PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Freeman Kennedy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Kennedy
vs
Nurmagomedov

210 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

177 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250
FJCP Healthy Nutrition

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Freeman Kennedy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Khabib Nurmagomedov!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nurmagomedov shoots in and bounces Kennedy off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nurmagomedov looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Nurmagomedov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kennedy works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nurmagomedov is fighting to break Kennedy's control of his arms but Kennedy is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Kennedy has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Kennedy is looking for a triangle but Nurmagomedov pushes his legs off easily.
Kennedy has momentary wrist control but Nurmagomedov slips an elbow through the middle.

Nurmagomedov has gone for a leg lock! Kennedy slips out almost immediately though and dives into Nurmagomedov's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kennedy wants to stand but Nurmagomedov is controlling his posture from full guard.
Nurmagomedov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kennedy lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nurmagomedov has his foot on Kennedy's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kennedy works his way back into a safe position though.

Nurmagomedov escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kennedy gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kennedy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Kennedy got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nurmagomedov has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kennedy has managed to get both his arms back between Nurmagomedov's legs - danger averted.

Kennedy stands and steps away. Nurmagomedov gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Nurmagomedov has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

Kennedy pushes Nurmagomedov up against the cage in a clinch.
Kennedy missing with knees to the body.

Kennedy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Kennedy drives through and clinches with Nurmagomedov against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy scores with a shot to the side of Nurmagomedov's head.
Kennedy trying to land knees to the body.
Kennedy is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nurmagomedov pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Kennedy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nurmagomedov dodges an elbow strike from Kennedy.
Kennedy scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Nurmagomedov avoids the elbow strike from Kennedy, against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nurmagomedov.

Kennedy turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nurmagomedov struggling a bit here.
Nurmagomedov tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kennedy really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kennedy in side control lands a decent elbow.
Nurmagomedov tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Kennedy is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Nurmagomedov can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Kennedy with good strikes from the mount here!
Kennedy has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Nurmagomedov's face.
Kennedy has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Nurmagomedov's face.
Nurmagomedov wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov can't escape the position.
Kennedy softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Kennedy is punishing Nurmagomedov with some ground and pound.
Nurmagomedov is really stuck here.

Kennedy working for a choke but Nurmagomedov is defending well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kennedy is hanging on to Nurmagomedov's back as he tries to escape.

Nurmagomedov tries to escape but he's let his defenses down in doing so and Kennedy has slipped in the rear naked choke! Oh, that's tiiiiiiiiight! Nurmagomedov is tapping! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Freeman Kennedy!