PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kang Soo Hoon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jaque Freeman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Soo Hoon
vs
Freeman

194 cm
22
270 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kang Soo Hoon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jaque Freeman!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hoon moves into the clinch.
Freeman goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hoon prevents it.
Freeman has Hoon pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hoon manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Freeman fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kang Soo Hoon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jaque Freeman.
Hoon is pressed up against the cage. Freeman has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hoon down to the mat. Hoon avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Freeman scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Freeman working away.
A lull in the action here as Freeman stalls from top position.
Hoon is not content to let Freeman control the position.
Hoon is trying to control Freeman's posture but Freeman avoids it.
Freeman trying to control the action but Hoon is working from the bottom.
Freeman really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hoon. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Hoon parries the strikes from Freeman easily there. Freeman is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hoon to escape.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hoon scores with a nice head shot.

It looks like Jaque Freeman has been cut.
Hoon connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Freeman is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Hoon's half guard.
Hoon is trying to stand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Freeman trying to control the pace.
Hoon wants to get back to his feet.
Hoon is breathing heavily.
Freeman slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Freeman has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hoon slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Freeman should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Freeman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hoon is keeping the position for now.
Hoon is trying to control the position but Freeman postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoon trying to control the position here.
Freeman trying to control the position from guard on top but Hoon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hoon trying to control the position.

Hoon looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Freeman sitting in guard here, content to control.
Freeman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hoon works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Freeman shoots in and bounces Hoon off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Freeman wants to control from the top but Hoon keeps moving.
Hoon preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Freeman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Freeman is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
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 Kang Soo Hoon will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jaque Freeman's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hoon tries for a takedown but Freeman circles away easily

and Freeman counters with a single leg into guard. Hoon didn't expect that.
Freeman postures up.
Freeman trying to control the position from guard on top but Hoon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Freeman sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Freeman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hoon swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Freeman postures up in Hoon's guard and throws a big left but Hoon blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman trying to control the position from guard on top but Hoon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Freeman stops Hoon from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Freeman shoots and misses
and Hoon counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Freeman is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Freeman looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Freeman controlling the action here.
Hoon trying to control here.
Freeman is trying to control. Hoon wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Hoon has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Freeman is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Freeman blocks the strikes from Hoon.
Freeman throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Freeman lands strikes from half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Freeman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hoon paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Hoon closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Freeman trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Hoon manages to pass to mount!
Hoon landing strikes from the mount and Freeman is in trouble!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freeman avoids a series of strikes thrown by Hoon.
Hoon can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Freeman is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hoon looking to control and managing it successfully.
Freeman keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jaque Freeman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jaque Freeman's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hoon tries to clinch there but Freeman circles away.
Jaque Freeman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Freeman doesn't manage to clinch there - Hoon circles away.

Freeman drives through with a takedown into guard.

Hoon wriggles free and stands up.

Hoon shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Freeman napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Hoon trying to control the position but Freeman is working away.
Hoon creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Freeman sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Freeman regains half guard, as Hoon was trying to land strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoon wants to stand up but Freeman has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Hoon trying to control the action but Freeman is working from the bottom.
Hoon thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Freeman's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Freeman trying to hold on to Hoon's head to control him but Hoon postures up.
Freeman wants to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Freeman shoots in but Hoon avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Hoon darts in and clinches Freeman up against the cage.

Hoon decides to pull guard.
Hoon tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Freeman sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoon wants to sweep here but Freeman controlling him for the moment.
Freeman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hoon is keeping the position for now.
Hoon lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Freeman thows a big elbow that misses.
Hoon not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Freeman must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hoon preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Freeman swats away the attempt to clinch by Hoon.
Hoon misses with a takedown

and Freeman counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hoon's guard now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hoon looking for a guillotine here but Freeman defends easily.
Hoon keeping moving, preventing Freeman from controlling successfully.
Freeman is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hoon keeping moving, preventing Freeman from controlling successfully.
Hoon pulls Freeman in close to prevent any damage.
Hoon is looking to stand up but Freeman isn't so interested in that idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jaque Freeman.
I think Freeman has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jaque Freeman!