PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lenny Shultz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocha Freire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Freire comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Fuel - Won't Back Down kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Shultz
vs
Freire

182 cm
25
194 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
26
187 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lenny Shultz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rocha Freire!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Andrew Berry and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shultz has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Shultz blocks a head kick by Freire.
Shultz tries to clinch up but Freire circles away and keeps his distance.
A punch combination from Shultz misses.
Freire will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Freire misses with a few strikes there.
Shultz with a jab.
Freire is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Shultz has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shultz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Freire's efforts to push away.
Freire takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Rocha Freire has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shultz throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Freire is trying to break the clinch but Shultz is controlling him.
Shultz has Freire pressed against the cage, preventing Freire from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Shultz has Freire pressed against the cage, preventing Freire from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Shultz dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Freire wants to break free but Shultz has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freire wants to break free but Shultz has control.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Shultz lands a damaging elbow.
Freire is trying to break the clinch but Shultz is controlling him.
Shultz with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Freire tries to circle away but Shultz has him pinned against the cage.
Shultz lands a shot to the body.
Freire is trying to push Shultz away but Shultz has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Freire tries to circle away but Shultz has him pinned against the cage.
Shultz with a knee to the head.
Shultz unloads a knee to the mid-section. Freire lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Freire looks winded!
Shultz is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Freire tries to circle away but Shultz has him pinned against the cage.
Shultz unloads a knee to the mid-section. Freire lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shultz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Freire's elbow.
Freire wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shultz has him pressed against the cage.
Shultz throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shultz landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shultz content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Shultz digs a right hand underneath Freire's ribcage. Freire let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Shultz creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Freire's defenses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Knees to the body from Shultz.
Shultz effectively controlling the action here.
Shultz lands an elbow inside that Freire shrugs off.
Shultz connects with a knee to the head.
Freire tries to break the clinch but Shultz is controlling the position.
Shultz dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Freire has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Shultz lands an elbow that stopped Freire in his tracks for a moment.
Shultz controlling the action here for a moment.
Knees to the body from Shultz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shultz throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Freires head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Shultz.
Shultz lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Freire wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shultz has him pressed against the cage.
Shultz lands a nice knee to the body.
Shultz is leaning against Freire and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Freire tries to circle away but Shultz has him pinned against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Shultz.
Shultz stalling against the cage.
Shultz landing knees to the head.
Shultz tries to land knees in the clinch but Freire avoids the damage to the body.
Freire has had enough of the clinch but Shultz keeps him there for the moment.
Shultz creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Freire's defenses.
Shultz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Freire.
Shultz is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Freire is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shultz creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Freire blocks an elbow strike.
Shultz with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Freire wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shultz has him pressed against the cage.
Freire managing to block the knees to the body from Shultz.

Freire pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Freire looks to land a right hand but Shultz moved out of range.
Shultz lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Freire throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Shultz moves out of range of the body kick from Freire.
Freire throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Freire misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shultz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Freire pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lenny Shultz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rocha Freire's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Freire scores with a nice right hand.

Shultz has managed to clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Shultz fails to land.
Freire tries to break the clinch but Shultz is controlling the position.
Freire working hard to break the clinch.
Freire wants to get back to striking at distance but Shultz won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Freire's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Freire's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Lenny Shultz has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A frustrated look appears on Freire's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Shultz lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A short right from Shultz.
Shultz is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Freire is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Freire is trying to force a seperation but Shultz has the dominant position.
Freire is trying to force a seperation but Shultz has the dominant position.
Shultz fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Freire wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A knee to the head by Shultz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freire can't break the clinch.
Freire is trying to force a seperation but Shultz has the dominant position.
Freire avoids a wild elbow strike from Shultz.
Shultz has Freire pressed against the cage, preventing Freire from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Shultz is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Shultz with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Shultz leaning his opponent against the cage.
Shultz tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shultz comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Freire breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shultz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Freire.
Shultz throws a series of punches but Freire moves out of range.
Lenny Shultz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Freire's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Freire duly obliges.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shultz blocks a head kick by Freire.
Shultz is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Freire misses with a few strikes there.
Freire is breathing heavily.
Shultz lands a really nice looking cross but Freire seems unphased.
Rocha Freire is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Freire misses with an uppercut. Shultz saw that one coming.
Shultz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Freire throws a counter combo.
Shultz wants to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Freire! But no joy.
Freire lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Freire bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Shultz's head backwards.
Freire uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Shultz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freire misses with a double jab.
Freire misses with a body kick.
Shultz looks to throw the jab but Freire is out of range.
Shultz lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Shultz tries to clinch but Freire is having none of it.
Shultz tries to clinch but Freire moves out of range.
Shultz is looking to clinch.
Freire dodges the punch combination from Shultz.
Shultz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Freire.
As Shultz backs off Freire throws a huge counter combo but Shultz manages to avoid it all.
Freire scores with a one two! Shultz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Shultz lands with an uppercut that bounces Freire off the cage and back into range.
Shultz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Some wild striking there from Freire.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freire lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Freire misses with a two punch combination.
Shultz takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Freire throws a body kick that misses.
A little feinted left hand from Shultz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Shultz clinches up against the cage.
Shultz has Freire pressed against the cage, preventing Freire from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Shultz gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Freire is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Shultz connects with a nasty looking knee right to Freire's face.
Freire takes a knee to the side of the body.
Freire can't break the clinch.
Shultz is stalling here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Lenny Shultz will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rocha Freire's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A punch combination from Freire misses.
Shultz is looking for a counter combo.
Freire throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Shultz smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Freire misses with a body kick.
Freire plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Nice jab there from Shultz.

Shultz drives through and clinches with Freire against the cage.
Freire on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shultz lands an elbow that stopped Freire in his tracks for a moment.
Freire has had enough of the clinch but Shultz keeps him there for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shultz with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Freire is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Shultz scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Freire takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shultz working Freire over with knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Freire is trying to break the clinch but Shultz is controlling him.
Freire wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freire wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shultz has him pressed against the cage.
Knees to the body from Shultz.

Freire escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice cross by Shultz.
Freire lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Shultz doesn't manage to clinch there - Freire circles away.
Freire is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Shultz connects with a nice looking jab.

Shultz clinches.
A short right from Shultz on the inside.
Shultz lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Freire or not.
The referee calls for Shultz to work.
Shultz controlling the action here for a moment.

Freire manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Freire looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Shultz dips to his left and cracks Freire with an uppercut!
Freire throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
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!
Freire looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Shultz misses with the combination.
Despite the aggression on Freire's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Shultz clinches up with Freire and pushes him back against the cage.
Shultz with a knee to the head.

Freire breaks from the clinch.
Shultz on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Shultz catches Freire with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Shultz jabs Freire to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Rocha Freire seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freire throws a nice looking combination but Shultz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Shultz takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Freire takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Freire rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shultz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Shultz looks to score with a jab to the body but Freire is just out of range.
Shultz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Freire avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A jab lands there for Shultz.
Nice uppercut there from Shultz.
Freire throws a combination. Shultz tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Shultz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Freire moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Freire lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freire scores with a push kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A punch combination from Shultz misses.
Shultz looks to throw the jab but Freire is out of range.
Freire throws a right and a left that Shultz avoids nicely.
Freire uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Shultz.
Shultz walks into a straight right hand from Freire.
Rocha Freire has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Freire has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Freire lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Freire works over Shultz's head and body with a nice combination.
Shultz lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Shultz lunges at Freire with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Freire's hand.
Shultz swinging wildly here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lenny Shultz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Shultz, 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lenny Shultz!
The defeated Rocha Freire had this to say: 'I'll train harder to do better next time.'.