PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Freemen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Heith Koch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon Freemen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Freemen
vs
Koch

160 cm
19
136 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

169 cm
23
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brandon Freemen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Heith Koch!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Freemen bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Koch's head backwards.
Freemen tries to clinch but Koch moves out of range.
Freemen tries to clinch but Koch moves out of range.
Koch keeps the fight on the outside.

Freemen takes the fight into the clinch.
Freemen looking for a takedown.
Freemen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A frustrated look appears on Koch's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Koch breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A combination from Freemen does no damage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Freemen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Koch throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Some wild striking there from Koch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freemen tries to clinch but Koch moves out of range.
A punch combination from Koch misses.

Koch instigates a clinch.
Freemen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Koch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Freemen throws a series of punches but Koch avoids them all with ease.
Koch tries a head kick but it misses.
Koch throws a series of punches but Freemen avoids them all with ease.
Freemen avoids the head kick by Koch.
Freemen moves in looking to clinch but Koch pushes him off.
Freemen works over Koch's head and body with a nice combination.

Freemen takes the fight into the clinch.
Koch goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Freemen wants to clinch.
Freemen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Koch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Freemen doesn't manage to clinch there - Koch circles away.
Koch tries to close the distance and clinch but Freemen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Freemen takes the fight into the clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Freemen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Koch misses with an attempted mid kick.
Freemen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Koch as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brandon Freemen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freemen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Freemen shoots in and drives through. Koch sprawls well.
Freemen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Koch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Freemen tries to sprawl but Koch drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Koch wants to control but Freemen is keeping him busy.
Freemen is looking to get back to is feet but Koch passes into side control.

Koch tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Freemen wants to get back to his feet.
Freemen is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freemen takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Freemen taking punishment in the form of punches.
Freemen is trying to buck Koch off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Freemen takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Koch advances nicely into full mount.
Koch breaks from Freemen's wrist control and lands an elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee warns Freemen that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Koch tries to control but Freemen wriggling away.
Koch lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heith Koch dominated that 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.

Koch gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Freemen breaks from the clinch.

Koch has taken the fight to the clinch.
Koch tries a body shot but Freemen blocks it.
Koch tries to break free but Freemen pushes him back against the cage.
Freemen wants to break free but Koch has control.
Freemen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Freemen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Koch drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Koch has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Freemen defending against the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch is chipping away with strikes.
Koch looking to control but instead Freemen has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Koch is controlling the pace.
Heith Koch has got the better of the ground game so far.

Koch is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Freemen still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Freemen has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!

Freemen has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koch scores with a takedown into Freemen's guard.
Koch stopping the sweep attempt from Freemen.

Koch drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Freemen manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Koch has Freemen in his guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Freemen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Koch's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koch keeping moving, preventing Freemen from controlling successfully.
Koch has a closed guard, preventing Freemen from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koch is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Brandon Freemen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Freemen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Freemen is looking to slow Koch down with leg kicks.
Freemen shoots in and drives through. Koch sprawls well.
Freemen tries to clinch but Koch moves away
and Koch counters with a nice uppercut.

Koch gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Koch breaks from the clinch.
Freemen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Koch throws a head kick but Freemen moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koch throws a head kick but Freemen moves out of range.
Koch shoots in but no luck this time.
Freemen doesn't manage to clinch there - Koch circles away.
Freemen tries to clinch up but Koch circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heith Koch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Freemen closes the distance and clinches up with Koch, looking for a takedown. Freemen pushes Koch against the cage but Koch circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Freemen shoots in and drives through. Koch sprawls well.
Freemen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Koch sprawls well. Koch wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Freemen gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brandon Freemen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koch circles away from the clinch attempt.

Koch gets the takedown into side control.
Koch lands a nice forearm strike.
Koch is putting a hurting on Freemen here, landing some big shots from side control.
Koch working the head with strikes.
Koch trying to control the position but Freemen is working away.
Freemen tries to improve position but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Koch lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch scores with a couple of short elbows.
Koch is looking to take a break and control but Freemen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Koch landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Freemen being controlled for a moment.
Koch in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Freemen taking punishment in the form of punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koch in side control, throwing shots but Freemen defends.
Koch lands an elbow.
Freemen dodges the ground and pound from Koch.
Koch sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Freemen is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Freemen parries the strikes from Koch easily there. Koch is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Freemen to escape.
Freemen takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Koch connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Freemen some visible discomfort.
Koch landing strikes.
Koch is chipping away with strikes.
Koch wants to control but Freemen is keeping him busy.
Koch is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Freemen's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koch trying to control the position but Freemen is working away.
Koch fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Freemen is pushing Koch's head away, looking to escape. Koch manages to hold on to the position though.
Koch working the ground and pound.
Koch tries to advance to mount but can't.
Koch working the ground and pound.

Koch is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Freemen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Freemen wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freemen trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Koch is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Freemen's shoulder. That is not cool.

Koch is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Freemen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Koch is working Freemen over with some ground and pound from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heith Koch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Koch 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heith Koch!
In his post fight interview, Heith Koch started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.