PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and alex fili (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karelin kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Russian National Anthem. Alex Karelin has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Karelin
vs
fili

205 cm
28
279 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

190 cm
23
255 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Karelin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, alex fili!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Karelin bobbing and weaving well here. And he's unloaded with a massive right hand that drops fili! He dives into his guard looking to finish!

fili is rocked!

It looks like alex fili has been cut.
Karelin won't allow fili to sweep him here.
fili is still in real trouble! Can Karelin finish him?
Karelin lands a couple of digs.
fili seems to have recovered his senses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

fili working for a triangle but Karelin defends it easily.
Karelin throwing strikes but missing.
Karelin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Karelin scoring with punches to the head and body.
Karelin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

fili has an active guard here but Karelin has managed to pass into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
fili wants to improve his position but Karelin is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin wants to free his trapped foot but fili is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Karelin working over fili with some ground and pound. fili looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
fili is looking to improve his position.
Karelin trying to control the pace.
Karelin prevents fili from improving his position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Karelin slips a nice elbow through fili's hands, connecting with fili's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin wants to control but fili is keeping him busy.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
fili looks like he's trying to stand up.
fili tries to roll over but Karelin keeps him under control.
Karelin working over fili with some ground and pound. fili looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
fili is staying active underneath Karelin, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Karelin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because fili is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
fili regains full guard. Nicely done.

fili isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Karelin stacks fili 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 Karelin!
Karelin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
fili is not content to let Karelin control the position.
Karelin tries to move to mount but fili blocks the move with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for fili!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karelin in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Karelin lands with some vicious ground and pound - can fili hang on?
Karelin working the ground and pound effectively.
fili taking shots to the head.
Karelin has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of fili's face.
Karelin content just to control the position here.
Karelin connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
fili can't escape the position.
Karelin looking to control but fili is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
fili throwing hammer fists to the chest of Karelin. What's that going to do exactly?
Karelin controlling the pace for now.
Karelin with good strikes from the mount here!

That has opened up alex fili's cut even more.
Karelin with the ground and pound from mount.
Karelin lands a nice shot to the head.

The cut above alex fili's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Karelin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
fili is looking to improve his position but Karelin isn't that keen on the idea.
Karelin working away from the top, dropping strikes.
fili looks gassed!
Karelin controlling from mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
fili slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Karelin is trying to control. fili wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Karelin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks fili with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Karelin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on alex fili's cut.
That's time! Karelin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Karelin swats away the attempt to clinch by fili.
Karelin throws a body punch but fili moves out of range.
fili shoots in for a double leg but Karelin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

fili shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Karelin's guard.
Karelin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Karelin tries to pass the half guard into mount. fili knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Karelin lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Karelin slips a nice elbow through fili's hands, connecting with fili's forehead.
Karelin trying to control from half guard but fili is working away.
Karelin is figuring out what he wants to do next.

fili actively working from the bottom here.
fili is breathing heavily.
Karelin wants to take a breather but fili is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Karelin seems content to control.
Karelin seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down fili for as long as he can get away with.
Karelin passes the guard and advances to mount!
fili is looking to improve his position but Karelin isn't that keen on the idea.
Karelin landing strikes, looking to finish!
Karelin landing punches.
Karelin punishing his opponent with strikes.
fili is wriggling around trying to escape.
Alex Karelin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Karelin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as fili is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin controlling the position easily from mount.
Karelin fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at alex fili's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Alex Karelin!