PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vitaly Karelin (ranked 721 p4p, 20 weight class) and Sebastiaan Rutten (ranked 1403 p4p, 36 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Karelin
vs
Rutten

183 cm
37
282 lbs
26 - 16 - 0

185 cm
33
240 lbs
28 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

KOMBAT KLOTHING
Aspire Clothing

Aspire Clothing
Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

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 26 - 16 - 0, fighting out of London, Vitaly Karelin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sebastiaan Rutten!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karelin throws a lazy right hand but Rutten sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
And Rutten responds with a good body kick, but Karelin manages to step out the way in time.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Karelin.
Karelin misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Rutten counters with a head kick that drops Karelin to the mat! Karelin scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!
Karelin misses with a looping left.
Rutten lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Karelin throws a big shot that misses.
The crowd cheers as Karelin lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rutten doesn't seem phased though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karelin throws a poor cross that misses
and Rutten counters with a stiff right hand.
Karelin definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Karelin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rutten looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Karelin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rutten counters with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Karelin shoots in and gets a takedown into Rutten's guard.
Karelin is standing up over Rutten. Rutten looks to escape but Karelin dives into side control.

Rutten sneaks out the side door and pushes Karelin away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Rutten ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rutten looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Nice sprawl there from Rutten as Karelin shoots in.
It seemed like Rutten was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

Rutten gets caught napping as Karelin dives in and scores a takedown. Rutten manages to retain guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Karelin throws a strike but Rutten rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Karelin throws a couple of heel strikes.
Rutten trying to stand up but can't free himself from Karelin's guard.
Karelin tries to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten tries to stand but Karelin is controlling from the bottom.
Karelin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rutten postures up.
Karelin throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Karelin throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rutten wants to get up but he can't break Karelin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Karelin tries to strike from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Karelin misses with an uppercut.
Karelin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitaly Karelin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karelin throws a right hand that misses
and Rutten counters with a head kick. That will keep Karelin thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Karelin throws a nice looking combination but Rutten bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rutten throws a fast counter high kick but Karelin manages to duck under it in time.
A right-left combo lands from Rutten.

It looks like Vitaly Karelin has been cut.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Karelin is defended easily by Rutten.
Karelin lands a jab to Rutten's midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vitaly Karelin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karelin throws a sloppy body shot

and Rutten counters with a head kick that drops Karelin to the mat! Karelin scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Karelin closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rutten did well to prevent Karelin getting side control.

Rutten manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Karelin keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Karelin has Rutten pressed against the cage, preventing Rutten from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Karelin pushes Rutten back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Karelin misses with the head strike.
Rutten has had enough of the clinch but Karelin keeps him there for the moment.
Karelin lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Karelin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Karelin keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rutten's efforts to push away.
Karelin gets through Rutten's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sebastiaan Rutten dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vitaly Karelin's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Karelin throws an overhand right that lands on Rutten's shoulder, as Rutten tries to avoid the shot.
Karelin misses with a lunging right hand
and Rutten cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Karelin dives in and grabs Rutten's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rutten pushes down on Karelin's head and hops out.
Rutten takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Rutten has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Karelin shoots for a double leg takedown but Rutten sprawls well. He's pushed Karelin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rutten shapes to counter with a head kick.
Karelin connects with a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutten scores with a kick to the body.
Karelin throws a hook but Rutten avoids it easily.
Rutten follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Karelin throws an off balance right hand
and Rutten cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rutten avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rutten raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Karelin throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rutten stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rutten throws a lazy head kick
and Karelin counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rutten takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rutten is breathing heavily.
Karelin looks to score with a jab to the body but Rutten is just out of range.
And Rutten responds with a good body kick, but Karelin manages to step out the way in time.
Rutten leaves Karelin with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rutten raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitaly Karelin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Karelin lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Rutten stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rutten wants it to stay on the feet.
Sebastiaan Rutten is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
and Karelin counters with a massive uppercut that badly hurts Rutten! He's just covering up as Karelin starts to tee off till the referee steps in and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vitaly Karelin!
Vitaly Karelin decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.