PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nicolai Grigorev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksander Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Grigorev
vs
Emelianenko

168 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nicolai Grigorev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aleksander Emelianenko!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Leandro Rodrigues and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emelianenko throws a right and a left that Grigorev avoids nicely.

Grigorev looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Grigorev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Emelianenko keeping moving, preventing Grigorev from controlling successfully.
Grigorev tries to free his leg and advance position but Emelianenko is retaining full guard.
Emelianenko pulls Grigorev in to control the position.
Grigorev tries to free his leg and advance position but Emelianenko is retaining full guard.
Grigorev postures up.
Grigorev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Emelianenko on the ground.
Grigorev trying to control but Emelianenko is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Grigorev dodges the punch combination from Emelianenko.
Nicolai Grigorev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Emelianenko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Emelianenko gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Emelianenko is looking to stand up but Grigorev isn't so interested in that idea.
Grigorev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Grigorev trying to control the position from guard on top but Emelianenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grigorev 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 working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Grigorev postures up in Emelianenko's guard and throws a big left but Emelianenko blocks it.
Grigorev is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Grigorev trying to control the position from guard on top but Emelianenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

and Grigorev counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Grigorev sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Grigorev has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grigorev is keen to just control but Emelianenko is a slippery customer.
Grigorev is breathing heavily.
Grigorev throws a strike but Emelianenko avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Emelianenko not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Emelianenko kicks Grigorev off and gets to his feet.

Grigorev decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Emelianenko tries to roll over but Grigorev keeps him under control.
Emelianenko moves into full guard.
Emelianenko is trying to control the position but Grigorev postures up.
Emelianenko throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Grigorev being controlled here momentarily.
Emelianenko working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicolai Grigorev dominated that round.
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 throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Grigorev.

Grigorev shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Emelianenko manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Grigorev throws a strike but Emelianenko rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Grigorev on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Grigorev tries to get out of the position.
Grigorev is looking to stand up but Emelianenko isn't so interested in that idea.
Emelianenko advances position into side control!

Emelianenko decides to stand back up. Emelianenko steps back and let's Grigorev get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Emelianenko changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Grigorev looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Emelianenko looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Grigorev is avoiding damage well.
Grigorev parries the strikes from Emelianenko easily there. Emelianenko is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Grigorev to escape.
Emelianenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grigorev keeps working.
Grigorev struggling a bit here.
Grigorev dodges the ground and pound from Emelianenko.
Emelianenko throws an elbow but Grigorev slips to the side and avoids it well.
Emelianenko moves into full mount!
Emelianenko throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko looking to control but Grigorev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Emelianenko thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Emelianenko misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Emelianenko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Grigorev is looking to escape.
Grigorev blocking the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grigorev holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Emelianenko tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Emelianenko looking to finish with strikes here!
Emelianenko thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Grigorev wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Emelianenko.
Emelianenko punching from mount but Grigorev doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Emelianenko looking to control but Grigorev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Grigorev holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Emelianenko tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Emelianenko throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Emelianenko throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Aleksander Emelianenko!