PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mishka Palov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Emelianenko comes to the cage accompanied by Enae Volare Mezzo. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Emelianenko
vs
Palov

183 cm
22
265 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

192 cm
18
245 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fedor Emelianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mishka Palov!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Illya Tyunina and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emelianenko misses with a takedown attempt - Palov sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Palov avoids a punch combination nicely.
Emelianenko misses with a head kick.
Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches up with Palov, looking for a takedown. Emelianenko pushes Palov against the cage but Palov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Palov scores with a jab to the body.

Palov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Emelianenko is trying to defend but Palov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Palov is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Palov wants to take a breather but Emelianenko is having none of it.
Palov wants to get back to his feet.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Palov in particular looking to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Emelianenko actively working from the bottom here.
Palov is keen to just control but Emelianenko is a slippery customer.

Palov is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Emelianenko doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Palov.
Emelianenko tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Emelianenko shoots and misses

and Palov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fedor Emelianenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Palov seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko manages to get to full guard.
Emelianenko is breathing heavily.
Palov wants to control from the top but Emelianenko keeps moving.
Palov might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Emelianenko kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Emelianenko is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Palov is controlling him.
Emelianenko keeping moving, preventing Palov from controlling successfully.
Emelianenko really is a fat lump.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Palov has gone for a leg lock! Emelianenko slips out almost immediately though and dives into Palov's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko preventing the sweep.
Emelianenko wants to control from the top but Palov keeps moving.
Palov looking to control.

That's four 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.
Palov has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Emelianenko has passed into side control.
Palov tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Palov takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Emelianenko scores with a couple of short elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Emelianenko misses with a takedown

and Palov counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Palov.
Emelianenko is looking to stand up but Palov isn't so interested in that idea.
Palov slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Palov stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Emelianenko fails with the takedown
and Palov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Emelianenko with a poor takedown

and Palov counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fedor Emelianenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Palov goes for a takedown attempt but Emelianenko pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Palov darts in and clinches Emelianenko up against the cage.
Palov misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Emelianenko.
Palov has had enough of the clinch but Emelianenko keeps him there for the moment.
Palov pushes off an throws an elbow but Emelianenko leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Palov stops a takedown attempt from Emelianenko.
Palov wants to break the clinch but can't.
Palov is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Palov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Emelianenko just stands there and leans against the cage.
Palov is trying to force a seperation but Emelianenko has the dominant position.
Emelianenko drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Palov gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Palov is looking to break free of the clinch but Emelianenko has double underhooks.

Palov breaks from the clinch.
Emelianenko shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Palov counters with a takedown into side control.
Emelianenko is looking to regain half guard here but Palov keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Palov tries for a kimura but Emelianenko is defending well.
Emelianenko tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Palov wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Palov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Emelianenko keeps working.

Palov has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Emelianenko gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Palov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Emelianenko is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palov wants to control from the top but Emelianenko keeps moving.
Palov postures up and lands a big shot to Emelianenko's brow.
Palov connects with a couple of short punches.

Emelianenko working for a triangle but Palov defends it easily.
Emelianenko looking for a sweep. Not yet Emelianenko, not yet.

Emelianenko looking for a guillotine here but Palov defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Palov trying to control but Emelianenko is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Palov lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Emelianenko falls off balance throwing a combination

and Palov counters with a single leg into guard. Emelianenko didn't expect that.
Palov sitting in guard here, content to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palov trying to control but Emelianenko is working from the bottom.
Palov won't allow Emelianenko to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mishka Palov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Palov is looking to clinch.
Emelianenko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Palov counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Palov wants to control from the top but Emelianenko keeps moving.
Emelianenko wants to sweep but no luck.
Emelianenko trying to keep a closed guard but Palov is proving a slippery customer.
Emelianenko tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Emelianenko has a closed guard, preventing Palov from standing up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Palov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Emelianenko has a closed guard, preventing Palov from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palov trying to control but Emelianenko is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Palov tries to clinch but Emelianenko is having none of it.

Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Palov napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Emelianenko working away.

Emelianenko swings around for an armbar but Palov sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Emelianenko's guard.
Emelianenko is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Palov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Mishka Palov has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Palov stands and steps away. Emelianenko gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Palov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Emelianenko wants to get back to his feet but Palov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Palov stands and steps away. Emelianenko gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Palov with a lazy takedown attempt

and Emelianenko counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Emelianenko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Palov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Palov pulls Emelianenko in close to his closed guard and prevents Emelianenko from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palov wants to control but Emelianenko passes easily into half guard.
Fedor Emelianenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Emelianenko sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Palov defending well though.
Palov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Emelianenko.

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.
Emelianenko working Palov over with strikes.
Palov wants to get back to full guard.
Palov tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Emelianenko has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Palov tries to lock up and control but Emelianenko gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Fedor Emelianenko.
Well Palov 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight for Mishka Palov!
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight for Mishka Palov!
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight for Mishka Palov!

Mishka Palov wins by unanimous decision!