TOTAL fighting champion Ian Freeman was yesterday cleared of assaulting a man during a bar brawl.

Mr Freeman, 33, who had pleaded not guilty to the common assault of Robert Ferguson, walked over to the bench and shook the hands of magistrates after being told he was acquitted.

Sunderland magistrates said that while there were inconsistencies in the evidence of both the prosecution and defence, the bench was "more impressed" with Mr Freeman's witnesses.

Mr Ferguson said he was at the Boulevard pub in High Street, Sunderland, on January 8, celebrating the birthday of his wife Gillian, when a major disturbance broke out, with fighting eventually spilling into the street.

The court was told Mrs Ferguson, a nurse of 18 years, was called outside to help a man who was bleeding profusely from a head wound.

Mr Ferguson said he emerged from the pub to see his wife holding a blood-soaked towel against the man's head when Mr Freeman came and asked how the victim was.

Mr Ferguson said: "I replied casually 'well, does he look alright?' He turned to face me and said 'do you want to look the same?'"

He said Mr Freeman was turning to go back to the pub when he felt a blow on the left hand side of his face.

Mrs Ferguson said she had hit Mr Freeman twice on the head out of frustration at seeing her husband punched.

Mr Freeman, however, said it was he who had gone to the help of the victim and had held a towel to his wound.

He said when Mrs Ferguson approached and said she was a nurse and could help, he asked her to keep back.

He added when Mr Ferguson had hung over his shoulder, getting in his way, he had merely brushed him back with his arm and told him to get away.

John Temple, defending, called for an acquittal saying the Fergusons had given contradictory evidence as to where everyone was standing at the time.

Mr Freeman, of Wordsworth Gardens, Dipton, had tried unsuccessfully to have the trial date moved so he could take part in the US ultimate fighting championships in Indianapolis.