PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Connor Freeman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikita Klitschko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Freeman
vs
Klitschko

169 cm
24
140 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

178 cm
24
156 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Connor Freeman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nikita Klitschko!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Klitschko misses the jab.

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

Klitschko manages to break the clinch.
Freeman does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Klitschko throws a right hand that Freeman ducks under and follows up with a left that Freeman also avoids with ease.

Klitschko fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Freeman, pushing him back against the cage.
Klitschko tries to work over Freeman's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Freeman tries for a takedown. No joy.
Freeman drops down looking for an ankle pick but Klitschko pulls his leg out and moves away.
Freeman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Klitschko throws a right and a left that both miss.

Freeman closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Klitschko to the mat! Klitschko manages to get full guard.
Freeman is looking to advance position but Klitschko has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
You get the feeling that Freeman really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Klitschko avoids the attempt from Freeman to control.
Klitschko tries to control but Freeman wriggling away.
Freeman squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Freeman wants to control but Klitschko is having none of it.
Klitschko takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two 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.
Freeman is wriggling around trying to escape.
Freeman trying desperately to get to his feet.
Freeman wants to hold on but Klitschko pushes him away.
Freeman tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Freeman squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
My spies in Miletich Xtreme Fighting Systems inform me that Klitschko has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Klitschko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Freeman is looking to escape.
Freeman is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Klitschko controlling the position easily from mount.

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.
Freeman is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Freeman tries to buck Klitschko off but Klitschko takes his back!
Freeman wants to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Freeman breaks Klitschko's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikita Klitschko 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.

Freeman misses with a low kick.

Klitschko clinches.
Klitschko blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Klitschko breaks from the clinch.
Klitschko is looking to clinch.
Klitschko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Freeman paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Klitschko closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Klitschko wants to clinch up but Freeman keeps it at a distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Freeman turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Freeman manages to end up in side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Freeman remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Freeman tries to move into full mount but can't pass Klitschko's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Klitschko is not content to let Freeman control the position.

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

Freeman drives through and clinches with Klitschko against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Freeman.
Freeman tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A bit of stalling here from Klitschko.
Freeman prevents a body shot from Klitschko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Freeman is trying to maintain a safe position but Klitschko gets an underhook and turns Freeman into the cage.
Klitschko gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Freeman.
Freeman goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Klitschko lands a right hand.
Klitschko looking to throw knees to the head but Freeman is blocking nicely.

Freeman lands a takedown into guard.
Klitschko keeping moving, preventing Freeman from controlling successfully.
Klitschko preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Freeman controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freeman advances to half guard.
Freeman controlling the action here.
Klitschko is trying to stand.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Freeman shoots for a double leg takedown but Klitschko sprawls well. He's pushed Freeman's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Klitschko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Freeman walks into a straight right hand from Klitschko.
Klitschko wants to clinch.
Klitschko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Freeman paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Klitschko tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Freeman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Klitschko wants to clinch up but Freeman keeps it at a distance.

Klitschko gets tackled into the cage by Freeman. Freeman maintains the clinch.
Klitschko is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Freeman is keeping busy.
Freeman has Klitschko pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Klitschko manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Connor Freeman dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Freeman looks to clinch
and Klitschko counters with a good low kick that Freeman was not able to check.
Klitschko tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Freeman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Klitschko tries to close the distance and clinch but Freeman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Klitschko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Freeman misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Klitschko.
Klitschko tries to clinch up.
Nikita Klitschko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Freeman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Freeman swats away the attempt to clinch by Klitschko.
Freeman is looking to clinch.
Klitschko tries to clinch but Freeman is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Klitschko tries to clinch but Freeman moves out of range.
Klitschko tries to close the distance and clinch but Freeman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nikita Klitschko seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Freeman fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Klitschko tries to clinch there but Freeman circles away.
Klitschko tries to clinch but Freeman is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman shoots in for a takedown but Klitschko shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Klitschko tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Freeman.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Connor Freeman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Freeman throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Freeman clinches.
Freeman throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Klitschkos head.
Freeman throws a head punch that misses.
Freeman blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Klitschko tries to land a knee to the head but Freeman blocks with his arms.
Klitschko with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Freeman as Klitschko tries to tie him up.
Freeman struggles to land a body shot inside as Klitschko controls his hands.

Freeman gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Klitschko is trying to keep Freeman in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Freeman trying to control but Klitschko is working from the bottom.
Freeman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Klitschko is keeping the position for now.
Klitschko keeping moving, preventing Freeman from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Freeman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Freeman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freeman stays in close to Klitschko's body and controls the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Klitschko tries to clinch there but Freeman circles away.

Freeman feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Freeman trying to control the position from guard on top but Klitschko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Freeman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Klitschko swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Klitschko keeping moving, preventing Freeman from controlling successfully.
Freeman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Klitschko swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freeman is pushing down on Klitschko's leg trying to pass to half guard. Klitschko is fighting to maintain full guard but Freeman has managed to sneak the leg through.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Klitschko is doing well to control the position and prevent Freeman from advancing to side control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Freeman shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Klitschko napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Klitschko dodges the ground and pound from Freeman.

And that's the end of the fight!
Connor Freeman showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Freeman has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Connor Freeman!
A very excited looking Connor Freeman made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.