PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonny Starks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Starks's choice of entrance music: Eye of Tiger. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Karelin
vs
Starks

191 cm
26
286 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

196 cm
27
274 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alexander Karelin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jonny Starks!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Summer Carpenter and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Karelin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Karelin moves in looking to clinch but Starks pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Karelin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Karelin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Starks misses with an uppercut. Karelin saw that one coming.
Karelin walks into a left hand.
Karelin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Karelin moves out of range of the strikes.

Starks moves into the clinch.
Starks has had enough of the clinch but Karelin keeps him there for the moment.
Starks lands a body shot in the clinch.
Starks tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Karelin's elbow.
Starks takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Jonny Starks has been cut.
Karelin looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Starks takes an elbow to the forehead.
Starks is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Karelin lands an elbow inside.
Starks takes an elbow to the temple.
Karelin throws an elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Karelin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Starks's brow.
Karelin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Starks avoids the elbow strike from Karelin, against the cage.
Starks dodges an elbow strike from Karelin.
Karelin lands a nice elbow.
Starks blocks an elbow strike.
Karelin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Karelin throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Starks avoids a wild elbow strike from Karelin.
Starks blocks an elbow strike.
Starks lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Karelin backwards.
Karelin pushes off an throws an elbow but Starks leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Karelin throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Starks lands with a right to the head.
Starks blocks an elbow strike.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Karelin.
Karelin throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Karelin pushes off an throws an elbow but Starks leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Starks working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Karelin throws an elbow but misses.
Starks is trying to break the clinch but Karelin has him pressed against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karelin lands a damaging elbow.

That has opened up Jonny Starks's cut even more.
Karelin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Karelin lands an elbow inside that Starks shrugs off.

The cut above Jonny Starks's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Starks blocks the elbow strike.
Starks misses with a hook from the clinch.

Starks manages to break the clinch.
Starks misses with a straight right.
Karelin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Starks throws out the jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Karelin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Karelin swinging wildly here.

Karelin lands a left and a right that sends Starks crashing to the canvas! Karelin dives into mount looking to finish!
Starks looks gassed!
Karelin punching from mount but Starks doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Karelin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Starks is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Starks really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Starks is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Starks can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Starks because Karelin loaded up on that one.
Starks wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Karelin.
Karelin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Karelin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Karelin misses with a head shot.
Starks is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Starks really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Karelin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Karelin throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Karelin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Karelin punching from mount but Starks doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Karelin thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Starks is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Karelin misses with a head shot.
Karelin unloads with some shots from mount but Starks bucks and avoids them well.
Karelin looking to finish with strikes here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Starks because Karelin loaded up on that one.
Starks wants to hold on but Karelin pushes him away.
Starks wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Karelin.
Starks holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Karelin tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Starks is bucking up trying to escape but Karelin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Jonny Starks's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:45 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Alexander Karelin!