PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arnoldas Sireika (ranked 515 p4p, 63 weight class) and Charlie Hickings (ranked 3169 p4p, 361 weight class). Hickings has chosen Thing - Just loud noises as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sireika
vs
Hickings

180 cm
27
197 lbs
9 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
191 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Knockout power

King Nutrition

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 9 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Arnoldas Sireika!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Charlie Hickings!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Donald Grub and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sireika throws a looping overhand right but Hickings ducks down to avoid it.
Sireika throws a sloppy head kick and Hickings moves out of range easily.
Hickings feints the counter takedown.

Sireika fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hickings, pushing him back against the cage.
Hickings blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sireika lands a nice uppercut.
Sireika swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hickings lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hickings jumps guard but Sireika stands there with Hickings around his waist. Hickings gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sireika throws a punch but it's blocked by Hickings.
Sireika pushes off an throws an elbow but Hickings leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Sireika digs a right hand underneath Hickings's ribcage. Hickings let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Hickings working aggressively here.
Sireika goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hickings working aggressively here.
Sireika scores with a nice hook to the head.
Hickings lands a left hand.
Sireika misses with a body punch.
Hickings goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sireika fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hickings makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sireika swings wildly with an uppercut but Hickings uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sireika looking to throw knees to the head but Hickings is blocking nicely.
A shot in the inside from Hickings.
Sireika scores with a shoulder strike.
Hickings misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sireika pushes off an throws an elbow but Hickings leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Sireika prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hickings misses with some punches.
Still in the clinch, Hickings scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hickings misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sireika misses with a knee strike.
Hickings is working Sireika over against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sireika.
Hickings working aggressively here.
A nice left hand lands by Sireika.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sireika trying to land knees to the body.
Sireika pushes off an throws an elbow but Hickings leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hickings blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hickings tries to throw a body punch but Sireika avoids it by throwing Hickings back against the cage.
Sireika pushes Hickings back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hickings.
Sireika misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hickings.
Hickings tries to work over Sireika's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hickings lands with a right to the head.
Hickings blocks an elbow strike.
Hickings misses with a body punch.

Hickings ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Hickings no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Hickings 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hickings has control of Sireika's left arm, preventing Sireika from doing any damage.
Hickings tries to land a sweep but no joy.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hickings is on top in guard.

Hickings trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sireika is trying to control the position but Hickings postures up.
Sireika on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sireika tries to get out of the position.
Hickings postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sireika is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hickings is controlling him.
Hickings scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sireika knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hickings on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hickings sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sireika keeping moving, preventing Hickings from controlling successfully.
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 Arnoldas Sireika will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sireika scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Hickings paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Sireika wants to clinch.

Sireika clinches up against the cage.
Sireika lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Hickings throws a head punch that misses.
Hickings lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hickings tries to work over Sireika's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sireika lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Sireika tries to land knees in the clinch but Hickings avoids the damage to the body.
Hickings tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sireika just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hickings can't find room to land a body shot as Sireika controls the action.
Sireika missing with knees to the body.
Hickings misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hickings misses with an elbow strike.
Sireika stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Sireika lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Hickings blocks an elbow strike.
Hickings misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sireika prevents a body shot from Hickings.
Sireika blocking some punches.
Sireika working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hickings tries to pull guard but Sireika won't allow it.
Sireika tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hickings avoids it.
Sireika lands with a light punch inside.
Hickings has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sireika is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Arnoldas Sireika has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Charlie Hickings.
Hickings blocks an elbow strike from Sireika.
Hickings avoiding damage as Sireika throws knees to the body.

Hickings manages to pull guard.
Hickings looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sireika is one step ahead there.
Sireika tries to stand but Hickings is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hickings wants to sweep here but Sireika controlling him for the moment.
Sireika has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hickings working a defensive guard but Sireika manages to pass into side control anyway.
You can see the frustration on Hickings's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hickings regains half guard.
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!
Hickings wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hickings is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sireika's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sireika's back!
Hickings punches the canvas rather than the man.
Hickings slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Sireika is trying to get back to his feet but Hickings has full control of the position and if anything, Sireika has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Sireika is in bad spot here.
Sireika trying to control the action but Hickings just sinks the hooks in.

Hickings is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Sireika has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Hickings has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Sireika taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Hickings doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Charlie Hickings!
Charlie Hickings thanked the fans post fight for their support.