PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Scott Moxley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksandr Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Scott Moxley has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Moxley
vs
Karelin

196 cm
25
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

191 cm
20
239 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Scott Moxley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksandr Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Daniel Blasius and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karelin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Karelin drives through and clinches with Moxley against the cage.
Karelin pushes Moxley back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Moxley gets control of Karelin's arms and successfully pulls guard. Moxley will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Karelin controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Moxley is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Karelin trying to control but Moxley is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karelin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Karelin lands a couple of decent looking shots.
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!
Karelin wants to control from the top but Moxley keeps moving.
Karelin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Moxley is trying to control the position but Karelin postures up.
Karelin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Karelin lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Moxley working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Karelin.
Karelin distracts Moxley with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin is looking to work some ground and pound but Moxley has wrist control.
Karelin controlling from the top position.
Moxley is trying to control the position but Karelin postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Moxley is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Karelin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Karelin stopping the sweep attempt from Moxley.
Moxley wants to stand and escape but Karelin is having none of it.
Karelin postures up and lands a big shot to Moxley's brow.
Moxley wants to stand up but Karelin is controlling him.
Moxley is breathing heavily.

Karelin drops back looking for a leg! Moxley is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Moxley manages to kick Karelin off! Karelin jumps back into Moxley's guard.
Karelin is working Moxley over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Moxley swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Karelin wants to control from the top but Moxley keeps moving.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Karelin connects with a couple of short punches.
Karelin's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Karelin wants to control from the top but Moxley keeps moving.

Karelin is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Karelin throwing strikes from guard but Moxley blocks nicely.
Karelin lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Karelin is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Karelin stands up over Moxley, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Karelin throws a big right hand that misses.
Moxley keeping moving, preventing Karelin from controlling successfully.
Moxley has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Karelin has passed into side control.
Moxley is looking for a sweep.
Karelin tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Moxley is looking to regain half guard here but Karelin keeps moving and retains side control.
Moxley pushes Karelin away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Karelin gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Karelin working the head with strikes.
Moxley definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moxley is not content to let Karelin control the position.
Karelin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Karelin trying to control the action but Moxley is working from the bottom.
Moxley wants to control but Karelin postures up.
Karelin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Moxley is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Karelin thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Karelin scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Moxley to see if he's OK.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Moxley tries to bench press Karelin off him but Karelin keeps the position.
Karelin taking a breather here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Karelin dominated that round.
That's time! Moxley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Karelin dodges the punch combination from Moxley.

Karelin drives through with a takedown into guard.
Moxley avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Karelin controlling from the top position.
Karelin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Karelin with a nice head shot there.

Moxley wriggles free and stands up.
Karelin misses with the combination.
Moxley throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Karelin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've been informed that Karelin has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Karelin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Moxley tries to throw a body punch but Karelin avoids it by throwing Moxley back against the cage.

Karelin lands a takedown into guard.
Moxley not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Karelin slips nicely into half guard.
Karelin takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Karelin with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Moxley on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Karelin is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Moxley has managed to free his arm - good work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Karelin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Moxley's head.
Karelin lands strikes from half guard.
Karelin tries to pass to full mount but Moxley defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Moxley punching from the bottom.
Karelin looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Karelin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Moxley does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Karelin is looking for a kimura here.
Karelin is looking to take a break and control but Moxley is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moxley pushes Karelin off looking to stand but Karelin dives back in and keeps control.
Moxley trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Karelin is trying to control. Moxley wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Aleksandr Karelin has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Karelin is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Moxley is just riding it out for now. Karelin eventually gives up the hold.
Moxley taking some punishment here, with Karelin in his half guard.
Moxley works his way to full guard. Good work.
Karelin pushes down on Moxley's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Karelin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Moxley is refusing to be controlled, as Karelin sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin drops an elbow to the side of Moxley's head.
Karelin is nestled in close to Moxley, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Karelin is looking for a kimura here.
Nice strikes from Karelin there.
Karelin throwing shots but Moxley is blocking nicely.
Karelin thows a huge punch but Moxley dodges it nicely.
Moxley trying to control here.
Karelin throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Moxley to regain full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Karelin passes Moxley's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Moxley won't allow Karelin to pass to mount.
Karelin working over Moxley with some ground and pound. Moxley looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Karelin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Moxley misses with a double jab
and Karelin counters with a three punch combo that has Moxley backing up. Moxley nods at Karelin to acknowledge the strikes.

Karelin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Karelin showed some decent athleticism there.
Karelin is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Karelin seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ground and pound from Karelin.
Karelin sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Moxley is defending against the submission attempts here by Karelin.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Karelin sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin passes to full mount!
Moxley can't escape the position.
Karelin lands a big shot there that rocks Moxley but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Moxley in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Karelin working away from the top, dropping strikes.
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!
Karelin landing strikes from the mount and Moxley is in trouble!

Moxley is rocked!
Karelin scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Oh Moxley is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Karelin postures up and throws a couple of big shots that have Moxley in real trouble here! The ref calls for Moxley to improve his position which he doesn't do, so the referee has no choice but to end the fight due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Aleksandr Karelin!