PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Karol Cropp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Garik Harlamov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cropp
vs
Harlamov

209 cm
28
290 lbs
19 - 8 - 0

206 cm
33
275 lbs
22 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Milwaukee's Best 160

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 19 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Karol Cropp!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Garik Harlamov!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Igor Prikhodko and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harlamov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Harlamov postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Cropp struggling a bit here.
Cropp is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harlamov throws an elbow but Cropp slips to the side and avoids it well.
Cropp is trying to control Harlamov's posture but Harlamov avoids it.
Cropp is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cropp parries the strikes from Harlamov easily there. Harlamov is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Cropp to escape.
Cropp wants to control but Harlamov postures up.
Harlamov scores with punches from side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cropp is working to avoid the ground and pound but Harlamov connects with a decent elbow.

Harlamov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cropp has escaped the position, nice work there.

Harlamov looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Harlamov in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harlamov throws an elbow but Cropp slips to the side and avoids it well.
Cropp struggling a bit here.

Harlamov working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cropp manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Cropp is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Harlamov scores with a couple of nice shots.
Cropp trying to control but Harlamov postures up.
Cropp avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Harlamov.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Harlamov not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Harlamov is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Harlamov is looking for a kimura but Cropp is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Harlamov to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cropp looking for submissions off his back.

Harlamov looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Cropp moves into full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harlamov throws a big elbow that misses.
Harlamov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Harlamov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cropp keeping moving, preventing Harlamov from controlling successfully.
Cropp wants to sweep here but Harlamov controlling him for the moment.
Harlamov chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harlamov stopping the sweep attempt from Cropp.
Cropp has Harlamov pulled in close to control his posture.
Cropp is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Cropp working for a triangle but Harlamov defends it easily.
Cropp keeping moving, preventing Harlamov from controlling successfully.
Cropp not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cropp looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Harlamov postures up in Cropp's guard and throws a big left but Cropp blocks it.
Harlamov preventing the sweep.
Harlamov postures up and lands a big shot to Cropp's brow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cropp escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Harlamov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Harlamov lands a couple of elbows.

Cropp escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Harlamov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
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!
Harlamov is looking to work some ground and pound but Cropp has wrist control.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Harlamov working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Cropp has control of Harlamov's left arm, preventing Harlamov from doing any damage.
Harlamov looking to pass the guard.

Cropp is looking for a triangle but Harlamov pushes his legs off easily.
Harlamov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Harlamov throws a big right hand that misses.

Harlamov got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cropp has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Harlamov has managed to get both his arms back between Cropp's legs - danger averted.
Cropp looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garik Harlamov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Harlamov drives through with a takedown into guard.
Harlamov postures up.
Harlamov is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Harlamov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Harlamov stands up over Cropp, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Harlamov keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cropp's head.
Harlamov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cropp works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Cropp has his foot on Harlamov's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Harlamov works his way back into a safe position though.
Cropp avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harlamov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Harlamov throwing strikes from guard but Cropp blocks nicely.
Harlamov passes into half guard.
Cropp taking some punishment here, with Harlamov in his half guard.
Cropp tries to get to full guard but Harlamov has control of the leg.

Harlamov is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Cropp sees it coming and defends easily.
Cropp is staying active underneath Harlamov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harlamov is thwarting Cropp's attempts to control the position.
Harlamov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Harlamov prevents Cropp from improving his position.

Cropp looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Harlamov seems to be working for a kimura but Cropp defends the submission attempt.
Cropp moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Harlamov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Harlamov won't allow Cropp to sweep him here.
Cropp seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Cropp manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cropp with good strikes from the mount here!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harlamov is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cropp is landing with some decent strikes but Harlamov is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Cropp avoids the attempt from Harlamov to control.
Cropp landing strikes, looking to finish!
Cropp scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cropp scoring with strikes but Harlamov is staying in there.
Cropp avoids the attempt from Harlamov to control.
We've been hearing that Cropp has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Harlamov takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Cropp cracks Harlamov with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Cropp scoring with strikes but Harlamov is staying in there.
Cropp lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Cropp can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Harlamov is looking to escape.
Harlamov taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cropp looking to finish Harlamov with some ground and pound. This is bad for Harlamov!
Cropp cracks Harlamov with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Karol Cropp!
Karol Cropp retains his super heavyweight title!
After the fight, Karol Cropp was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.