PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vitaly Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roman Sionis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Karelin
vs
Sionis

183 cm
34
289 lbs
19 - 6 - 0

200 cm
34
250 lbs
26 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
Aspire Nutrition

Aspire Clothing

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 19 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Vitaly Karelin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roman Sionis!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karelin throws a big shot that misses.
Vitaly Karelin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karelin jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Karelin slips under a jab from Sionis.
A left lands for Sionis.

It looks like Vitaly Karelin has been cut.
Sionis throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Karelin looks for a takedown but Sionis sprawls well.
Sionis misses with a hook

and Karelin counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
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.

It looks like Roman Sionis has been cut.
Nice strikes from Karelin there.
Ground and pound from Karelin.

That has opened up Roman Sionis's cut even more.
Sionis trying to control from the bottom.
Sionis is looking to improve his position.
Karelin winds up and cracks Sionis with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sionis tries to get to full guard but Karelin has control of the leg.
Sionis keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Sionis wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sionis manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Sionis managing to control the position.
Sionis has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Phoenix Fight Team. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Sionis is trying to keep Karelin in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Karelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Sionis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karelin throws a big elbow that misses.
Sionis can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Karelin controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sionis seems keen to control Karelin's posture.
Karelin wants to pass the guard but Sionis is keeping the position.
Karelin postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Sionis. Karelin shrugs it off though.
Karelin misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Karelin.
Karelin dives in for a single leg takedown but Sionis sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Karelin misses with a jab to the body
and Sionis counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sionis jabs Karelin to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Karelin shoots in and drives through. Sionis sprawls well.
Sionis feints a counter leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitaly Karelin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sionis throws a head kick that misses.
Karelin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sionis lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sionis misses with a kick to the body.
Karelin shoots in and drives through. Sionis sprawls well.
Karelin looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Karelin swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Sionis counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sionis keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sionis throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Sionis throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Karelin sees it coming and avoids it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sionis lands a nice shot to the body.
Karelin sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Karelin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Sionis counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Karelin misses with a straight right.
Nice sprawl there from Sionis as Karelin shoots in.
Karelin tries for a takedown but Sionis circles away easily
and Karelin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Karelin is breathing heavily.
Sionis fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Sionis lands a nice looking body shot.
Karelin moves forwards but Sionis connects with a nice, crisp jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Sionis dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Donk. Sionis catches Karelin right on the button with a cross.
Good standup being displayed there by Sionis as he connects with a hook.
Karelin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sionis tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Karelin was well out of range. Poor timing from Sionis.
A lazy left from Sionis finds it's target.
Karelin rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Karelin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Karelin ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Karelin has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Karelin there as he acknowledges the shot.
A chopping leg kick lands by Sionis.
Karelin throws a body shot but no joy.
Sionis only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Karelin shoots for a takedown but Sionis saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sionis is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Karelin on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Karelin is defended easily by Sionis.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitaly Karelin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
That kick from Sionis tenderised Karelin's leg. Karelin is trying to keep his angry face on.
Karelin darts in looking for a takedown but Sionis gets double underhooks and turns Karelin into the cage.
Sionis throws a hook but Karelin blocks it.
Karelin misses with a two punch combination.
Karelin misses with a lunging right hand
and Sionis counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sionis throws a right and a left that Karelin avoids nicely.
Sionis scores with a leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sionis.
Sionis misses with a wild body shot.
Karelin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Roman Sionis is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin misses with a body shot
and Sionis counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Vitaly Karelin's cut is getting worse.
Sionis lands a leg kick that knocks Karelin off balance momentarily.
Karelin blocks a jab.
Karelin throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sionis counters with a leg kick.
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!
Sionis takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

The cut above Roman Sionis's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Sionis ducks right into an uppercut from Karelin.
Karelin defending well as Sionis loads up on a big left hand.
Karelin feinted with a counter takedown.
Karelin misses with an uppercut
and Sionis counters with an outside leg kick.
Karelin misses with a right hand
and Sionis counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sionis misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Karelin is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sionis's half guard.
Sionis pushes Karelin off but Karelin dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin trying to control the position but Sionis is working away.
You can see the frustration on Sionis's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Karelin throws a strike aimed at the side of Sionis's head but Sionis avoids it well.
Sionis defending against the ground and pound.
Sionis has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sionis is looking to reverse the position.
Vitaly Karelin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin working the ground and pound but Sionis is defending the strikes.
Sionis tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Karelin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sionis tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Sionis really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Karelin cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Roman Sionis's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Vitaly Karelin!
The defeated Roman Sionis had this to say: 'My Achilles heel. My kryptonite. Damn you Heart Breaker!'.