PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hulk Petkovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Freeman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Freeman's choice of entrance music: Rollin by: Limp Bizkit. Eric Freeman told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Petkovich
vs
Freeman

200 cm
21
203 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
215 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Genesis Clothing

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hulk Petkovich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Eric Freeman!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Tarja Halkonen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petkovich closes this distance looking for a takedown but Freeman circles away.

Freeman gets caught flat footed, as Petkovich shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Freeman trying to control the position.
Petkovich postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Petkovich wants to pass the guard but Freeman is keeping the position.
Freeman is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Petkovich trying to control but Freeman is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Petkovich stands up and waves to Freeman to follow him.

Freeman closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Petkovich breaks from the clinch.
Petkovich closes the distance looking to clinch
and Freeman counters with a three punch combo that has Petkovich backing up. Petkovich nods at Freeman to acknowledge the strikes.

Freeman shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Petkovich's guard.
Petkovich wants to get back to his feet but Freeman is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Petkovich wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Petkovich isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Freeman stacks Petkovich on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Freeman!
Freeman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Petkovich keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petkovich can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Freeman prevents Petkovich from escaping the position.
Petkovich manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Freeman gets full guard.
Petkovich trying to control but Freeman is working from the bottom.
Petkovich won't allow Freeman to get back to his feet.
Petkovich is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Freeman keeping moving, preventing Petkovich from controlling successfully.
Freeman wants to get back to his feet but Petkovich passes into half guard.
Petkovich is trying to control the action in half guard but Freeman is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Freeman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Freeman tries to kick Petkovich off but Petkovich keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Petkovich has his takedown stuffed

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petkovich is trying to keep Freeman in close.

Petkovich throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Freeman escapes and throws Petkovich's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Freeman wants to stand but Petkovich has his arm trapped.
Freeman trying to control the action but Petkovich is working from the bottom.
Freeman looking to control but instead Petkovich has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Freeman dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Freeman with a lazy takedown attempt

and Petkovich moves into the clinch.
Petkovich tries to pull guard but Freeman won't allow it.
Petkovich drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Freeman gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Petkovich tries to pull guard but Freeman holds him up against the cage and eventually Petkovich drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hulk Petkovich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Petkovich goes for a takedown in the clinch but Freeman prevents it.
Freeman tries to pull guard but Petkovich holds him up against the cage and eventually Freeman drops back down to his feet.

Petkovich jumps guard.

Petkovich uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Nice body punch from Freeman.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Freeman has his takedown stuffed

and Petkovich counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Petkovich works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Freeman wants to get back to full guard but Petkovich has passed into side control.

Petkovich looking for a guillotine from mount but Freeman is having none of it.
Freeman gets back to half guard.
Hulk Petkovich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Petkovich throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Petkovich trying to control from half guard but Freeman is working away.
Freeman is trying to stand up here but Petkovich is controlling him well.

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.

Petkovich is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Petkovich content to control rather than advance.

Petkovich decides to stand and escape the position.
Petkovich fails with a takedown attempt.
Petkovich tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Freeman counters with a three punch combo that has Petkovich backing up. Petkovich nods at Freeman to acknowledge the strikes.
Petkovich tries to clinch up but Freeman circles away and keeps his distance.
Freeman stuffs the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Petkovich closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Freeman to the mat! Freeman manages to get full guard.
Freeman keeping moving, preventing Petkovich from controlling successfully.
Petkovich is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Petkovich looking to sit in guard and control but Freeman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Freeman won't allow Petkovich to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petkovich throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Petkovich throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Petkovich is trying to keep Freeman in close.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Petkovich shoots and misses
and Freeman counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Freeman looks for a takedown but Petkovich sprawls well.
Freeman shoots and misses

and Petkovich counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Petkovich.
Freeman is trying to break the clinch but Petkovich has him pressed against the cage.
Freeman is looking to break free of the clinch but Petkovich has double underhooks.

Freeman has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Petkovich clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Petkovich staying busy and making it hard for Freeman to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hulk Petkovich dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Freeman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
No luck for Petkovich with that takedown attempt.
Freeman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Petkovich is looking to clinch.
Freeman tries to clinch there but Petkovich circles away.
Petkovich has his takedown stuffed
and Freeman counters with a lovely shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right-left combo lands from Freeman.
Freeman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Petkovich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Freeman darts in and clinches Petkovich up against the cage.
Freeman looking to stall.
Freeman stops a takedown attempt from Petkovich.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hulk Petkovich. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Freeman stalling in the clinch.

Freeman has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Petkovich uses from the top position.
Freeman wants to sweep but no luck.
Petkovich stops Freeman from standing up.
Petkovich slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Petkovich stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Freeman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Petkovich tries to clinch up but Freeman circles away and keeps his distance.
Petkovich shoots and misses

and Freeman counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Freeman.
Freeman wants to stand but Petkovich is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Petkovich has his foot on Freeman's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Freeman works his way back into a safe position though.

Petkovich is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Freeman frees his head nicely. Oh but Petkovich has switched to an armbar! Freeman is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Hulk Petkovich!