PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleksandr Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Stoner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thomas Stoner is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Karelin
vs
Stoner

190 cm
22
275 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
19
265 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Nordic Battle Gear
Einherjer RAW Nutrition

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 Las Vegas, Aleksandr Karelin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Stoner!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Chris Downing and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stoner shoots in and bounces Karelin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Stoner wants to get up but he can't break Karelin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Karelin tries to strike from the bottom.
Karelin trying to control the position.
Stoner wants to stand but Karelin is controlling his posture from full guard.
Karelin lands a couple of shots from the bottom.
Stoner wanted to stand there but Karelin had control of the position.
Stoner trying to control the position from guard on top but Karelin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karelin striking off his back but it's not causing Stoner any problems.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Karelin avoids a kick to the body.

Stoner decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Stoner seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Karelin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Karelin tries to roll over but Stoner keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stoner trying to control from half guard but Karelin is working away.
Karelin on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Karelin tries to get out of the position.
Karelin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Karelin trying to control from the bottom.
Stoner wants to lay and pray for a moment but Karelin keeps working.
Karelin is trying to get back to full guard.
Karelin punching from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Karelin shoots in but no luck this time.
Karelin has his takedown stuffed
and Stoner counters with a two punch combo.
Stoner throws a leg kick but Karelin checks it.

Karelin scores a takedown into full mount!
Karelin is breathing heavily.
Stoner tries to lock up and control but Karelin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin won't let Stoner get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Stoner tries to lock up and control but Karelin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Stoner bucks up and throws Karelin to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Karelin looks to land a left hand but Stoner moved out of range nicely.

Karelin drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Karelin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stoner works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Karelin chips away with some ground and pound.
Stoner trying to keep a closed guard but Karelin is proving a slippery customer.
Stoner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Karelin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Karelin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Karelin works over Stoner with some ground and pound from guard.
Karelin chips away with some ground and pound.
Stoner is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Karelin is controlling him.
Karelin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stoner wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Stoner scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Karelin with a poor takedown

and Stoner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aleksandr Karelin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karelin trying to control but Stoner postures up.
Stoner is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Karelin is trying to get back to full guard.
Stoner wants to take a breather but Karelin is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stoner decides to stand and escape the position.
Stoner takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Karelin feints and as Stoner raises his hands in defense, Karelin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karelin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karelin postures up in Stoner's guard and throws a big left but Stoner blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karelin chips away with some ground and pound.
Karelin is looking to work some ground and pound but Stoner has wrist control.
Stoner is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Karelin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Karelin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Stoner dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Karelin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Stoner is pushing Karelin's head away, looking to escape. Karelin manages to hold on to the position though.
Karelin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stoner keeps working.
Stoner is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karelin is putting a hurting on Stoner here, landing some big shots from side control.
Aleksandr Karelin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stoner is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Stoner is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Karelin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Karelin lands a nice forearm strike.
Karelin in side control lands a decent elbow.
Stoner takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Check out the look on Karelin's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Stoner tries to escape but Karelin is in control.
Karelin scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Stoner to see if he's OK.
Stoner gets back to half guard.
Karelin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Karelin prevents Stoner from improving his position.
Karelin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Karelin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Stoner does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Karelin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Stoner with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Stoner wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Karelin closes the distance and clinches up with Stoner, looking for a takedown. Karelin pushes Stoner against the cage but Stoner circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
No joy there for Stoner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Karelin jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Karelin misses the body punch
and Stoner counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Karelin is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Karelin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Karelin showed some decent athleticism there.
Stoner is looking to control Karelin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Stoner avoid being mounted?
Karelin is nestled in close to Stoner, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Stoner pushes Karelin off looking to stand but Karelin dives back in and keeps control.
Karelin looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Karelin working the head and body with strikes.
Karelin working Stoner over with strikes.
Karelin stops Stoner from getting back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Stoner throws a series of punches but Karelin moves out of range.

Karelin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Stoner is looking to stand up but Karelin isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin cracks Stoner with a solid left hand.
Karelin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Karelin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stoner doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

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

Stoner closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Stoner decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Karelin shoots in and bounces Stoner off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Stoner is trying to keep Karelin in close.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stoner wants to stand and escape but Karelin is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Karelin dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Karelin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Karelin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Stoner misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Stoner closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Karelin misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Stoner decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Stoner!
Karelin fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aleksandr Karelin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karelin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stoner.
Stoner misses with a series of wild punches.

Karelin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Karelin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Karelin scoring with strikes but Stoner is staying in there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stoner is working to get back to half guard.
Karelin lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Stoner hang on?
Karelin with good strikes from the mount here!
Stoner is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Karelin landing strikes, looking to finish!
Stoner tries to hold on but Karelin pushes him away.
Stoner wants to try and get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Karelin.
Stoner tries to hold on but Karelin pushes him away.
Stoner is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Karelin landing strikes, looking to finish!
Karelin with the ground and pound from mount.
Stoner in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Karelin thowing shots but they're missing.
Karelin landing strikes from the mount and Stoner is in trouble!
Karelin looking to finish Stoner with some ground and pound. This is bad for Stoner!

Stoner bucks up and throws Karelin to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Stoner scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Nice takedown defense from Stoner. No joy for Karelin on that attempt.
Stoner tries to bum rush Karelin with a series of wild strikes but Karelin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Stoner misses with a wild combination.
Karelin misses with a takedown attempt
and Stoner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Karelin.
Karelin dodges the punch combination from Stoner.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Karelin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Stoner counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Stoner gets to his feet - Karelin follows without any prompting.
Karelin listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Stoner throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Karelin misses with a takedown attempt

and Stoner counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Karelin wants to sweep but no luck.
Karelin will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Karelin looking for a sweep. Not yet Karelin, not yet.
Stoner wants to get up but he can't break Karelin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Karelin wants to hit a switch here but Stoner passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Karelin there!
Stoner trying to control but Karelin is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stoner controlling from the full mount.
Stoner looking to control but Karelin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stoner prevents Karelin from getting the reversal.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Stoner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stoner has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Stoner!