PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vitaly Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keijo Virtanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Karelin might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Russian National Anthem. Virtanen is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Maamme Laulu. Vitaly Karelin is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Karelin
vs
Virtanen

183 cm
27
286 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

188 cm
28
250 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Fast

Spartan 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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Vitaly Karelin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Keijo Virtanen!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Ackerman and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Virtanen slips under a jab.
Karelin scores with a nice strike.

Karelin moves into the clinch successfully.
Karelin lands an uppercut.
Virtanen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Karelin smiles and moves away.
Karelin takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

It looks like Vitaly Karelin has been cut.
Karelin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Karelin misses with an attempted mid kick.
Karelin throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Virtanen with the counter takedown but Karelin avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karelin tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Virtanen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Virtanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Karelin is just out of range.
Virtanen moves out of range as Karelin strikes.
Virtanen tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Virtanen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Karelin manages to avoid it.
Karelin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Vitaly Karelin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left lands for Karelin.
Karelin keeps the fight on the outside.
Vitaly Karelin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Virtanen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Karelin manages to avoid it.
Karelin avoids the body shot from Virtanen.
Virtanen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Karelin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Virtanen.
Karelin does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Virtanen misses with a wild body shot.
Karelin seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Nice shot lands for Virtanen.
Virtanen misses with an uppercut.
Karelin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Virtanen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Virtanen misses with a body shot
and Karelin counters with a one-two to the body.
Karelin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Virtanen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin scores with a hook to the body. Virtanen takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Some wild striking there from Karelin.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Virtanen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Karelin misses with a head kick.
Karelin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Virtanen.
Karelin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Virtanen tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Virtanen shoots in for a double leg but Karelin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Karelin tries to counter by clinching up but Virtanen breaks away and moves out of range.
Karelin throws a sloppy head kick and Virtanen moves out of range easily.
Virtanen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Karelin defends it nicely.
Vitaly Karelin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Keijo Virtanen.
A shot to the body from Karelin misses

and Virtanen counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Karelin holds on and takes a little breather.
Karelin keeping full guard, as Virtanen tries to pass.
Virtanen stopping the sweep attempt from Karelin.

Virtanen drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Karelin dives on top into guard.
Karelin preventing the sweep.
Karelin is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Virtanen has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Karelin is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Virtanen.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Virtanen moves out of range of the strikes.
Virtanen throws a hook to the side of Karelin's head but Karelin sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Virtanen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Karelin misses the shot to the body.
Karelin ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Virtanen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Karelin defends it nicely.
Karelin looks to score with a jab to the body but Virtanen is just out of range.
Virtanen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Karelin slips a jab from Virtanen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitaly Karelin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vitaly Karelin's cut.
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.

Karelin clinches.
Virtanen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Virtanen blocks a body shot from Karelin.
Virtanen jumps guard but Karelin stands there with Virtanen around his waist. Virtanen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Karelin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Virtanen backwards.
Karelin stalling.
Karelin working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Virtanen blocks the elbow strike.
Karelin stalling the fight.
Virtanen fails to pull guard.
Vitaly Karelin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Keijo Virtanen.
Virtanen is trying to pull guard but Karelin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Virtanen tries to pull guard but Karelin holds him up against the cage and eventually Virtanen drops back down to his feet.
Karelin lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Virtanen or not.
Virtanen jumps guard but Karelin turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Virtanen is trying to pull guard but Karelin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A short right from Karelin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Virtanen jumps guard but Karelin turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Virtanen is trying to pull guard but Karelin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Karelin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Virtanens head.
Karelin pushes Virtanen back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Virtanen is breathing heavily.
Karelin slows down the pace here.
Karelin lands an uppercut.
Karelin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Karelin unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Virtanen! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Karelin is unloading with more strikes now! Virtanen drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vitaly Karelin!
In his post fight interview, Vitaly Karelin started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.