PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nick Church (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freida Felcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Church comes to the cage accompanied by Wings Of A Butterfly. Felcher has chosen Boom Chak-A-Lak as his entrance music. 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.

Church
vs
Felcher

170 cm
21
155 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

181 cm
24
164 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Church!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Freida Felcher!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Felcher tries to close the distance and clinch but Church swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Felcher keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Church.
Felcher looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Church is fending him off so far but Felcher persists. Nope, Church circles away and we're back to standing.
Felcher slips under a jab.
Church fails to land with a series of punches.
Freida Felcher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Felcher shoots in and drives through. Church sprawls well.
Felcher tries for a takedown but Church sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nick Church has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Freida Felcher.
Felcher tries to score a power double leg takedown but Church sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Felcher somewhat.
Felcher takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Felcher looks for a takedown but Church sprawls well.
Felcher fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Felcher shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Church will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Church tries to sprawl but Felcher drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Church might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Felcher throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Felcher has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Church is trying to stand.

Felcher is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Church sees it coming and defends easily.
Church is trying to stand back up but Felcher is controlling him

Felcher is looking for a kimura here.

Felcher is trying to work for a kimura but Church is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Felcher is pressing down on Church's thigh, looking to free his foot. Church is holding on for now.
Felcher misses with a head shot. Church uses the momentum to regain guard.
Felcher wants to control from the top but Church keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Church wriggles free and stands up.
Church stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Church wants it to stay on the feet.
Church misses with a hook. Felcher ducked under it nicely.
Felcher closes this distance looking for a takedown but Church circles away.
Church throws a jab when Felcher was well out of range.
Felcher tries to close the distance and clinch but Church swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Church throws a low kick but it's checked well by Felcher.
Nick Church is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Church throws a hook but Felcher blocks it.

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.
Church circles away from the clinch attempt.
Felcher looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Church is fending him off so far but Felcher persists. Nope, Church circles away and we're back to standing.
Felcher wants to clinch.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Felcher checks a leg kick.
Church is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Felcher's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Felcher misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Felcher ducks under a wild hook from Church.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Felcher shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Church as he avoids it easily.
Felcher keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Felcher fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Church 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.

Church stalks Felcher and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Felcher's face. Felcher staggers backwards, shaken.

Felcher scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Felcher prevents Church from standing back up.
Felcher throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Felcher throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Felcher not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Church wants to get back to full guard.
Church avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Felcher.

Felcher is trying to work for a kimura but Church is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Felcher wants to control but Church is keeping him busy.
Felcher throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Felcher with the ground and pound but Church uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Felcher trying to control but Church is working from the bottom.
Church working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Felcher.
Felcher controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Felcher thows a big elbow that misses.
Felcher looking to sit in guard and control but Church gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Felcher is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Church decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Felcher, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Felcher tries to clinch up but Church circles away and keeps his distance.
Felcher throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Felcher looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Felcher shoots in for a takedown but Church shows good takedown defense.
Church leaves Felcher with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nick Church has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Freida Felcher.
Church catches Felcher with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Church throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Church throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
A combination from Church does no damage.
Felcher looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Church is fending him off so far but Felcher persists. Nope, Church circles away and we're back to standing.
Felcher looks for a takedown but Church sprawls well.
Felcher tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Felcher fails in his attempt to clinch.
Felcher looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Felcher displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Church throws out the jab.
Church swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Felcher throws a series of punches but Church avoids them all with ease.
Church tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Felcher was well out of range. Poor timing from Church.
Felcher tries to clinch there but Church circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Church dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Felcher shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Church as he jumps to the side.
Church lands with an overhand left.
Felcher misses with a low kick as Church jumps back.
Church scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Church ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Felcher fails with the takedown.
Felcher misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nick Church has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Freida Felcher.
Church lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Church misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Felcher.

Felcher darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Felcher takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Felcher throwing shots but Church is blocking nicely.
Church on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Church tries to get out of the position.
Church avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Felcher.
Felcher thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Felcher prevents Church from improving his position.
Felcher throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Felcher sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Church defending well though.

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.
Church is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Felcher is trying to work for a kimura but Church is defending well.
Church keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Felcher is looking to advance position but Church won't allow it.
Felcher trying to control the action but Church is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Felcher throwing shots but Church is blocking nicely.
Church wants to get back to his feet.
Freida Felcher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Felcher wants to lay and pray for a moment but Church keeps working.
Felcher throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Felcher not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four 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.
Felcher seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Felcher missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nick Church is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Church blocking the ground and pound attempt from Felcher.
Felcher missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Felcher throwing shots but Church is blocking nicely.

Felcher is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Church doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Felcher.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Felcher throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Church showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Church, 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Church!