PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Terry Etim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joel Freeman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Freeman's choice of entrance music: Time to Pretend. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Etim
vs
Freeman

185 cm
20
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

171 cm
22
151 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Terry Etim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Joel Freeman!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Steven Brown and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Freeman keeps the fight on the outside.
Etim fails with an attempt to clinch.
Etim tries to close the distance and clinch but Freeman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Etim moves into the clinch successfully.
Etim jumps guard but Freeman stands there with Etim around his waist. Etim gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Etim pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Etim lands a head kick. Freeman smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Joel Freeman has been cut.

Freeman takes the fight into the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Freeman.
Etim tries for a takedown but Freeman manages to get underhooks.
Etim misses with a knee strike.
Etim avoiding damage as Freeman throws knees to the body.
Etim fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Terry Etim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Freeman content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Freeman goes for a takedown attempt but Etim pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Etim tries to close the distance and clinch but Freeman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Etim clinches up with Freeman and pushes him back against the cage.
Etim is trying to break the clinch but Freeman has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Freeman breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Etim tries to clinch

and Freeman counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Freeman tries to stand but can't do so whilst Etim controls his leg.

Etim actively working from the bottom here.
Etim works his way to full guard. Good work.
Etim will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Freeman wants to control from the top but Etim keeps moving.
Etim is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Freeman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Freeman passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Freeman trying to control the action but Etim is working from the bottom.
Etim is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Freeman asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Freeman landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Freeman tries to advance to mount but can't.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Etim misses with a takedown attempt

and Freeman counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Etim is breathing heavily.
Freeman with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Etim wants to get back to striking at distance but Freeman won't allow it.

Freeman breaks the clinch.
Etim darts in trying to clinch

and Freeman counters with a takedown into side control.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Freeman stands up and beckons Etim to his feet.
Etim shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Freeman throws a nice inside leg kick.
Etim attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Freeman clinches with his opponent.
Etim is looking to break free of the clinch but Freeman has double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Freeman pulls guard effortlessly.
Etim won't allow Freeman to get back to his feet.
Freeman is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Etim wants to get up but he can't break Freeman's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Freeman working for a triangle but Etim defends it easily.
Etim has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Freeman is proving hard to escape from.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Etim throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joel Freeman dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joel Freeman's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Etim throws a right and a left that Freeman avoids nicely.

Freeman tries to keep at a distance but Etim has taken the fight into the clinch.
Etim is trying to break free.
Freeman tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Etim just stands there and leans against the cage.
Etim tries for a takedown. No joy.
Etim tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Freeman smiles and moves away.
Etim wants to clinch but Freeman slips to the side

and Freeman counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Etim is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Etim escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Etim tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Freeman holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Etim wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Freeman looking for a takedown.
Etim wants to break the clinch but can't.
Freeman has Etim pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Etim manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Terry Etim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joel Freeman.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Etim breaks the clinch.
Etim clinches but Freeman breaks the clinch

and Freeman counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Freeman drops back, looking for a kneebar! Etim looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Etim looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Etim!
Freeman is looking for a sweep.
Freeman gets back to half guard.
Etim is looking to take a break and control but Freeman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Etim decides to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Freeman looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Etim wants to get back to his feet but Freeman is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Freeman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Freeman stands up from Etim's guard - Freeman perhaps looking for a knockout.
Freeman circles away from the clinch attempt

and Freeman counters with a single leg into guard. Etim didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Etim is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Etim is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Freeman stands up from guard. Let's bang!

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.

Freeman gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Etim wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Etim manages to break the clinch.
Etim tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Freeman feints and as Etim raises his hands in defense, Freeman changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Etim controls Freeman momentarily but Freeman frees himself.
Etim is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Freeman with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joel Freeman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joel Freeman's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Freeman scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Freeman looks to land a strike but Etim avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Freeman trying to control but Etim is working from the bottom.
Freeman tries to free his leg and advance position but Etim is retaining full guard.

Freeman gets to his feet. Etim looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Etim with a poor takedown

and Freeman holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Etim breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A head kick misses from Etim.
Etim darts in trying to clinch

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Etim uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Freeman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Etim tries to clinch but Freeman moves out of range.
Etim throws a leg kick but Freeman moved away.
Etim misses with a takedown
and Freeman counters with a body kick that stops Etim in his tracks momentarily.

Freeman moves into the clinch.
Freeman content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Freeman prevents Etim from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Freeman keeps control of Etim as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Etim is trying to drag Freeman to the mat but Freeman just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Terry Etim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Etim wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Freeman breaks from the clinch.

Freeman clinches with his opponent.
Etim missing with knees to the body.

Freeman jumps guard and drags Etim to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Freeman pushes Etim off and scrambles back to his feet.
Freeman pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Freeman on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Etim. Etim obviously looking to wear him down.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Freeman.
Etim throws a sloppy head kick and Freeman moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Freeman is looking for a kimura but Etim is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Freeman to get the leverage.

Etim makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Etim tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Freeman counters by moving into the clinch.
Etim working aggressively here.

Etim manages to break the clinch.

Freeman clinches.
Etim is trying to break the clinch but Freeman has him pressed against the cage.
Etim blocks an elbow strike.

Freeman has Etim pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Freeman pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Etim tumbling to the mat - Freeman dives into Etim's guard.
Etim wants to stand but Freeman is controlling the position.
Terry Etim has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Freeman looking to sit in guard and control but Etim gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Joel Freeman has got the better of the ground game so far.

Freeman is working an open guard so Etim takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Etim closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Etim is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Freeman gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Joel Freeman is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Freeman blocks the elbow strike.
Etim pushes Freeman back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joel Freeman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Freeman 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 Paul Tew scores the fight for Joel Freeman!
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight for Joel Freeman!
Judge William Gold scores the fight for Joel Freeman!

Joel Freeman wins by unanimous decision!