot inside as McLauhglin controls his hands.
McLauhglin struggles to land a body shot inside as Francis controls his hands.
McLauhglin takes a shot to the head.
Francis lands a body shot in the clinch.
Yohan Francis seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A right hand to the body from Francis.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Francis.
Francis tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McLauhglin's elbow.
Francis tries to work over McLauhglin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
McLauhglin lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Francis.
Francis lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch on the inside from McLauhglin fails to land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yohan Francis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Francis 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Yohan Francis!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Yohan Francis!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Yohan Francis!

Yohan Francis wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath Yohan Francis thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.