PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Freddie Emilianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Grace (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Emilianenko comes into the arena with Nirvana - Rape Me blaring out of the sound system. Grace comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Doggystyle - Snoop Dogg kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Emilianenko
vs
Grace

185 cm
25
230 lbs
10 - 2 - 1

182 cm
32
275 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

L.A. Elite Clothing Co
Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

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 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Freddie Emilianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Max Grace!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Taro Takaoka and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some bone on bone action there as Emilianenko checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Emilianenko lands a glancing blow to the side of Grace's head.
Grace swings for the body but Emilianenko moves out of range.
Grace throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Emilianenko misses with a jab to the body
and Grace counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Freddie Emilianenko has been cut.
Emilianenko moves in looking to clinch but Grace pushes him off.
Emilianenko misses with a hook.
Jab from Grace.
Grace takes a swing at Emilianenko's ribcage but misses.
Grace avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Emilianenko misses the target.
Emilianenko feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Graces jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grace fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Emilianenko misses with an uppercut. Grace saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emilianenko throws a jab but it's blocked by Grace.
Emilianenko has a takedown stuffed.
Grace connects with a body shot.
Grace does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Grace will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Grace lands a nice hook to Emilianenko's body. Emilianenko takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Grace paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A shot to the liver by Grace. Beautiful body shot.
Emilianenko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Grace.
Grace ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Grace is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Emilianenko rather than just go for the knockout.
Emilianenko misses with an uppercut.
Grace takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Emilianenko scores with a three punch combo!
Grace goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Grace scores with a shot to the body.
Emilianenko misses with a wild combination.
Emilianenko throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Grace.
Grace moves out of range of the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grace's corner calls for a 1-2. Grace obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Emilianenko thows a body shot but no joy.
Emilianenko fails with the takedown.
Emilianenko looks to land a left hand but Grace moved out of range nicely.
Grace scores with a shot to the body.
Grace throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Emilianenko doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Grace counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Freddie Emilianenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Emilianenko misses the shot to the body.
Grace paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Emilianenko bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko lands with a straight right. Grace didn't see that one coming.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Emilianenko.
Emilianenko takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Grace scores with the left hand. Emilianenko knows he should have avoided that one.
Grace thows a body shot but no joy.
Grace tries to bum rush Emilianenko with a series of wild strikes but Emilianenko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Emilianenko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Grace was well out of range. Poor timing from Emilianenko.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Emilianenko misses with a body shot.
Emilianenko loads up on a big right hand but Grace slips the punch.
Emilianenko takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Grace dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Freddie Emilianenko's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Emilianenko walks into a straight right hand from Grace.
Grace digs a good body shot into Emilianenko's ribs.
Emilianenko has a takedown stuffed.
Emilianenko looks to score with a jab to the body but Grace is just out of range.
Emilianenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Grace swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Emilianenko throws a hook but Grace blocks it.
Emilianenko takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Emilianenko dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Emilianenko fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Emilianenko displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Grace.
Emilianenko has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Grace finds it's way round the side to connect with Emilianenko's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grace throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Max Grace seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Emilianenko avoids the body shot from Grace.
Grace throws a left and a right that both miss
and Emilianenko counters with a left to the body.
Grace pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Emilianenko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Grace connects with a body shot.
Grace fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Emilianenko looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Emilianenko avoids a kick to the body.
Grace looks to land a body kick but Emilianenko moved away.
Grace with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko avoids the body shot from Grace.
Grace does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Emilianenko jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
No joy there for Emilianenko, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Emilianenko moves in looking to clinch but Grace pushes him off.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grace getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Emilianenko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A looping hook to the body misses from Grace. Emilianenko does a little dance to reset his feet.
Grace uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Emilianenko.
Jab, jab by Grace - just one landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grace lands a nice shot to the body.
Grace dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Emilianenko tries to clinch but Grace moves out of range.
Grace swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Grace connects with a body shot that sends Emilianenko's belly button to the back.
Emilianenko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Emilianenko closes the distance looking to clinch

and Grace counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Grace wants to get up but he can't break Emilianenko's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grace looking to sit in guard and control but Emilianenko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko trying to control but Grace is working from the bottom.
Emilianenko sitting in guard here, content to control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Emilianenko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Grace showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Freddie Emilianenko's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Grace defending well as Emilianenko loads up on a big left hand.
Grace stuffs the takedown attempt from Emilianenko. Emilianenko gets slowly back to his feet.
Emilianenko drops his hands momentarily and Grace takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Grace connects with a body shot that sends Emilianenko's belly button to the back.
Grace takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Grace dodges the punch combination from Emilianenko.

Grace closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Emilianenko regains full guard. Nicely done.
Grace throws a strike but Emilianenko rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grace wants to sweep here but Emilianenko controlling him for the moment.
Grace seems keen to control Emilianenko's posture.
Emilianenko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Grace works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Grace pushes Emilianenko off and scrambles back to his feet.
Emilianenko slips under a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grace lands a body shot.
Emilianenko misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Grace.
Grace blocks a jab.
Emilianenko walks into a straight right hand from Grace.
Emilianenko takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Emilianenko misses the body punch
and Grace counters with a nice body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Emilianenko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Emilianenko throws a lazy uppercut
and Grace counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Nice body punch from Grace.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A shot to the body from Emilianenko misses
and Grace counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Emilianenko thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emilianenko gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
A left and a right from Grace both land. Nice combination.
Emilianenko misses with a lunging right hand
and Grace counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Grace lands a nice shot to the body.
Grace lands with a shot to the body.
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!

Oooooh!!! Grace has knocked Emilianenko down with a huge combo! Grace steps away and waves a wobbly Emilianenko back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Emilianenko is rocked!
Grace connects with a stiff jab that staggers Emilianenko - oh and he follows up with a huge uppercut that knocks him out cold! Man, that was brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Max Grace!
A relieved looking Max Grace thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.