PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gaylord Focker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oleg Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Focker
vs
Karelin

172 cm
22
134 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

168 cm
22
137 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Bushido Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gaylord Focker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Oleg Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Steve Erwin and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karelin fails to land the takedown.

Focker feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Focker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Focker wants to pass the guard but Karelin is keeping the position.
Karelin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Focker gets to his feet - Karelin follows without any prompting.

Karelin decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Focker is trying to get back to full guard.

Karelin is working for a submission of some sort.
Focker is trying to maintain the position but Karelin is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Focker gets back to full guard.

Focker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Focker has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Karelin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Focker is breathing heavily.

Karelin stands and steps away. Focker gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Focker has his takedown stuffed

and Karelin counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Focker!
Karelin sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Focker is working to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Karelin is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Focker is surviving well by controlling Karelin's body position as best he can.

Karelin is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Focker has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Karelin raining down shots from the mount!

Karelin working for a guillotine from mount but Focker is in no mood to give up.
Focker flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

Karelin get's back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Karelin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Karelin showed some decent athleticism there.

Focker looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Karelin wants to free his trapped foot but Focker is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Focker is looking to improve his position.
Focker moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Focker is looking for a triangle but Karelin pushes his legs off easily.
Focker looking to control.
Focker keeping full guard, as Karelin tries to pass.
Karelin preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Focker working for a triangle but Karelin defends it easily.

Karelin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Focker is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oleg Karelin dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

The fight stays on the outside here - Karelin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gaylord Focker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Karelin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Karelin showed some decent athleticism there.
Focker won't allow Karelin to pass to mount.
Focker is in trouble now - Karelin has advanced to mount!
Focker is trying desperately to improve position.
Focker tries to improve his position but instead Karelin has taken his back!
Focker is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Karelin trying to control momentarily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin keeps control of the position as Focker tries to break free.

Focker preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Karelin.

Karelin looking to break Focker's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Focker remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Karelin will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Focker tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Karelin tries to control but Focker wriggling away.
Focker is looking to improve his position but Karelin isn't that keen on the idea.
Karelin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Focker keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Focker has given up his back here. Will Karelin look for the submission or keep pounding away?

Focker defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Karelin working for the choke.
Karelin tries to keep control of the position but Focker is staying busy.
Focker is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Karelin lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.

Karelin working for the choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Focker looking very determined here, making life difficult for Karelin.

Karelin is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Focker defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Focker defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Karelin trying to control.
Focker is trying to break free.
Karelin misses with a punch to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin has the hooks in. Focker is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Focker breaks Karelin's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Oleg Karelin has got the better of the ground game so far.

Focker decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Karelin, up you get!
Focker throws a one two combo.

Karelin gets caught flat footed, as Focker shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Focker drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Karelin manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Focker has Karelin in his guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Focker wants to sweep here but Karelin controlling him for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Focker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Karelin 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.

Oleg Karelin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Focker's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Karelin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Karelin is looking for a kimura but Focker is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Karelin to get the leverage.
Focker gets back to full guard.
Karelin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Focker's guard.
Focker gets back to full guard.

Focker is looking for a triangle here but Karelin uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Focker tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Karelin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Karelin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Focker has escaped the position, nice work there.
Focker is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Karelin off and has taken his back!

Karelin is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Focker gets his way!
Karelin rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Focker is pressing down on Karelin's thigh, looking to free his foot. Karelin is holding on for now.
Karelin tries to kick Focker off but Focker keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Focker seems to be looking for submissions.
Karelin manages to get to full guard.

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.

Karelin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Focker gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Karelin lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Focker!
Focker is trying desperately to improve position.

Karelin working for a submission but Focker is keeping him at bay.
Focker is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Focker bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Focker with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Focker trying to stand up but can't free himself from Karelin's guard.

Focker stands and steps away. Karelin gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Gaylord Focker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Focker misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Focker closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Karelin is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Karelin is trying to control Focker's posture but Focker avoids it.
Karelin tries to buck Focker off but Focker is having none of it.
Karelin trying to remain calm as Focker controls from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Focker tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Karelin slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Focker drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Karelin manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Focker has Karelin in his guard.

Focker working for submissions but it's allowed Karelin to get to half guard.
Gaylord Focker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Focker is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Karelin jumps into side control!
Karelin has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Focker!

And that's the end of the fight!
Oleg Karelin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Karelin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Oleg Karelin!