PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Richard Sharpe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt Karlsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sharpe's entrance music is Russian Unicorn. A fine choice. Karlsson has chosen Surfin´ bird as his entrance music. Kurt Karlsson will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Sharpe
vs
Karlsson

202 cm
29
298 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

225 cm
28
300 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

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 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Richard Sharpe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Kurt Karlsson!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Richard Clark and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Karlsson scores a nice knee to the body.
Karlsson missing with knees to the body.
Sharpe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sharpe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sharpe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Karlsson tries a knee to the head but Sharpe blocks it.
Karlsson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sharpe's elbow.
Sharpe takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Richard Sharpe 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!
Karlsson gets through Sharpe's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Karlsson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Karlsson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Sharpe is breathing heavily.
Karlsson missing with knees to the body.

Sharpe has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Karlsson uses from the top position.
Karlsson wants to get up but he can't break Sharpe's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karlsson is looking to stand up but Sharpe won't let him.
Sharpe wants to control the position but Karlsson says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Karlsson wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sharpe tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Sharpe trying to control but Karlsson postures up.
Karlsson wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sharpe moves into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sharpe not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sharpe is on top in guard.
Karlsson wants to stand but Sharpe is controlling the position.
Karlsson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sharpe postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sharpe postures up in Karlsson's guard and throws a big left but Karlsson blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharpe won't allow Karlsson to get back to his feet.
Sharpe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sharpe 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.
Sharpe throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Karlsson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sharpe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sharpe tries to free his leg and advance position but Karlsson is retaining full guard.
Karlsson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sharpe is controlling him.
Sharpe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sharpe is looking to work some ground and pound but Karlsson has wrist control.
Karlsson wants to stand but Sharpe is controlling the position.
Sharpe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sharpe chips away with some ground and pound.
Sharpe is looking to work some ground and pound but Karlsson has wrist control.
Sharpe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharpe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Karlsson's head.
Karlsson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Karlsson is looking to stand back up but Sharpe counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Karlsson.
Sharpe lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Sharpe lands with a punch from half guard.
Sharpe stops Karlsson from getting back to his feet.
Sharpe lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Karlsson is not content to let Sharpe control the position.
Sharpe is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Karlsson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Sharpe is really struggling to control Karlsson but he's trying to hold on to the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Richard Sharpe will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Richard Sharpe's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Karlsson instigates a clinch.
Sharpe lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sharpe lands with a short shot to the head.
Kurt Karlsson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Sharpe tries a body shot but Karlsson blocks it.
Sharpe lands a right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sharpe lands a hook that snaps the head of Karlsson backwards.
Sharpe tries a body shot but Karlsson blocks it.

Sharpe manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Karlsson wants to stand but Sharpe is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sharpe wants to sweep but no luck.

Sharpe looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Karlsson postures up.
Karlsson stopping the sweep attempt from Sharpe.
Sharpe is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sharpe looking for a guillotine here but Karlsson defends easily.
Sharpe has control of Karlsson's left arm, preventing Karlsson from doing any damage.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Karlsson tries to stand but Sharpe is controlling from the bottom.
Sharpe is trying to control the position but Karlsson postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sharpe is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Richard Sharpe has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Karlsson has closed the distance and engaged Sharpe in a clinch.
Karlsson blocks a body shot from Sharpe.
Sharpe using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Karlsson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Karlsson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sharpe blocks it with crossed arms.
A body shot lands from Sharpe.
Karlsson is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Sharpe pulls Karlsson into guard.
Sharpe wants to sweep but no luck.
Sharpe wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Sharpe is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Karlsson rolls with it to try and escape but Sharpe cranks on the arm and Karlsson is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Richard Sharpe!