PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Folami Zuberi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Zuberi's choice of entrance music: Mickey Factz - Rocker. Folami Zuberi will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Emelianenko
vs
Zuberi

180 cm
23
283 lbs
10 - 1 - 0

193 cm
29
240 lbs
16 - 8 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

:: Happy Pills ::
Milwaukee's Best Nutrition $48 - 159's

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 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Fedor Emelianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Folami Zuberi!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body punch from Zuberi.
Emelianenko swats away the attempt to clinch by Zuberi.
Emelianenko misses the shot to the body.
Folami Zuberi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zuberi wants to clinch up but Emelianenko keeps it at a distance.
Zuberi swinging wildly here.
Zuberi tries to close the distance and clinch but Emelianenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Emelianenko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zuberi pinned against the cage. Zuberi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Emelianenko drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Emelianenko trying to control but Zuberi is working from the bottom.
Zuberi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Emelianenko seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Zuberi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Zuberi wants to sweep here but Emelianenko controlling him for the moment.

Zuberi looking for a guillotine here but Emelianenko defends easily.
Emelianenko is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi working a defensive guard here.
Zuberi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Emelianenko.
Zuberi keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.
Emelianenko scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.
Emelianenko throwing strikes from guard but Zuberi blocks nicely.
Zuberi working a defensive guard here.
Emelianenko working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Emelianenko accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Emelianenko is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Emelianenko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Emelianenko working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zuberi is not content to let Emelianenko control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Emelianenko dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Emelianenko misses with a wild body shot.
Zuberi wants to clinch up but Emelianenko keeps it at a distance.
Zuberi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sloppy strikes from Zuberi. Those never looked like landing.
Zuberi throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Emelianenko scores with a jab to the jaw.
Emelianenko throws a shot from downtown. Zuberi moves away and avoids it.
Zuberi darts in trying to clinch

and Emelianenko counters with a big uppercut that knocks Zuberi off his feet! Emelianenko dives into side control looking to finish!

Zuberi is rocked!

It looks like Folami Zuberi has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Zuberi is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Emelianenko is controlling him well.
Emelianenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zuberi keeps working.
Emelianenko has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuberi wants to get back to his feet but Emelianenko drags him back down.
Zuberi is looking for a sweep.
Emelianenko throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Emelianenko postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Zuberi sneaks out the side door and pushes Emelianenko away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Zuberi tries to clinch but Emelianenko moves out of range.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Emelianenko fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Zuberi on the side of the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Emelianenko misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi wants to clinch up but Emelianenko keeps it at a distance.
Emelianenko dives in and grabs Zuberi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Zuberi pushes down on Emelianenko's head and hops out.
Zuberi avoids the body shot from Emelianenko.
Zuberi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zuberi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zuberi walks into a stiff left hand from Emelianenko.
Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches up with Zuberi, looking for a takedown. Emelianenko pushes Zuberi against the cage but Zuberi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fedor Emelianenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zuberi fails in his attempt to clinch.

Zuberi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Emelianenko wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Emelianenko is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Zuberi misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Emelianenko as Zuberi tries to tie him up.
Zuberi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Zuberi looking to throw knees to the head but Emelianenko is blocking nicely.
Zuberi swings wildly with an uppercut but Emelianenko uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zuberi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Emelianenko working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Zuberi to work.
Emelianenko's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Zuberi misses with the head strike.
Zuberi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Emelianenko's efforts to push away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Zuberi creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Zuberi pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Emelianenko dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Folami Zuberi's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Emelianenko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Zuberi tries to clinch there but Emelianenko circles away.
Emelianenko bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Zuberi's head backwards.
Emelianenko is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Zuberi.
Fedor Emelianenko is winning the standup battle so far.
Zuberi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zuberi throws a hook but Emelianenko avoids it easily.
Zuberi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Emelianenko keeps the fight on the outside.
Emelianenko looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Emelianenko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zuberi was well out of range. Poor timing from Emelianenko.
Zuberi moves to clinch but Emelianenko breaks away

and Emelianenko counters with a beautiful punch that sends Zuberi to the canvas!
Emelianenko preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko looking to pass the guard.
Emelianenko in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zuberi is trying to hold Emelianenko in close to prevent damage but Emelianenko has managed to pass into half guard.
Emelianenko missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Emelianenko thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Fedor Emelianenko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Emelianenko is looking to stall here but Zuberi recovers full guard.
Zuberi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Emelianenko throws and elbow that misses. Zuberi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Emelianenko's guard. Nice move by Zuberi!

Emelianenko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Zuberi won't allow Emelianenko to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Emelianenko is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Zuberi wanted to stand there but Emelianenko had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Emelianenko had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Zuberi defends it easily.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Zuberi tries to stand but Emelianenko is controlling from the bottom.
Folami Zuberi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fedor Emelianenko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Fedor Emelianenko.
Zuberi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fedor Emelianenko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Emelianenko, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

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