PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between James Lovely (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bricen Freemen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Lovely
vs
Freemen

150 cm
20
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Lovely!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bricen Freemen!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, David Schapiro and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Freemen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lovely tries to avoid it but Freemen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lovely to the ground. Lovely escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lovely tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Freemen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lovely lands a two punch combo.
Lovely shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Freemen sprawls well. Freemen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lovely gets slowly back to his feet.
Lovely fails with a takedown attempt.
Freemen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Lovely lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Freemen clinches up with Lovely and pushes him back against the cage.

Lovely breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Freemen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lovely is trying to control Freemen's posture but Freemen avoids it.
Lovely tries to buck Freemen off but Freemen is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freemen misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Freemen has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Freemen tries to clinch there but Lovely circles away.
Lovely will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Lovely. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Freemen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Lovely quickly recovers to half guard.
Freemen is thwarting Lovely's attempts to control the position.
Lovely is looking to escape.
Freemen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lovely blocking the ground and pound attempt from Freemen.
Lovely is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lovely tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Lovely wants to control but Freemen is keeping busy.
Freemen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Freemen works his foot free and advances to mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lovely wants to hold on but Freemen pushes him away.
Freemen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Lovely?
Lovely tries to reverse the position but Freemen maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freemen dominating with strikes here.
Freemen with the ground and pound from mount.
Lovely tries to lock up and control but Freemen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lovely is wriggling around trying to escape.

Freemen working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Freemen swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Lovely is now in Freemen's guard. A big mistake from Freemen there, giving up the dominant position!
Freemen trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freemen trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Lovely throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Freemen controls Lovely momentarily but Lovely frees himself.
Lovely trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lovely is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bricen Freemen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Freemen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Freemen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lovely is keeping the position for now.
Lovely is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lovely bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Freemen's guard.
Lovely trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Freemen keeping moving, preventing Lovely from controlling successfully.
Freemen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Lovely!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lovely working to try and regain half guard.
Freemen putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Lovely is in a horrible position here. Freemen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Lovely really is a fat lump.
Freemen is stalling here but it's allowed Lovely to get half guard.
Freemen is breathing heavily.
Freemen prevents Lovely from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lovely manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Lovely holds on and takes a little breather.
Freemen trying to control the position from guard on top but Lovely is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lovely trying to keep a closed guard but Freemen is proving a slippery customer.
Freemen looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lovely is trying to keep Freemen in close.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Lovely seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of James Lovely.
Lovely misses with a head kick.
Lovely shoots for a double leg takedown but Freemen sprawls well. He's pushed Lovely's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lovely shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Freemen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freemen is looking to take a break and control but Lovely is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lovely wants to get back to full guard.
Freemen trying to mount his opponent but Lovely defends it.
Freemen is keen to just control but Lovely is a slippery customer.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Bricen Freemen.
Nice sprawl there from Freemen as Lovely shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Lovely. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A punch combination from Lovely misses.
Freemen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bricen Freemen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Freemen throws a jab but it's blocked by Lovely.

Freemen tries to keep at a distance but Lovely has taken the fight into the clinch.

Lovely ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lovely no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Lovely is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Freemen throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lovely keeping moving, preventing Freemen from controlling successfully.
Freemen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lovely's guard.
Lovely has Freemen pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lovely looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Freemen is fending him off so far but Lovely persists. Nope, Freemen circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lovely will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lovely fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Lovely. That's going to take a lot out of him.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Lovely enables Freemen to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Lovely manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Freemen stands up and waves to Lovely to follow him.
Lovely throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Freemen counters with a nice uppercut.
Freemen circles away from the clinch attempt.

Freemen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Freemen wants to control but Lovely is keeping him busy.
Lovely takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Lovely is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Freemen's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lovely is positioning himself well to prevent Freemen advancing to mount.
Freemen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lovely defending well though.
Lovely is looking to escape.
Freemen trying to mount his opponent but Lovely defends it.
Freemen blocks the strikes from Lovely.

Lovely manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freemen misses with a low kick.
Lovely moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A right-left combo lands from Freemen.
Freemen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Freemen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Lovely manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lovely explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Freemen tries to clinch up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nice takedown defense from Freemen. No joy for Lovely on that attempt.
Lovely leaves Freemen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
James Lovely has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bricen Freemen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Lovely throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bricen Freemen.
I've got Freemen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bricen Freemen!