PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Justin Freeman (ranked 3170 p4p, 3087 weight class) and Aaron Sparrow (ranked 417 p4p, 399 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Freeman
vs
Sparrow

182 cm
25
178
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
25
178
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Justin Freeman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aaron Sparrow!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Alexandre Firmino and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sparrow scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Freeman kicks Sparrow off and gets back to his feet.

Freeman closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sparrow quickly recovers to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Freeman is looking for a kimura here.
Sparrow wants to control but Freeman is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sparrow moves into full guard.
Sparrow really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Freeman. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sparrow looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Freeman wants to control from the top but Sparrow keeps moving.
Sparrow can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Freeman controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparrow looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sparrow looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Sparrow throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Freeman trying to control but Sparrow is working from the bottom.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sparrow displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Freeman.
Sparrow wants to counter with a clinch but Freeman pushes him away.

Sparrow bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Freeman avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Sparrow.

Sparrow decides to stand back up. Sparrow steps back and let's Freeman get back to his feet.

Sparrow gets caught napping as Freeman dives in and scores a takedown. Sparrow manages to retain guard.

Sparrow has his feet on Freeman's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Freeman fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Sparrow.
Sparrow defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Freeman.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Freeman. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Freeman has managed to clinch.
Sparrow pressing his opponent against the cage.
Sparrow is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Freeman is defending well for now.

Freeman jumps guard.
Sparrow trying to control the position from guard on top but Freeman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sparrow must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sparrow stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Freeman swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freeman working a defensive guard here.
Freeman wants to control the position but Sparrow says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Sparrow moves into full mount! Freeman won't be happy about that!
Freeman tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sparrow blocks Freeman's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Freeman squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Sparrow wants to finish this one by submission but Freeman is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Sparrow.

Sparrow stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Sparrow dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sparrow closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Freeman to the mat! Freeman manages to get full guard.

Freeman has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Sparrow has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Sparrow is trying to pull guard but Freeman has him pressed against the cage.
Freeman is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Sparrow fails to pull guard.

Sparrow's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Freeman tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sparrow sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Freeman somewhat.
Sparrow just misses with a punch to the body.
Freeman closes the distance and clinches up with Sparrow, looking for a takedown. Freeman pushes Sparrow against the cage but Sparrow circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Freeman. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sparrow shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Sparrow was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman can't do much from the bottom here.
Freeman stops Sparrow from passing to mount.

Sparrow decides to stand up, so the ref orders Freeman to his feet.

Freeman gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sparrow connects with a couple of short punches.

Sparrow stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sparrow closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Freeman did well to prevent Sparrow getting side control.
Well, if Sparrow is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Freeman is trying to control but can't.
Freeman moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sparrow not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sparrow wants to control from the top but Freeman keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparrow might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Freeman haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Sparrow advances position into side control!
Sparrow is looking to take a break and control but Freeman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sparrow working away.
Freeman is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Freeman manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Freeman thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sparrow's head.
Freeman is looking to stall here but Sparrow recovers full guard.
Sparrow wants to hit a sweep here but Freeman passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Sparrow there!
Sparrow tries to control the position but Freeman now has his back.
Freeman wants to control but Sparrow is keeping busy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Aaron Sparrow will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sparrow slaps away a takedown attempt from Freeman, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Freeman drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sparrow is trying to keep Freeman in close.
Freeman throws a big right hand that misses.
Sparrow is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Freeman is fighting to break Sparrow's control of his arms but Sparrow is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparrow working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Freeman.
Freeman looking to sit in guard and control but Sparrow gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sparrow wants to stand but Freeman is controlling his posture from full guard.
Aaron Sparrow has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sparrow looking to pass the guard.
Freeman doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Freeman is looking to clinch.

Sparrow gets the takedown into side control.
Freeman gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Sparrow is trying to work for a kimura but Freeman is defending well.
Freeman wants to control but Sparrow is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sparrow stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Freeman to get to his feet.

Sparrow drives through and clinches with Freeman against the cage.
Sparrow keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Freeman's efforts to push away.
Freeman misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sparrow throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Freeman blocks it with crossed arms.

Sparrow pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sparrow lands a slapping body shot.

Sparrow looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Freeman!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparrow avoids the strikes from the bottom by Freeman.
Freeman tries to improve position but can't.
Freeman parries the strikes from Sparrow easily there. Sparrow is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Freeman to escape.
Freeman is trying to control Sparrow's posture but Sparrow avoids it.
Sparrow staying calm.
Freeman tries to get back to half guard but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Sparrow comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sparrow has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Sparrow!