PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fedor Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Susan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Susan is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Beautiful Machine - Shihad. Fedor Emelianenko has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Emelianenko
vs
Susan

185 cm
23
225 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

172 cm
23
245 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fedor Emelianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Susan!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Susan shoots for a double leg takedown but Emelianenko sprawls well. He's pushed Susan's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Emelianenko looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Susan tries to score a power double leg takedown but Emelianenko sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Susan somewhat.

Emelianenko gets caught flat footed, as Susan shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Susan won't allow Emelianenko to get back to his feet.
Susan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Emelianenko looking to control.
Susan is working Emelianenko over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Susan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Susan throws a big right hand that misses.
Susan throwing strikes but missing.
Emelianenko tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Susan lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Susan landing with the ground and pound.
Emelianenko will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Susan throwing strikes from guard but Emelianenko blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Susan preventing the sweep.
Susan is looking to work some ground and pound but Emelianenko has wrist control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Susan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Emelianenko.

Susan shoots in and bounces Emelianenko off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Susan throws and elbow that misses. Emelianenko uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Susan's guard. Nice move by Emelianenko!
Emelianenko trying to control but Susan is working from the bottom.
Susan tries to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Susan throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Susan scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Susan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Emelianenko is one step ahead there.
Susan throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Susan trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Susan misses with a takedown attempt

and Emelianenko counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fedor Emelianenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Susan.
Susan tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Emelianenko wants to get back to his feet.
Susan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko trying to pass the guard but Susan defending well.

Emelianenko is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Susan sees it coming and defends easily.
Susan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Susan is striking from the bottom but Emelianenko uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Susan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Susan wants to improve his position but Emelianenko is controlling well.
Susan throws a strike from the bottom but Emelianenko passes into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Emelianenko advances nicely into full mount.
Susan can't escape the position.
Emelianenko pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Susan throwing hammer fists to the chest of Emelianenko. What's that going to do exactly?
Emelianenko sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Susan throws a strike but has given up his back in the process.
Emelianenko doesn't have the hooks in and Susan manages to turn into his guard.
Susan won't allow Emelianenko to sweep him here.
Emelianenko looking to control.
Susan working some strikes from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mike Susan will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Emelianenko doesn't manage to clinch there - Susan circles away.

Susan looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Susan won't allow Emelianenko to sweep him here.

Emelianenko pushes Susan off and gets back to his feet.
Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Susan as he avoids it easily.

Susan shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Emelianenko manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Susan is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Emelianenko throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Susan connects with a couple of short punches.
Susan working some strikes from top position.
Susan throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Susan manages to get himself to full guard.
Susan strikes from his own guard.
Susan tries to strike from the bottom.
Emelianenko controlling from the top position.
Emelianenko preventing the sweep.
Susan doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Susan lands some strikes from the bottom.
Susan keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.
Susan looking for a sweep. Not yet Susan, not yet.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Emelianenko defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Susan.
Susan with a poor takedown
and Emelianenko counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Susan is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Susan stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Susan wants it to stay on the feet.

Emelianenko shoots in and bounces Susan off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Emelianenko scoring with punches to the head and body.
Susan manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Emelianenko is trying to escape the mount.
A nice elbow there by Susan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Susan takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Susan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Susan looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The fighters are battling for position here. Emelianenko manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Susan keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Emelianenko's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Susan throwing strikes from guard but Emelianenko blocks nicely.
Susan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Emelianenko works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Emelianenko working a defensive guard here.
Susan throws a big right hand that misses.
Susan with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Susan postures up and lands a big shot to Emelianenko's brow.
Mike Susan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Susan with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Susan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Emelianenko counters by moving into the clinch.
Fedor Emelianenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Susan.
Emelianenko jumps guard but Susan stands there with Emelianenko around his waist. Emelianenko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Emelianenko looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Susan drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Emelianenko gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Emelianenko jumps guard.

Emelianenko is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Susan is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Fedor Emelianenko will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Susan closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Emelianenko sneaks back into half guard.
Susan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Emelianenko tries to get to full guard but Susan has control of the leg.
Ground and pound from Susan.
Susan drops an elbow to the side of Emelianenko's head.
Nice strikes from Susan there.
Emelianenko on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Susan scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Susan lands with a punch from half guard.
Susan looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Susan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Susan misses with a head shot. Emelianenko uses the momentum to regain guard.
Susan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Susan stopping the sweep attempt from Emelianenko.
Emelianenko wants to get back to his feet but Susan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Emelianenko is trying to control the position but Susan postures up.
Susan won't allow Emelianenko to sweep him here.
Susan wants to pass the guard but Emelianenko is keeping the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Emelianenko swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Susan shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Susan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ground and pound from Susan.
Emelianenko keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Susan throws a strike but Emelianenko avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Susan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Emelianenko wants to sweep but no luck.
Emelianenko is trying to control the position but Susan postures up.
Susan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches.
Emelianenko misses with the head strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Emelianenko jumps guard.
Susan lands a couple of digs.
Susan landing with the ground and pound.
Susan stops Emelianenko from standing up.
Susan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Susan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Emelianenko works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Susan is looking to work some ground and pound but Emelianenko has wrist control.
Emelianenko looking for a sweep. Not yet Emelianenko, not yet.
Susan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Emelianenko doesn't manage to clinch there - Susan circles away.
Mike Susan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Susan fails with the takedown

and Emelianenko counters with a shoot takedown. Susan fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Susan throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Susan trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Susan throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Susan wants to sweep here but Emelianenko controlling him for the moment.
Emelianenko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Susan will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Susan wants to improve his position but instead Emelianenko has moved into half guard.
Susan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Fedor Emelianenko.
I think Emelianenko has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

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