PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Eric Luke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fedor Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fedor Emelianenko will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Luke
vs
Emelianenko

175 cm
24
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Eric Luke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Fedor Emelianenko!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Colin Fray and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emelianenko shoots in and drives through. Luke sprawls well.
Emelianenko with a poor takedown

and Luke counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Luke.
Luke showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Emelianenko trying to keep a closed guard but Luke is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luke sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Emelianenko's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luke sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Luke connects with a nice short shot to Emelianenko's temple.
Luke winds up and cracks Emelianenko with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Luke slows the pace down in half guard.
Luke passes to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko is working to avoid the ground and pound but Luke connects with a decent elbow.
Luke lands some shots froms side control.
Luke staying calm.
Luke has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Luke moves into full mount!

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

Luke looking for a guillotine from mount but Emelianenko is having none of it.
Luke tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Luke has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Emelianenko's face.
Luke 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.
Luke with good strikes from the mount here!
Luke lands a heavy elbow.
Emelianenko looks winded!
Luke controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luke cracks Emelianenko with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Emelianenko is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Luke looking to control and managing it successfully.
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!
Emelianenko tries to control Luke's body but Luke pushes him off. Emelianenko squirms to his side and now Luke has his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Luke slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Luke dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Emelianenko goes for a double leg but Luke avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Luke continues to drive forward.

Luke has taken the fight to the clinch.

Luke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sloppy strikes from Luke. Those never looked like landing.

Luke shoots in and bounces Emelianenko off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Luke stands and steps away. Emelianenko gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Emelianenko tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Luke defends well and Emelianenko ends up having to push Luke into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Luke appears to be looking for a big counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Emelianenko is looking to clinch.

Emelianenko gets caught flat footed, as Luke shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Emelianenko is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Luke dives into side control.
Emelianenko is breathing heavily.
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!

Luke stands up and beckons Emelianenko to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Luke closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Emelianenko quickly recovers to half guard.
Emelianenko pushes Luke off but Luke dives into side control.
The referee asks Luke politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Luke prefers to stall for the moment though.
Emelianenko takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Luke creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Luke working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Emelianenko on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Luke looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee asks Luke politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Luke prefers to stall for the moment though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luke has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Emelianenko!
Luke controlling from mount.

Luke is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Luke shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Emelianenko manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Emelianenko is wriggling around but Luke manages to pass to half guard.

Emelianenko is in trouble now - Luke has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luke takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Luke is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Luke throws a head kick but Emelianenko moves out of range.

Luke shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Emelianenko is trying to defend but Luke finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Emelianenko pushes Luke off but Luke dives into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Luke dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Luke looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Luke wanted to stand there but Emelianenko had control of the position.
Luke works over Emelianenko with some ground and pound from guard.
Emelianenko really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Luke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Luke advances position into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Luke is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Emelianenko is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Emelianenko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Luke decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Luke feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Emelianenko is wriggling around but Luke manages to pass to half guard.

Nice strikes from Luke there.
Luke takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
It looks like Luke is going to stand back up.
Luke with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luke wants to stand but Emelianenko has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Luke working over Emelianenko with some ground and pound. Emelianenko looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Luke trying to control the pace.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Luke.
Luke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Emelianenko can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luke's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Luke passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Emelianenko!
Luke is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Emelianenko can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luke dominating with strikes here.
Luke punishing his opponent with strikes.
Luke sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Emelianenko in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Luke has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Emelianenko is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Eric Luke!