PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luke Cage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Karelin's choice of entrance music: Terminator 2. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Cage
vs
Karelin

198 cm
23
300 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

194 cm
23
286 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Improved boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Xotic Fruits
Combat Pro Formula

Combat Pro Formula

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the super heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Luke Cage!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cage lands a nice shot that snaps Karelin's head back.

Karelin feints and as Cage raises his hands in defense, Karelin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Karelin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Karelin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Karelin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Karelin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cage is pulling down on Karelin's head to control his posture.
Cage keeping moving, preventing Karelin from controlling successfully.
Cage on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Cage tries to get out of the position.
Karelin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Karelin stands up over Cage, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Cage controls Karelin momentarily but Karelin frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cage trying to control the position.
Karelin looking to pass the guard.
Karelin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cage throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Luke Cage seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cage throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Karelin 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.
Karelin wants to control from the top but Cage keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin throws and elbow that misses. Cage uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Karelin's guard. Nice move by Cage!
Karelin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cage is one step ahead there.
Cage content to stall in guard here.
Karelin wants to sweep here but Cage controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin keeping moving, preventing Cage from controlling successfully.
Cage pushing down on Karelin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Karelin tries to get to full guard but Cage has control of the leg.
Karelin is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Cage is thwarting Karelin's attempts to control the position.
Cage is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Karelin tries to get to full guard but Cage has control of the leg.
Cage slows the pace down in half guard.
Karelin is trying to control but Cage manages to pass to mount!
Cage tries to control but Karelin wriggling away.
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 Luke Cage will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cage changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cage moves into range and connects with a jab.
Karelin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cage as he avoids it easily.
Karelin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Karelin is rocked!

It looks like Alexander Karelin has been cut.
Cage drops Karelin with a right and a left! Cage comes rushing in but Karelin regains his composure and manages to keep Cage in guard.
Karelin is still in real trouble! Can Cage finish him?
Cage 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.
Karelin looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Cage puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Karelin seems to have recovered his senses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cage in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Karelin is pressing down on Cage's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

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.
Cage won't allow Karelin to sweep him here.
Cage trying to control the position from guard on top but Karelin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cage is really struggling to control Karelin but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Karelin has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Cage has passed into side control.
Karelin looking for a sweep but Cage has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Cage controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cage can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Karelin is looking to escape.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Luke Cage just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Cage scores with a body shot.
Karelin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cage but Cage pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Karelin is breathing heavily.
Cage ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Luke Cage is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin tries to move into range but Cage moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Cage lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cage.
Cage lands with a nice combination. Karelin backs away looking to recover.
Cage stuffs the takedown attempt from Karelin. Karelin gets slowly back to his feet.
Luke Cage has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Karelin.
Cage sends Karelin crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Cage is motioning to the referee to let Karelin up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Karelin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cage pinned against the cage. Cage gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Karelin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Karelin stopping the sweep attempt from Cage.
Karelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Cage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karelin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Cage dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alexander Karelin's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Karelin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cage as he jumps to the side.
Jab by Cage.
Nice sprawl there from Cage as Karelin shoots in.
Nice jab there from Cage.
Karelin moves forwards but Cage connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Cage fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Karelin on the side of the head.
Cage scores with a decent looking hook.
Karelin looks up at the clock. Bad move! Cage lands a right hand from hell, dropping Karelin. Cage pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Luke Cage!
Luke Cage retains his super heavyweight title!