PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleksanteri Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Giuseppe Maldini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karelin kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is CCCP. Maldini has chosen Just one cornetto as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Karelin
vs
Maldini

191 cm
30
286 lbs
23 - 16 - 0

210 cm
30
275 lbs
18 - 12 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Sun-Tzu

Spartan Nutrition
GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aleksanteri Karelin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Giuseppe Maldini!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karelin tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Karelin stalks Maldini and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Maldini's face. Maldini staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Giuseppe Maldini has been cut.
Maldini tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Karelin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Karelin is in close to Maldini's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Karelin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Karelin controlling from the top position.
Karelin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin looking to pass the guard.
Maldini is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Karelin throwing strikes from guard but Maldini blocks nicely.
Maldini utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Karelin controls from within his opponent's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Karelin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Maldini being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Maldini lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Giuseppe Maldini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karelin ducks right into an uppercut from Maldini.

It looks like Aleksanteri Karelin has been cut.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Maldini.
Karelin swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Maldini.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Maldini.
Maldini lands a head kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini throws an overhand right that lands on Karelin's shoulder, as Karelin tries to avoid the shot.
A quick step to the side and Karelin tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Karelin lands a jab to the head.
Giuseppe Maldini is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Karelin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Maldini counters with a nice uppercut.
Karelin gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Maldini.
A head kick from Maldini lands but Karelin takes it in his stride.
Karelin takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Maldini misses with a looping left.
Karelin drops down looking for a counter takedown but Maldini sprawls and moves away.
Maldini lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Aleksanteri Karelin's cut is getting worse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maldini throws a body shot but no joy.
Karelin definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Maldini throws a nice head kick!
Karelin moves out of range as Maldini strikes.
Karelin feinted with a counter takedown.
Maldini tries to clinch up

and Karelin counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Maldini!
Maldini is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Karelin tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Giuseppe Maldini will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Maldini misses with the combination.
A little feinted left hand from Karelin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Maldini misses with an uppercut.
Karelin half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Maldini cracks Karelin with an open hand slap.
Maldini misses with a left hand

and Karelin counters with a single leg into guard. Maldini didn't expect that.
Karelin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Karelin wants to pass the guard but Maldini is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Karelin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Karelin is looking to work some ground and pound but Maldini has wrist control.
Karelin wants to control from the top but Maldini keeps moving.
Karelin throws an elbow that misses. Maldini uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Karelin's guard. Nice move by Maldini!

Maldini 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.
Maldini won't allow Karelin to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Karelin has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Maldini wants to stand but Karelin has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Maldini tries a head kick but it misses.
Karelin drops down looking for a counter takedown but Maldini sprawls and moves away.
Maldini misses with an attempted mid kick.
Karelin throwing a counter right hand but Maldini manages to avoid it.
Maldini looks to land a right hand but Karelin moved out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini throws a nice outside leg kick.
Karelin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maldini.
Maldini throws a nice looking combination but Karelin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Maldini misses with an uppercut
and Karelin makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Maldini misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Karelin.
Maldini plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
A left lands for Karelin.
Karelin throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Maldini to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Maldini is breathing heavily.
A head kick misses from Maldini.
Karelin half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Karelin gets tackled into the cage by Maldini. Maldini maintains the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maldini wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A short left from Karelin.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Maldini lands a head kick!

Aleksanteri Karelin's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Maldini thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maldini throws a head kick but Karelin moves out of range.
Maldini feints a jab promting Karelin to slip. Maldini then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Karelin slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giuseppe Maldini showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Maldini moves to clinch but Karelin breaks away
and Karelin counters with a nice body shot.
Maldini looks to land a left hand but Karelin moved out of range nicely.
Karelin connects with the punch.
A jab from Karelin finds it's way through Maldini's defenses.
Karelin misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Maldini to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karelin swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Maldini finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Karelin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Karelin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini throws a sloppy head kick and Karelin moves out of range easily.
Karelin half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Maldini throws a head kick that misses.
Karelin tries to counter with a takedown but Maldini is quick to defend against it.
Maldini throws a lazy uppercut

and Karelin counters with a shoot takedown. Maldini fights it but they end up in guard.
Karelin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karelin throwing strikes but missing.
Aleksanteri Karelin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Karelin wants to pass the guard but Maldini is keeping the position.
Maldini preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Aleksanteri Karelin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Maldini is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karelin looking to pass the guard.
Karelin wants to control from the top but Maldini keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Karelin throws a body shot but no joy.
Maldini throws a lazy right hand but Karelin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Karelin drops down looking for a counter takedown but Maldini sprawls and moves away.
Karelin scores with a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Maldini.
Maldini swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Maldini takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Maldini takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Karelin cracks Maldini with an uppercut from hell and Maldini crumples to the canvas, he's out! Oh no, he's recovered and he's grabbed one of Karelin's legs and pulled him into guard. The ref thought about stopping it there but he's let it go - good reffing!
Karelin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Karelin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Karelin trying to control but Maldini is working from the bottom.
Maldini avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Karelin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Karelin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Giuseppe Maldini is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Karelin controls the pace.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Maldini keeping moving, preventing Karelin from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Karelin scores with a hook to the body. Maldini takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Maldini gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Karelin.
A slow jab from Karelin misses its intended target.
Maldini unleashes a big counter combination but Karelin bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Karelin keeps the fight on the outside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksanteri Karelin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maldini has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Giuseppe Maldini!
Giuseppe Maldini looked relieved post fight as he said the following; 'Another win thats 3 in a row MENTOR get the champ in this cage so i can hand him his ass.'.