PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Randall Flagg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Freeman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Randall Flagg could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Matt Freeman's chin.

Flagg
vs
Freeman

185 cm
31
200 lbs
18 - 11 - 0

178 cm
38
195 lbs
24 - 17 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Randall Flagg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Freeman!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Mauricio Rocha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flagg wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Freeman stuns Flagg with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Freeman throws a body shot but no joy.
Freeman fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Freeman tries to clinch but Flagg is having none of it.
Freeman throws a combination that misses
letting Flagg counter with a right hand.
Freeman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Flagg is looking for a counter combo.
Freeman displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Flagg throws out the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Freeman slips under a jab.
Freeman shoots for a takedown but Flagg saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Freeman misses with a two punch combination.
Freeman fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Flagg looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman tries for a takedown but Flagg circles away easily
and Flagg counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Randall Flagg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Freeman.

Flagg closes the distance and pushes Freeman back into the cage.
Flagg goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Freeman manages to break the clinch.
Freeman misses with an uppercut. Flagg saw that one coming.
Flagg throws the left hand but Freeman avoids the punch easily.
Freeman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Freeman shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Flagg as he avoids it easily.

Flagg moves into the clinch successfully.
A bit of stalling here from Freeman.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Flagg gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Freeman wants to pass the guard but Flagg is keeping the position.
We've been hearing good reports from Flagg's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Freeman's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Freeman tries to free his leg and advance position but Flagg is retaining full guard.
Freeman trying to stand up but can't free himself from Flagg's guard.
Freeman trying to control the position from guard on top but Flagg is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Flagg utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freeman slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Flagg scores with a jab to the jaw.
Freeman has a takedown stuffed.

Freeman gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Freeman taking a breather.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Freeman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Flagg fails to land.
Flagg tries to break free but Freeman pushes him back against the cage.

Freeman breaks from the clinch.
Flagg throws a good cross that connects.
Freeman throws a head kick that misses
and Flagg connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Freeman shoots in and drives through. Flagg sprawls well.
Flagg tries to close the distance and clinch but Freeman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Matt Freeman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Freeman gets a clinch.
Flagg lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Freeman jumps guard but Flagg turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Freeman is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Flagg pulls him back up using the underhooks.
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!
Freeman has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Freeman.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Randall Flagg will probably get the nod.
That's time! Flagg's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Freeman goes for a double leg but Flagg avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Flagg continues to drive forward.

Flagg gets caught napping as Freeman dives in and scores a takedown. Flagg manages to retain guard.
Freeman wants to pass the guard but Flagg is keeping the position.
Flagg working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Freeman.
Freeman is looking to stand up but Flagg won't let him.
Freeman tries to free his leg and advance position but Flagg is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Freeman controlling from the top position.
Flagg utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Freeman lands a body shot.

Freeman feints and as Flagg raises his hands in defense, Freeman changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Freeman trying to control but Flagg is working from the bottom.
Freeman throws a big elbow that misses.
Freeman loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Flagg is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flagg keeping moving, preventing Freeman from controlling successfully.
Flagg preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Freeman is looking to stand up but Flagg won't let him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
No luck for Freeman with that takedown attempt.
Freeman misses with a head kick.
Flagg misses with a hook
and Freeman counters with a left and a right that stings Flagg.
Flagg is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Flagg throws a series of punches but Freeman avoids them all with ease.
Freeman raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freeman doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Flagg counters with a straight right hand.
Randall Flagg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Freeman.
Freeman throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Flagg throws a right hand that misses

and Freeman counters with a takedown into side control.
Flagg defending against the ground and pound.
Freeman has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Freeman is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Flagg is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Freeman tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Freeman has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Freeman working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freeman has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Freeman controlling from mount.
My spies in The Warehouse inform me that Freeman has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Freeman is in the full mount, landing strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Freeman misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Freeman trying to control but Flagg is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Freeman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Freeman fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Flagg to the ground. Freeman is now in Flagg's guard.
Freeman trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Flagg manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Freeman is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Flagg wants to stand but Freeman is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Freeman looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Freeman looking for a guillotine here but Flagg defends easily.
Flagg is looking to work some ground and pound but Freeman has wrist control.
Freeman bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Flagg's guard.

Freeman trying to control but Flagg is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Freeman tries to free his leg and advance position but Flagg is retaining full guard.
Freeman sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Freeman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Freeman seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Freeman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Flagg works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freeman sitting in guard here, content to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Flagg working a defensive guard here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Flagg stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Flagg wants it to stay on the feet.
Flagg was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Flagg is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

Flagg gets tackled into the cage by Freeman. Freeman maintains the clinch.
Freeman goes for a takedown attempt but Flagg pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Flagg connects with a single shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Flagg rushes Freeman and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Flagg lands a hook to the side of the head.
Flagg scores with a shot to the side of Freeman's head.
Flagg lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Flagg scores with a nice short uppercut.

Freeman is rocked!
Freeman working hard to break the clinch.
Freeman is still on wobbly legs! Can Flagg finish him?

Freeman manages to break the clinch.
Freeman seems to have recovered his senses.
Randall Flagg is winning the standup battle so far.
Freeman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Flagg paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Freeman looks up at the clock. Bad move! Flagg lands a right hand from hell, dropping Freeman. Flagg pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Randall Flagg!