PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Karelinokov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kjetil Finnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kjetil Finnes will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Karelinokov
vs
Finnes

191 cm
22
265 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

174 cm
22
230 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Fedor Karelinokov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kjetil Finnes!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Finnes pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Karelinokov could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Karelinokov.
Karelinokov fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Finnes tries to improve position but can't.
Karelinokov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Finnes keeps working.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Finnes manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Karelinokov trying to control the pace.
Finnes trying to control from the bottom.
Karelinokov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Finnes is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Finnes works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelinokov controlling from the top position.
Karelinokov tries to free his leg and advance position but Finnes is retaining full guard.
Karelinokov wants to control from the top but Finnes keeps moving.
Karelinokov wants to pass the guard but Finnes is keeping the position.
Karelinokov controlling from the top position.
Karelinokov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Karelinokov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Finnes keeping moving, preventing Karelinokov from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Finnes is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Karelinokov has taken the fight to the clinch.

Finnes breaks from the clinch.
Finnes with a lazy takedown attempt

and Karelinokov counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Finnes's guard now.
Finnes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Karelinokov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Karelinokov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Karelinokov is working hard here to advance position.
Karelinokov will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Finnes controls Karelinokov momentarily but Karelinokov frees himself.
Finnes throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.
Finnes 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Finnes is on top in guard.
Karelinokov keeping moving, preventing Finnes from controlling successfully.
Karelinokov looking for a sweep. Not yet Karelinokov, not yet.
Karelinokov keeping moving, preventing Finnes from controlling successfully.
Karelinokov keeping full guard, as Finnes tries to pass.
Finnes advances to half guard.
Karelinokov is refusing to be controlled, as Finnes sits in half guard.

Karelinokov looking for submissions off his back.
Karelinokov is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Karelinokov is trying to control but can't.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Finnes looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Finnes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Karelinokov keeps working.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Finnes in particular looking to stall.
Karelinokov moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Finnes trying to control but Karelinokov is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Karelinokov dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Finnes closes the distance and clinches.
Finnes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Karelinokov smiles and moves away.
Finnes darts in trying to clinch

and Karelinokov counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Karelinokov.
Karelinokov trying to control but Finnes is working from the bottom.
Finnes has control of Karelinokov's left arm, preventing Karelinokov from doing any damage.
Karelinokov trying to control the position from guard on top but Finnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Finnes is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Finnes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Karelinokov trying to control the position from guard on top but Finnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Finnes working a defensive guard here.
Karelinokov trying to control the position from guard on top but Finnes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Finnes throws a head kick that misses.
Kjetil Finnes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Finnes swats away the attempt to clinch by Karelinokov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Karelinokov scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Karelinokov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Karelinokov gets underhooks to prevent Finnes's takedown attempt.
Finnes scores with a shot to the side of Karelinokov's head.
Karelinokov gets underhooks to prevent Finnes's takedown attempt.
Fedor Karelinokov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kjetil Finnes.
Karelinokov is working Finnes over against the cage.

Finnes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Karelinokov uses from the top position.
Finnes trying to control the position.
Karelinokov won't allow Finnes to sweep him here.
Finnes is looking to stand up but Karelinokov isn't so interested in that idea.
Finnes is breathing heavily.
Karelinokov controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Finnes pushes Karelinokov off and scrambles back to his feet.
Finnes punishes Karelinokov's body with a nice straight punch.
Finnes is looking to land body kicks.
Karelinokov is looking to clinch.
Finnes tries for a takedown but Karelinokov circles away easily

and Karelinokov counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Finnes tries to kick Karelinokov off but Karelinokov keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Fedor Karelinokov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelinokov prevents Finnes from improving his position.
Finnes trying to hold on to Karelinokov's head to control him but Karelinokov postures up.
Karelinokov controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karelinokov's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Finnes is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Karelinokov's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Karelinokov's back!
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Finnes's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Finnes lands strikes to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Karelinokov dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Karelinokov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Finnes tries to avoid it but Karelinokov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Finnes to the ground. Finnes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Karelinokov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Finnes looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Finnes tries to improve position but can't.
Karelinokov tries to move to mount but Finnes blocks the move with his legs.
Karelinokov staying calm.
Karelinokov working the ground and pound.
Finnes tries to escape but Karelinokov is in control.
Karelinokov controls the position from side control.
Karelinokov gets to mount! Finnes was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finnes really wants to buck Karelinokov off and get back to his feet.
Karelinokov wants to control the pace but Finnes is squirming around nicely.
Finnes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Finnes wants to control but Karelinokov is having none of it.
Finnes is in all sorts of trouble here.
Finnes regains half guard.
Finnes manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Finnes is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Karelinokov wants to control from the top but Finnes keeps moving.
Finnes wants to sweep here but Karelinokov controlling him for the moment.
Finnes is trying to keep Karelinokov in close.
Karelinokov wants to pass the guard but Finnes is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelinokov throws a strike but Finnes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Finnes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Karelinokov is trying to keep Finnes in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Finnes with a lazy takedown attempt

and Karelinokov counters with a nice double leg into side control. Finnes won't be happy with that.
Finnes tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Finnes is trying to control Karelinokov's posture but Karelinokov avoids it.
Karelinokov is looking to take a break and control but Finnes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finnes is trying to get back to half guard.
Finnes can't do much from the bottom here.
Finnes gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Finnes slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Finnes lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Kjetil Finnes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Karelinokov has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Finnes thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fedor Karelinokov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Karelinokov, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fedor Karelinokov!