PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cain Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fedor Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Velasquez has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Velasquez
vs
Emelianenko

185 cm
25
245 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

186 cm
22
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Lethal high kicks
Big right hand

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cain Velasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fedor Emelianenko!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Sergei Dronov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Velasquez misses with a hook. Emelianenko ducked under it nicely.

Emelianenko has Velasquez up against the cage in a clinch.

Emelianenko manages to pull guard.
Velasquez wants to control from the top but Emelianenko keeps moving.
Emelianenko controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Emelianenko ducks under a wild hook from Velasquez.

Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches.

Velasquez is fighting off a takedown attempt but Emelianenko is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Velasquez to the mat. Velasquez regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Velasquez keeping full guard, as Emelianenko tries to pass.
Emelianenko passes Velasquez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Velasquez is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko stalling.
Emelianenko drops an elbow to the side of Velasquez's head.
Emelianenko trying to pass the guard but Velasquez defending well.
Emelianenko is thwarting Velasquez's attempts to control the position.
Emelianenko wants to pass to mount but Velasquez is defending the position.
Velasquez wants to improve his position but Emelianenko is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Emelianenko lands strikes from half guard.
Emelianenko trying to control the pace.
Velasquez on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Still in half guard, Emelianenko seems content to control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Emelianenko lands a nice short elbow.
Velasquez is trying to stand.
Emelianenko lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Emelianenko keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko slips a nice elbow through Velasquez's hands, connecting with Velasquez's forehead.
Emelianenko is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Emelianenko winds up and cracks Velasquez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Velasquez is trying to get back to full guard.
Emelianenko is pressing down on Velasquez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Velasquez is holding on for now.
Velasquez tries to roll over but Emelianenko keeps him under control.
Emelianenko is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Emelianenko there.
Emelianenko passes to full mount!
Emelianenko punishing his opponent with strikes.
Emelianenko controlling the position easily from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Emelianenko with a couple of short strikes.
Emelianenko is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Velasquez can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Emelianenko 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.

Velasquez throws a left and a right that both miss

and Emelianenko counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Emelianenko works over Velasquez with some ground and pound from guard.
Emelianenko distracts Velasquez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Emelianenko pushing down on Velasquez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Velasquez punching from the bottom.
Emelianenko takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Emelianenko scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Emelianenko content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Velasquez could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Emelianenko slips a nice elbow through Velasquez's hands, connecting with Velasquez's forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez tries to get to full guard but Emelianenko has control of the leg.
Emelianenko sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Velasquez is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Emelianenko scores with a couple of nice shots.
Emelianenko seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Velasquez tries to get to full guard but Emelianenko has control of the leg.
Emelianenko slows the pace down in half guard.

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.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Emelianenko wants to free his trapped foot but Velasquez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Emelianenko lands strikes from half guard.
Emelianenko takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Velasquez trying to control but Emelianenko postures up.
Velasquez is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Emelianenko is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Emelianenko really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Velasquez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Velasquez misses with a few strikes there.
Cain Velasquez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Emelianenko keeps Velasquez at a distance using the push kick.

Emelianenko closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Emelianenko wants the takedown. Velasquez is fighting it off but Emelianenko persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Velasquez's guard against the cage.
Emelianenko not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko wants to control from the top but Velasquez keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Fedor Emelianenko was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Velasquez fails to land with a series of punches.
Emelianenko slips a jab and a cross from Velasquez.
Velasquez misses with a combination

and Emelianenko counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Velasquez!
The referee warns Velasquez that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Emelianenko controlling his opponent.
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!
Velasquez can't escape the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Emelianenko lands a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fedor Emelianenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Emelianenko dodges the punch combination from Velasquez.

Emelianenko pushes Velasquez up against the cage in a clinch.
Velasquez takes a knee to the side of the body.

Emelianenko gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Velasquez regains guard.
Velasquez has momentary wrist control but Emelianenko slips an elbow through the middle.
Emelianenko forces his way into half guard.
Velasquez is trying to stand up here but Emelianenko is controlling him well.
Emelianenko controlling the action here.
Emelianenko is looking to advance position but Velasquez won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Velasquez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Emelianenko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Velasquez scores with a decent looking hook.
Emelianenko slips a jab and a cross from Velasquez.
A punch combination from Velasquez misses.
Velasquez misses with a two punch combination.

Emelianenko moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Velasquez can't get the takedown.
Velasquez taking a breather.

Emelianenko is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Velasquez can't fight it off and eventually Emelianenko manages to take the fight to the floor. Velasquez looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Velasquez can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Emelianenko controls the pace.
Emelianenko thows a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Velasquez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Emelianenko is controlling him.
Emelianenko sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Fedor Emelianenko was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Emelianenko not doing much here.
Emelianenko working Velasquez over with strikes.
Emelianenko slows the pace down in half guard.
Velasquez wants to improve his position but Emelianenko is controlling well.
Fedor Emelianenko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez pushes Emelianenko off looking to stand but Emelianenko dives back in and keeps control.
Emelianenko winds up and cracks Velasquez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Emelianenko content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Emelianenko working Velasquez over with strikes.
Velasquez is trying to stand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fedor Emelianenko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Emelianenko has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 25:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 25:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fedor Emelianenko!