PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bernard Kisky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lennox Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Lennox Karelin was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Kisky
vs
Karelin

195 cm
19
220 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

185 cm
24
205 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bernard Kisky!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lennox Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Valeri Chadov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Karelin gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kisky tries to pull guard but Karelin holds him up against the cage and eventually Kisky drops back down to his feet.
Kisky is trying to break the clinch but Karelin is controlling him.

Karelin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Karelin shoots in and bounces Kisky off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karelin being controlled here momentarily.
Karelin postures up.
Karelin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kisky's guard.
Karelin is looking to take a break and control but Kisky is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kisky keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kisky wants to get back to full guard.
Kisky is working hard here to advance position.
Kisky is trying to maintain the position but Karelin is very close to passing his half guard.
Karelin lands strikes from half guard.

Karelin stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Kisky to get to his feet.
Kisky tries to clinch but Karelin is having none of it.
Kisky wants to clinch but Karelin slips to the side

and Karelin counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Kisky is not content to let Karelin control the position.

Karelin looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Karelin is looking for a kimura here.
Karelin looks gassed!
Kisky is looking to control Karelin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kisky avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin tries to stand but can't do so whilst Kisky controls his leg.
Karelin tries to pass to full mount but Kisky defends it.
Karelin is thwarting Kisky's attempts to control the position.
Kisky is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Karelin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Karelin's back!
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Kisky lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Kisky working for the choke.
Kisky trying to control momentarily.
Kisky is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Kisky lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Kisky.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lennox Karelin dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kisky fails with the takedown

and Karelin holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Kisky is looking to break free of the clinch but Karelin has double underhooks.
Karelin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kisky backwards.
Kisky tries for a takedown but Karelin manages to get underhooks.
Karelin drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kisky pulls his leg out and moves away.
Kisky looks for a takedown but Karelin sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bernard Kisky. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kisky shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Karelin but Karelin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Horrible takedown by Kisky or perhaps it was just good defense by Karelin which made him look bad.
Karelin tries to clinch but Kisky is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kisky tries to clinch up

and Karelin counters with a single leg into guard. Kisky didn't expect that.

Kisky looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Karelin controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kisky pulls Karelin in close to prevent any damage.
Kisky is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Karelin is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin stopping the sweep attempt from Kisky.

Kisky scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Kisky tries to clinch

and Karelin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
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!
Kisky is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Karelin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Karelin's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin wants to get back to his feet.
Kisky is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Karelin. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Karelin rolls, trying to escape but Kisky keeps control of the position.
Kisky controls the action.
Kisky seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Karelin for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Karelin just trying to survive but Kisky is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Karelin looking very determined here, making life difficult for Kisky.
Kisky is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Kisky gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Kisky gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Kisky apologises and we restart here on the feet.
A solid leg kick lands there for Kisky.
Kisky lands a nice looking kick to the body. Karelin takes a step back to recover.
Kisky tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Karelin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lennox Karelin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Kisky throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Karelin.

Karelin gets a clinch.
Karelin wants a takedown but no success here.
Karelin looking for a takedown.
Kisky is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Karelin tries to score a body lock takedown but Kisky shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Bernard Kisky has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lennox Karelin.
Kisky tries to circle away but Karelin has him pinned against the cage.
Kisky fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Karelin stops a takedown attempt from Kisky.
Kisky tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kisky wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kisky lands a body punch.
Kisky is trying to break free.
Karelin prevents a takedown attempt there.
Kisky wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kisky pulls guard effortlessly.
Kisky is controlling Karelin's posture.
Kisky trying to keep a closed guard but Karelin is proving a slippery customer.
Kisky looking for a sweep. Not yet Kisky, not yet.
Karelin trying to control the position from guard on top but Kisky is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kisky controls Karelin momentarily but Karelin frees himself.
Kisky is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Karelin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kisky is proving hard to escape from.
Kisky controls Karelin momentarily but Karelin frees himself.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Kisky darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kisky prevents Karelin from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin is looking to improve his position.
Kisky is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Karelin!

Kisky looking to secure an arm triangle but Karelin defends it well.
Kisky looking to ground and pound but Karelin is blocking nicely.
Kisky putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Kisky tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Karelin can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Karelin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Karelin is squirming around, avoiding Kisky's attempts to control the action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kisky is really struggling to control Karelin but he's trying to hold on to the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bernard Kisky showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Karelin has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lennox Karelin!