PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott McMuelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Emelianenko
vs
McMuelin

225 cm
25
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
23
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Fedor Emelianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Scott McMuelin!
The judges for this bout are , and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McMuelin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
McMuelin with a flurry of punches that miss.

Emelianenko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but McMuelin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
McMuelin postures up in Emelianenko's guard and throws a big left but Emelianenko blocks it.
McMuelin postures up.
Emelianenko will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

McMuelin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Emelianenko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, McMuelin has managed to get both his arms back between Emelianenko's legs - danger averted.
Emelianenko wants to improve his position but instead McMuelin has moved into half guard.

McMuelin wants to work for an arm triangle but Emelianenko is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
McMuelin wants to stand but Emelianenko has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
McMuelin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Emelianenko's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McMuelin is stalling here. Emelianenko is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! McMuelin seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Emelianenko has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Emelianenko trying to control the action but McMuelin is working from the bottom.

Emelianenko thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Emelianenko tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Emelianenko has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
McMuelin struggling a bit here.

That's two 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 wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by McMuelin, who protects the arm well.
McMuelin is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Emelianenko is breathing heavily.
Emelianenko tries to stand and escape but McMuelin actually recovers to full guard.
McMuelin looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Emelianenko puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
McMuelin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Emelianenko is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McMuelin is looking for a sweep. Emelianenko is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Emelianenko slows the pace down in half guard.
McMuelin trying to control from the bottom.
Emelianenko content to control rather than advance.
Emelianenko is keen to just control but McMuelin is a slippery customer.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Emelianenko with a lazy takedown attempt

and McMuelin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
McMuelin tries to pass the half guard into mount. Emelianenko knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Emelianenko is looking to improve his position.
McMuelin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
McMuelin is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

McMuelin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Emelianenko sees it coming and defends easily.
McMuelin throwing shots but Emelianenko is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott McMuelin dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

McMuelin is looking to clinch but Emelianenko is avoiding it.
Emelianenko tries for a takedown but McMuelin circles away easily

and McMuelin decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Emelianenko's guard.

McMuelin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

McMuelin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and McMuelin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
McMuelin wants to control from the top but Emelianenko keeps moving.
Emelianenko really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McMuelin advances to half guard.
Emelianenko trying to control here.
Emelianenko manages to get to full guard.
McMuelin trying to control but Emelianenko is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
McMuelin throwing strikes but missing.
Emelianenko is trying to control the position but McMuelin postures up.
McMuelin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McMuelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Emelianenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McMuelin wants to stand but Emelianenko has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
McMuelin tries to clinch up.
McMuelin fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McMuelin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Emelianenko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Emelianenko gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from McMuelin.
Emelianenko misses with the head strike.
Emelianenko is stalling here.
A frustrated look appears on McMuelin's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Emelianenko gets control of McMuelin's arms and successfully pulls guard. Emelianenko will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
McMuelin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Emelianenko bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in McMuelin's guard.
Emelianenko's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Emelianenko trying to control the position from guard on top but McMuelin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Emelianenko slips nicely into half guard.
Emelianenko moves into full mount! McMuelin won't be happy about that!
McMuelin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Emelianenko stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Fedor Emelianenko will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

McMuelin has his takedown stuffed

and Emelianenko counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
McMuelin trying to control but Emelianenko postures up.
Emelianenko is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
McMuelin wants to get back to full guard.
Emelianenko passes the guard and advances to mount!
Emelianenko trying to control but McMuelin is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McMuelin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

McMuelin defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Emelianenko.
McMuelin tries to lock up and control but Emelianenko gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Emelianenko working for a guillotine from mount but McMuelin is in no mood to give up.
McMuelin tries to reverse the position but Emelianenko maintains control.

That's two 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.
McMuelin sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Emelianenko sitting and controlling from the half guard.
McMuelin is trying to control but can't.

McMuelin looking for submissions off his back.
Emelianenko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but McMuelin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
McMuelin landing rabbit punches to the side of Emelianenko's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.
McMuelin trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Emelianenko has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can McMuelin defend it? Emelianenko steps over the head and cranks it - McMuelin is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Emelianenko!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:10 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Fedor Emelianenko!