PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexandr Grishanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Emelianenko has chosen Enea Vollare Mezzo as his entrance music. Alexander Emelianenko has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Grishanov
vs
Emelianenko

185 cm
22
242 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
264 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexandr Grishanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Emelianenko!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Dmitry Maklakov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emelianenko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Grishanov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Emelianenko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Grishanov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Emelianenko throws a half hearted mid kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Grishanov throws a leg kick but Emelianenko sees it coming and moves out of range.
Horrible takedown by Grishanov or perhaps it was just good defense by Emelianenko which made him look bad.
Grishanov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Emelianenko sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Emelianenko wants to clinch up but Grishanov keeps it at a distance.
Alexandr Grishanov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Emelianenko tries to clinch up but Grishanov circles away and keeps his distance.

Emelianenko clinches with his opponent.
Grishanov tries to score a body lock takedown but Emelianenko shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexandr Grishanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Grishanov is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Grishanov could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Grishanov goes for a takedown in the clinch but Emelianenko prevents it.

Emelianenko manages to break the clinch.
Grishanov blocks a head kick by Emelianenko.
Emelianenko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Grishanov paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Emelianenko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Emelianenko happy to just control the position for now.
Emelianenko working the ground and pound but Grishanov is defending the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Emelianenko is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Grishanov is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Emelianenko remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Emelianenko cracks Grishanov with a big right hand but Grishanov just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

It looks like Alexandr Grishanov has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko working the ground and pound but Grishanov is defending the strikes.
Emelianenko with the ground and pound but Grishanov regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Emelianenko wants to stand but Grishanov has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Emelianenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grishanov keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grishanov wants to control but Emelianenko is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Emelianenko is trying to control. Grishanov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Emelianenko tries to clinch there but Grishanov circles away.
Grishanov fails with a takedown attempt.
Grishanov is breathing heavily.

Emelianenko clinches.
Emelianenko comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Emelianenko is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Emelianenko breaks from the clinch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Grishanov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Horrible takedown by Grishanov or perhaps it was just good defense by Emelianenko which made him look bad.
Emelianenko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Grishanov takes a swing at Emelianenko's ribcage but misses.

Emelianenko darts in and clinches Grishanov up against the cage.
Emelianenko unloads a knee to the mid-section. Grishanov lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Emelianenko putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Grishanov in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Emelianenko successfully pulls guard.

Emelianenko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Grishanov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Emelianenko managing to control the position.
Emelianenko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Grishanov is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Emelianenko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alexandr Grishanov's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Emelianenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Grishanov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Grishanov scores with the left hand. Emelianenko knows he should have avoided that one.
Grishanov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Alexander Emelianenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Grishanov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Emelianenko clinches with his opponent.

Emelianenko breaks the clinch.
Emelianenko gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Grishanov with a poor takedown

and Emelianenko counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Emelianenko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grishanov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Grishanov keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.
Emelianenko tries to stand but Grishanov is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko wants to pass the guard but Grishanov is keeping the position.
Emelianenko wanted to stand there but Grishanov had control of the position.

Emelianenko gets to his feet. Grishanov looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches.

Emelianenko breaks from the clinch.

Emelianenko shoots in and bounces Grishanov off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Grishanov keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Emelianenko pushes down on Grishanov's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Emelianenko not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko not doing much here.
Emelianenko working Grishanov over with strikes.
Emelianenko wants to stand but Grishanov has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Grishanov is looking to improve his position.

Emelianenko is trying to work for a kimura but Grishanov is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Emelianenko not doing much here.
Emelianenko thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Grishanov's head.
Emelianenko missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Emelianenko not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

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

Emelianenko breaks from the clinch.
Grishanov lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Emelianenko at a distance.
Grishanov changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Grishanov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Emelianenko avoids a punch combination nicely.
Grishanov thows a left - swing and a miss!
Grishanov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches.

Emelianenko manages to break the clinch.
Emelianenko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Grishanov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Grishanov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Emelianenko moves away.
Emelianenko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Emelianenko wants to clinch.
Grishanov doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Emelianenko counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Grishanov wants to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Emelianenko postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Grishanov to stand up.

Emelianenko shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Grishanov is trying to defend but Emelianenko finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Emelianenko looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grishanov keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Grishanov blocking the ground and pound attempt from Emelianenko.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Emelianenko in particular looking to stall.
Emelianenko passes into side control, despite Grishanov's attempt to control the position.
Emelianenko wants to control but Grishanov is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grishanov is looking to regain half guard here but Emelianenko keeps moving and retains side control.

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

Emelianenko closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Grishanov to the mat! Grishanov manages to get full guard.

Emelianenko stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Grishanov throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Emelianenko stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Emelianenko is looking to clinch.
Emelianenko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Grishanov paws at him with a jab and circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short uppercut from Emelianenko.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Emelianenko manages to break the clinch.
Grishanov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Grishanov takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Grishanov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Emelianenko takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Grishanov tries to keep at a distance but Emelianenko has taken the fight into the clinch.

Emelianenko wants the takedown. Grishanov is fighting it off but Emelianenko persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Grishanov's guard against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Emelianenko stays in close to Grishanov's body and controls the position.
Emelianenko throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Grishanov keeping full guard, as Emelianenko tries to pass.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Emelianenko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Emelianenko has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Emelianenko!