PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alphonse Foley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Foley
vs
Vladimirovich Emelianenko

203 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

195 cm
22
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alphonse Foley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko !
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Dmitry Maklakov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emelianenko fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Foley closes the distance and clinches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Emelianenko tries to circle away but Foley has him pinned against the cage.

Foley breaks from the clinch.
Foley takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Emelianenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Emelianenko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Emelianenko shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Foley counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Foley connects with a jab.
Nice sprawl there from Foley as Emelianenko shoots in.
Alphonse Foley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko .
Foley shoots in but Emelianenko avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko fails to land the takedown.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Emelianenko misses with a body kick.

Emelianenko clinches with his opponent.
Foley's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Foley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Emelianenko fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Foley shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Emelianenko counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foley keeps the fight on the outside.

Emelianenko has Foley up against the cage in a clinch.
Foley slowing the pace effectively.

Foley manages to break the clinch.
Emelianenko scores with a jab. Foley acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Foley dodges the punch combination from Emelianenko .
Emelianenko throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Foley's waist but Foley gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Emelianenko off to one side.

Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches.
Emelianenko throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foley looking to throw knees to the head but Emelianenko is blocking nicely.
Foley prevents a takedown attempt there.
Foley slows down the pace here.
Emelianenko tries to pull guard but Foley forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Foley gets underhooks to prevent Emelianenko 's takedown attempt.
Emelianenko jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Foley walks away with a smile on his face. Emelianenko gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Emelianenko closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Foley quickly recovers to half guard.

Foley is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Emelianenko pulls his head out easily.
Emelianenko prevents Foley from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko is trying to control the action in half guard but Foley is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Foley moves into full guard.
Emelianenko loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Emelianenko wants to control from the top but Foley keeps moving.
Emelianenko is stalling in the full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Emelianenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Foley is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Emelianenko trying to control but Foley is working from the bottom.
Emelianenko preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko wasn't active enough on the ground.
Foley doesn't manage to clinch there - Emelianenko circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Emelianenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Foley is looking to clinch but Emelianenko is avoiding it.

Emelianenko clinches.
Foley tries to break the clinch but Emelianenko is controlling the position.
Foley tries for a takedown. No joy.
Emelianenko drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Foley gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Emelianenko is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Foley to keep the fight standing.
Foley can't break the clinch.

Foley manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Emelianenko as Foley shoots in.
The fight stays on the outside here - Emelianenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Foley lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Foley swats away the attempt to clinch by Emelianenko .
Foley takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Foley is looking to clinch.

Emelianenko pushes Foley up against the cage in a clinch.

Foley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Emelianenko throws a body kick that misses.
Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Emelianenko darts in and clinches Foley up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Foley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Emelianenko has closed the distance and engaged Foley in a clinch.
Foley tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Emelianenko smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alphonse Foley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Emelianenko fails with the takedown.
Emelianenko misses with a two punch combination.
Foley tries to clinch there but Emelianenko circles away.
Foley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Foley as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foley shoots in looking for a takedown. Emelianenko tries to sprawl out of it but Foley keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Emelianenko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Horrible takedown attempt by Foley or perhaps it was just good defense by Emelianenko , which made it look bad.
Good work by Emelianenko as he checks the leg kick.
Emelianenko stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Foley shoots for a takedown but Emelianenko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Emelianenko dives in and grabs Foley's left leg, looking for a takedown. Foley pushes down on Emelianenko 's head and hops out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Emelianenko closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Emelianenko works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Emelianenko cracks Foley with a big right hand but Foley just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
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!
Foley tries to bench press Emelianenko off him but Emelianenko keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Foley is trying to buck Emelianenko off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Foley is trying to improve his position.
Emelianenko advances nicely into full mount.
Emelianenko with the ground and pound from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Foley is desperately trying to improve his position but Emelianenko has a good base and remains in mount.
Foley slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Emelianenko is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Foley won't allow Emelianenko to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Foley darts in looking for a takedown but Emelianenko gets double underhooks and turns Foley into the cage.
Emelianenko prevents a body shot from Foley.
Emelianenko wants a takedown.
A right hook to the body lands for Emelianenko .
Foley drops down looking for an ankle pick but Emelianenko pulls his leg out and moves away.

Emelianenko clinches.
Emelianenko keeps control of Foley as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Foley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches up with Foley, looking for a takedown. Emelianenko pushes Foley against the cage but Foley circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Emelianenko moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A left hand lands to the body for Foley.

Emelianenko has clasped his hands together around Foley's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Emelianenko thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Foley tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Emelianenko wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Foley manages to work his way to half guard, despite Emelianenko 's best efforts.
Foley is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Emelianenko 's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Emelianenko 's back!
Emelianenko tries to break free.

Emelianenko defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Foley doesn't have the hooks in and Emelianenko manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Foley can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Emelianenko controls the pace.

Emelianenko gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Emelianenko fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Alphonse Foley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko .
Emelianenko dives in and grabs Foley's left leg, looking for a takedown. Foley pushes down on Emelianenko 's head and hops out.
Foley tries to close the distance and clinch but Emelianenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Foley misses with a takedown attempt - Emelianenko sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Foley decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Foley is thwarting Emelianenko 's attempts to control the position.
Emelianenko pushes Foley off looking to stand but Foley dives back in and keeps control.

Emelianenko looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Emelianenko wants to control but Foley is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Emelianenko has a takedown stuffed.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Emelianenko . He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Foley tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Emelianenko counters by clinching up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Emelianenko 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko !