PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hone Huia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Emelianenko
vs
Huia

185 cm
22
215 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

190 cm
28
205 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alexander Emelianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Hone Huia!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Roger Salmon and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Emelianenko looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Emelianenko wants to control from the top but Huia keeps moving.
Emelianenko preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Huia pulls Emelianenko in close to his closed guard and prevents Emelianenko from doing any damage or advancing position.
Huia wants to sweep here but Emelianenko controlling him for the moment.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Emelianenko's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Huia wants to hit a switch here but Emelianenko passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Huia there!
Emelianenko avoids the attempt from Huia to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Emelianenko looking to secure an arm triangle but Huia defends it well.
Huia is squirming around, avoiding Emelianenko's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huia is working to get back to half guard.
Emelianenko pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Emelianenko with shots to the head and body - Huia looks very uncomfortable down there.
Huia gets back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Emelianenko is pressing down on Huia's thigh, looking to free his foot. Huia is holding on for now.
Huia wants to control but Emelianenko is keeping busy.
Emelianenko is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Emelianenko working the ground and pound effectively.
Huia doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?

Emelianenko wants to finish this one by submission but Huia is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Emelianenko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Emelianenko is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Huia has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Emelianenko landing shots from mount.
Huia wants to control but Emelianenko is having none of it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Emelianenko has hold of Huia's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Huia manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Huia tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Emelianenko in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Emelianenko is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Huia is surviving well by controlling Emelianenko's body position as best he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko landing punches.

Emelianenko has control of Huia's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Huia regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Huia sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Huia desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Emelianenko lands with a punch from half guard.
Emelianenko prevents Huia from improving his position.
Emelianenko is nestled in close to Huia, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Emelianenko not doing much here.
Huia gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Emelianenko trying to move into half guard but instead Huia has managed to sweep!

Emelianenko working for a triangle but Huia defends it easily.
Huia wants to control from the top but Emelianenko keeps moving.
Emelianenko lands an upkick as Huia stands over him.

Emelianenko looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Huia trying to control but Emelianenko is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Emelianenko dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Emelianenko throws a lazy right hand but Huia sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A little jabbing left from Huia on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Huia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Emelianenko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Emelianenko fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Good exchange - Emelianenko coming out on top.

Emelianenko fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Huia to the ground. Emelianenko is now in Huia's guard.
Huia trying to keep a closed guard but Emelianenko is proving a slippery customer.
Huia wants to sweep here but Emelianenko controlling him for the moment.
Emelianenko lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Huia working a defensive guard here.
Alexander Emelianenko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Emelianenko advances to half guard.
Huia trying to control but Emelianenko postures up.

Emelianenko is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Huia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Emelianenko.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko is thwarting Huia's attempts to control the position.
Emelianenko wants to free his trapped foot but Huia is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Huia tries to roll over but Emelianenko keeps him under control.
Huia trying to control from the bottom.
Emelianenko is keen to just control but Huia is a slippery customer.
Huia moves into full guard.
Emelianenko looking to pass the guard.
Emelianenko postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Emelianenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Huia is keeping the position for now.
Emelianenko content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Emelianenko wants to control from the top but Huia keeps moving.

Emelianenko is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Emelianenko postures up.
Emelianenko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Huia swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Huia is looking for a triangle but Emelianenko pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Huia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Emelianenko is pushing down on Huia's leg trying to pass to half guard. Huia is fighting to maintain full guard but Emelianenko has managed to sneak the leg through.
Emelianenko trying to control the action but Huia is working from the bottom.

Emelianenko is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Huia has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Emelianenko is working away from the top position though.
Emelianenko looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Emelianenko has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Huia trying to control from the bottom.

Emelianenko is working for a kimura but Huia is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Huia is looking for a sweep. Emelianenko is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Emelianenko is trying to work for a kimura but Huia is defending well.

Emelianenko is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Huia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Emelianenko.
Emelianenko controlling the action here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Emelianenko is trying to control the action in half guard but Huia is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Emelianenko dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Emelianenko looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Huia!
Huia gets back to half guard.
Emelianenko throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Huia to regain full guard.
Emelianenko looking to pass the guard.
Huia controls Emelianenko momentarily but Emelianenko frees himself.
Huia wants to control but Emelianenko passes easily into half guard.

Emelianenko is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Huia defends it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Huia is trying to maintain the position but Emelianenko is very close to passing his half guard.

Emelianenko is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Emelianenko wants to work for an arm triangle but Huia is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Emelianenko trying to pass the guard but Huia defending well.

Emelianenko is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Huia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Emelianenko.
Huia is staying active underneath Emelianenko, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Emelianenko drops an elbow to the side of Huia's head.
Huia is trying to get back to full guard.

Emelianenko is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Huia is just riding it out for now. Emelianenko eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Emelianenko is looking for a kimura but Huia is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Emelianenko to get the leverage.
Emelianenko looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Huia trying to hold on to Emelianenko's head to control him but Emelianenko postures up.
Huia controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Emelianenko is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Huia sees it coming and defends easily.
Hone Huia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Emelianenko uses his free foot to push down on Huia's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Huia.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Huia can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Emelianenko postures up and connects with a big shot that has rocked Huia badly. He's trying desperately to grab hold of Emelianenko around the waist but Emelianenko pushes him off and unloads with more strikes, forcing the referee to jump in and save him! Emelianenko is the winner by TKO! Emelianenko jumps onto the cage and shouts into the camera. "We did it momma!"

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Alexander Emelianenko!
An out of breath Alexander Emelianenko thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.