PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Doyle Brunson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vitaly Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karelin has chosen Russian National Anthem as his entrance music. Vitaly Karelin has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Brunson
vs
Karelin

188 cm
27
260 lbs
16 - 2 - 0

183 cm
28
289 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Highland Clothing

Highland Clothing
Zenith Nutrition (160q)

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 16 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Doyle Brunson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Vitaly Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Colin Fotheringham and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karelin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Brunson has been working on his boxing with his coaches at London MMA Club in the buildup to the fight.
Karelin misses with a hook
and Brunson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

It looks like Vitaly Karelin has been cut.
The fighters circle momentarily. Karelin darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Karelin has a takedown stuffed.
Brunson misses with a double jab.
Brunson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Karelin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Karelin drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Brunson defends it well.
Brunson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Karelin.
Brunson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Karelin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Karelin moves away from the strike by Brunson.
Brunson throws the left hand but Karelin avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brunson tries to close the distance and clinch but Karelin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Karelin takes a swing at Brunson's ribcage but misses.
Karelin takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A swing and a miss from Brunson.
Brunson fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Karelin looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Brunson ducks right into an uppercut from Karelin.
Brunson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Brunson tests Karelin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Karelin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Karelin closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Brunson's guard.
Brunson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Brunson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Brunson tries to get out of the position.
Karelin postures up in Brunson's guard and throws a big left but Brunson blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Karelin working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Brunson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Karelin stopping the sweep attempt from Brunson.
Brunson is pulling down on Karelin's head to control his posture.
Karelin throws a big elbow that misses.
Karelin sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Brunson throws a looping overhand right but Karelin ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brunson misses with a wild combination.
Brunson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Karelin.
Karelin is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Brunson with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Karelin to score with a decent uppercut.
A cross from Karelin lands.

Brunson forces Karelin back against the cage and clinches.
Brunson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Karelin controlling the action here for a moment.

Karelin wants the takedown. Brunson is fighting it off but Karelin persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Brunson's guard against the cage.
Karelin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karelin preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin looking to pass the guard.
Brunson wants to improve his position but instead Karelin has moved into half guard.
Brunson trying to hold on to Karelin's head to control him but Karelin postures up.
Brunson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Karelin is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Karelin lands a nice short elbow.
Brunson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Karelin on the ground.
Karelin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Vitaly Karelin will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vitaly Karelin's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Brunson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Karelin counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Karelin.
Brunson trying to control the position.
Karelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Brunson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Brunson looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Brunson trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brunson keeping moving, preventing Karelin from controlling successfully.
Brunson is pulling down on Karelin's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Brunson's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Brunson has hold of Karelin's hands but Karelin slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Brunson wants to control but Karelin passes into side.
Brunson struggling a bit here.
Karelin misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Karelin sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Brunson is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Brunson is working to avoid the ground and pound but Karelin connects with a decent elbow.
Karelin throws a strike aimed at the side of Brunson's head but Brunson avoids it well.
Karelin working away.
Karelin tries to move to mount but Brunson blocks the move with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Brunson is avoiding damage well.
Brunson tries to improve position but can't.
Karelin creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Karelin is looking to take a break and control but Brunson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Karelin misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Karelin throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin is putting a hurting on Brunson here, landing some big shots from side control.
Brunson avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Karelin.
Karelin fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Brunson avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Karelin.
Karelin landing a few strikes.
Brunson struggling a bit here.
Karelin is working Brunson over with some ground and pound from side control.
Karelin landing strikes.
Brunson tries to buck Karelin off but Karelin is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brunson takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Brunson is rocked!
Karelin cracks Brunson with a big elbow. Oh, he's hurt! Karelin immediately mounts and start dropping bombs! Brunson is done! The referee jumps in and saves him from any more punishment - a quick and decisive finish by Karelin!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vitaly Karelin!
Vitaly Karelin managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Highland Clothing, into his post fight interview.